Incident
A heavy bomber cruising at an altitude of 7,200 meters was attacked by the pilot of a Soviet Air Force MiG-15. Following the attack, the airplane went out of control and entered a dive toward the ground. During the dive, the aircraft partially disintegrated in the air and lost all four of its engines before crashing in a field.
Casualties
Two crew members were killed in the incident: Airman First Class Richard L. Albright and Airman First Class Clifford H. Mast. Eleven other crew members were injured and subsequently taken as prisoners of war.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause of the incident, as determined by the investigating authority, is that the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Soviet MiG-15.