What happened
A formation consisting of nine Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar aircraft, operating under the flight designation 'Chalk', was traveling from Dreux, Eure-et-Loir, toward Stuttgart-Echterdingen Airport in Germany. During the transit, the pilot of aircraft 53-3222 (Challk 8) notified the formation leader that the left engine had failed and indicated an intention to perform an emergency landing.
As the crew of 53-3222 attempted to exit the formation by descending and executing a left turn, the upper portion of its empennage struck the cockpit base of aircraft 53-7841 (Chalk 9). Following the impact, both aircraft lost control and descended into a field and wooded area near Edelweiler. The collision caused both aircraft to disintegrate upon hitting the ground, resulting in 66 fatalities with no survivors.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing factors. While the initial emergency was triggered by the engine failure on the right wingman's aircraft, the primary cause of the collision was attributed to pilot error regarding formation positioning. Specifically, the crew of 53-7841 failed to maintain their assigned altitude and had overtaken the element leader prior to the impact.
Additionally, investigators noted supervisory deficiencies, including inadequate rest for the pilot involved in the collision and a lack of sufficient experience for the co-pilot on aircraft 53-7841. The board concluded that while the engine malfunction necessitated the departure from formation, the mid-air strike would have been avoided had the second aircraft maintained its proper station.