What happened
A Douglas C-13 33A Cargomaster, registration 56-2014, was operating under the Military Air Transport Service's 1st Air Transport Squadron. The aircraft had arrived at Goose Bay from Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, and remained on the ground for a 15-hour crew rest period. During this time, the plane was loaded with various provisions, including meat, in preparation for a flight to Thule Air Base via Sondrestrom Air Base.
Following an initial departure delay caused by a technical malfunction, the aircraft attempted a second takeoff. Crucially, the aircraft had not undergone de-icing procedures after sitting on the ground for an extended duration. During the climb, at an altitude between 120 and 150 feet, the right wing experienced a sudden drop of approximately 20 to 30 degrees. Although the pilot briefly stabilized the aircraft's attitude, it subsequently rolled sharply to the left. The left wing dropped into a near-vertical position, and the crew was unable to recover control. At 16:49 local time, the aircraft impacted the ground in a nose-high, left-wing-down orientation. There were 7 fatalities among the flight crew and loadmaster.
Findings
An investigation into the accident identified a power stall as the primary factor in the crash. The board concluded that the most likely cause was structural icing on the wing or vortex generators, which had built up while the aircraft was stationary during its layover.