What happened
During the initial climb phase following departure from Frankfurt-Main Airport, the flight crew experienced a sudden reduction in power across both engines. In response to this loss of thrust, the crew followed established procedures and retracted the flaps. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft entered a stall and descended into a forested region in Kelsterbach, situated approximately three kilometers north of the airport. The impact and subsequent intense fire destroyed the aircraft. There were 44 fatalities among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the engine failure suggested that heavy lead deposits on the spark plugs likely caused the power loss. As the plugs reached operating temperatures during takeoff, these metallic accumulations created a short circuit. While no other primary contributing factors were identified, investigators noted that the decision to continue the takeoff and the retraction of flaps at a critically low airspeed and altitude may have contributed to the accident, provided the engine power loss was not so severe as to make the crash inevitable. The accumulation of lead on the plugs was found to be a continuous process rather than a sudden occurrence.