What happened
During a flight mission, a heavy bomber was targeted by anti-aircraft weaponry. The impact of the ground fire caused the aircraft to undergo an explosion while still in flight. This mid-air detonation led to the structural disintegration of the airframe.
In the aftermath of the explosion, three members of the crew managed to successfully bail out of the aircraft. These individuals were subsequently located and rescued. However, the remaining eight occupants on board did not survive the incident.
Findings
Investigations into the destruction of the aircraft concluded that the primary factor in the loss of the plane was the direct hit from anti-aircraft fire, which triggered the fatal mid-air explosion.