What happened
The incident involved a Lockheed C-54 flying in formation with a C-40A Electra Junior. The purpose of the flight was to allow the crew of the smaller aircraft to photograph the release of a dummy combat tank from the larger plane. Immediately after the tank was dropped, the pilot of the C-40A executed a sharp turn to the left. This maneuver caused the C-40A to strike the right wingtip of the C-54.
Following the impact, the C-40A entered an uncontrolled spin and crashed near the runway. All five members of the crew on board the C-40A were killed in this portion of the accident. The C-54 sustained damage but remained airborne for approximately 700 feet. During this brief period, two passengers managed to bail out from the aircraft. Subsequently, the C-54 entered a vertical dive and crashed, resulting in the deaths of three additional crew members.
Findings
The official investigation attributed the accident to wrong judgement on part of the C-40 crew. The rapid turn executed by the pilot of the Electra Junior was identified as the direct cause of the collision with the C-54 wingtip, leading to the loss of both aircraft and all eight individuals involved.