What happened
The incident involved a Avro Lancaster operating under the command of Bomber Command. The aircraft was engaged in Operation Exodus, a mission dedicated to repatriating prisoners of war back to the United Kingdom. Onboard were 24 released prisoners, some of whom had been held for over five years, alongside a crew of six personnel from 514th Squadron.
During the return leg, the flight crew transmitted a brief message indicating an intention to make a forced landing. As the pilot prepared for the approach and applied full flap, the aircraft immediately lost control. It entered a spin from which recovery was impossible. The plane subsequently crashed into the ground and was completely destroyed by fire.
Findings
Investigations indicated that significant center of gravity issues had developed prior to the final approach. Several passengers had moved from their designated seating positions, disrupting the aircraft's balance. To compensate for this shift, the pilot had already utilized eight divisions of elevator trim to maintain stability. However, when full flap was deployed, the aerodynamic changes overwhelmed the control inputs, leading directly to the loss of control and the resulting fatal accident.