What happened
The C-46 was conducting a military cargo mission between Buffalo, New York, and Patterson Field, Ohio. The aircraft was carrying approximately 8,000 pounds of freight when an incident occurred in flight. A fire ignited in the vicinity of the fuel cross-feed valve, the auxiliary power unit, and the gasoline heater. The intensity of the blaze caused the floor structure to weaken and subsequently collapse. With the aircraft on fire, it descended uncontrolled and struck trees before impacting the ground.
Findings
The primary contributing factor was a fire originating in the area of the fuel cross-feed valve, APU, and gasoline heater. This fire led to structural failure of the floor, which compromised the airframe's integrity and resulted in the crash.