What happened
The aircraft was operating at a cruising altitude of 6,000 feet when the crew encountered adverse meteorological conditions. The environment included heavy rainfall and turbulence. During this phase of flight, the four-engine bomber suffered a catastrophic in-flight explosion. Following the disintegration, the wreckage descended rapidly and impacted the ground in a field, resulting in a large secondary explosion. All 24 occupants on board were killed in the incident.
Findings
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the accident, noting that the cloud base was at 1,000 feet with estimated horizontal visibility of up to 7 miles at the time. The inquiry concluded that no mechanical failure or fire occurred prior to the final impact. However, authorities were unable to determine the exact cause of the initial explosion that led to the in-flight disintegration. While a structural failure was considered as a potential contributing factor, it was not definitively ruled out.