What happened
In late October 1945, a military transport aircraft departed Blackbushe airport for a repatriation flight. Shortly after takeoff, while in the initial climb phase, a fire broke out in engine number two. The incident caused the aircraft to stall, leading to a crash in a field approximately two miles from the airfield. The impact and subsequent post-crash fire destroyed the airframe completely.
All 23 occupants on board were killed. The individuals aboard were Czech citizens being returned to their home country at the end of World War II. The group included five children, three crew members assigned to the 311th Squadron, and nineteen passengers. No survivors were reported from the incident.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified a mechanical failure as the primary trigger. It was determined that a flexible fuel pipe ruptured within engine number two. This rupture allowed fuel to spill into the nacelle area, where it ignited upon contact with hot engine components, resulting in the uncontrolled fire and loss of control.