What happened
On the early morning of the incident, a cargo flight carrying 3/5 crew members and 35 tons of electronic goods departed from Ostend Airport, bound for Lagos. Approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, while the Boeing 747 (implied cargo type) was cruising at 24,000 feet near the boundary of the Brussels and Paris ARTCC, the crew reported encountering intense turbulence. Shortly thereafter, the crew notified air traffic control that the number three engine had detached from the wing.
Following this mechanical failure, the flight crew decided to abort the mission and return to their point of origin. During the approach and descent into Ostend, the aircraft experienced a total failure of its hydraulic systems. To manage the situation, the crew performed a holding pattern to reduce the aircraft's weight by burning fuel before receiving clearance to land on runway 26.
Upon landing, the aircraft could not decelerate sufficiently to remain on the runway. The plane overran the paved surface, causing the landing gear to collapse. The aircraft slid for several dozen meters before coming to a stop in the vicinity of the localizer antenna. While the aircraft sustained substantial damage rendering it a total loss, all five crew members managed to exit the wreckage without any injuries.
Findings
The sequence of events was driven by the separation of the number three engine during flight, which subsequently led to the loss of hydraulic pressure during the landing phase.