What happened
The incident occurred during an en route flight from Smoky Hill Air Force Base to Tinker Air Force Base. While executing a holding pattern or circling maneuver over Talihina, the aircraft encountered an unexpected operational situation that led to a loss of control. The airplane subsequently entered a flat spin and descended into a wooded area located approximately 10 kilometers southwest of the town.
Upon impact, the airframe broke apart and immediately burst into flames. There were no survivors in this accident; all 13 crew members were killed. The personnel on board included the pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer, assistant to the flight engineer, navigator, two radio operators, bombardier, two radar observers, and three air gunners.
Findings
The source material indicates that the accident was precipitated by an unexpected situation encountered while the aircraft was circling. This event directly resulted in the aircraft entering a flat spin from which it could not be recovered, leading to the fatal crash.