What happened
While flying from Roswell AAF toward Borinquen, Puerto Rico, the aircraft experienced a mechanical failure involving engine number three. The fire ignited within the engine section and could not be suppressed by the onboard systems. Faced with an uncontrolled blaze, the flight crew made the decision to abandon the airframe. All personnel ejected from the aircraft, leaving it to descend uncontrolled. The machine impacted the terrain approximately five kilometers west of Merkel.
Findings
The official investigation identified the in-flight engine fire as the primary cause of the accident. The inability to extinguish the blaze necessitated the emergency ejection, which resulted in one fatality and nineteen injuries among the occupants.