What happened
During a mission as part of the Berlin Airlift, a transport aircraft traveling from Wiesbaden-Erbenheim to Berlin-Tempelhof experienced an engine fire. The captain immediately ordered the crew and two passengers to evacuate the cabin. All four individuals successfully bailed out and were reported uninjured.
After confirming the cabin was empty, the pilot attempted to make an emergency landing in a nearby field by reducing altitude. However, the aircraft crashed in flames into a field in Heroldishausen, located northwest of Bad Langensalza. The impact destroyed the airframe, and the captain was killed in the accident.
Findings
Investigations determined that the incident began with a failure of a hydraulic line during flight. This malfunction allowed hydraulic fluid to flow into the engine compartment. Upon contact with high-temperature engine components, the fluid ignited, resulting in the fire that forced the emergency evacuation.