What happened
Prior to departure from Rotterdam Airport, the flight crew received a briefing regarding a low-pressure system situated south of the airport, which was characterized by thunderstorm activity and turbulent conditions. The aircraft departed at 17:04 local time and began a southward climb following standard departure procedures.
By 17:09, the crew identified heavy rain and thunderstorms via the onboard weather radar. In response to these conditions, air traffic control authorized a heading change intended to bypass the storm cells. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft encountered an area of intense atmospheric instability featuring severe updrafts and downdrafts. During this period, the airframe was subjected to extreme vertical accelerations, with loads fluctuating between +6.8 G and -3.2 G.
These extreme G-loads caused a significant loss of structural integrity, specifically resulting in the separation of a large section of the right wing. Following this failure, the aircraft entered a steep dive from approximately 3,000 feet. The plane subsequently disintegrated before impacting a highway near Moerdijk. There were 17 fatalities among the occupants.