What happened
During the final approach phase to McDill Air Force Base, an aircraft experienced a sudden fire. The blaze led to a crash occurring before the plane could reach the runway. Upon impact, the airframe burst into flames.
In the moments preceding the impact, five members of the crew managed to successfully eject from the aircraft and survived the incident. However, the remaining seven crew members on board were unable to escape and perished in the accident. The total number of fatalities was twelve, while five individuals survived.
Findings
- The aircraft caught fire during its approach to the airfield.
- The crash occurred short of the runway threshold.