What happened
The incident occurred during operations associated with the Berlin Airlift. After departing from Schleswig Air Force Base, the flight crew encountered an unforeseen operational issue. In response to this situation, the captain elected to abort the mission and return to the departure airfield for a safe landing.
Upon touchdown at Schleswig, the aircraft experienced a mechanical failure when one of the landing gear assemblies collapsed. This structural failure rendered the aircraft uncontrollable. The plane subsequently skidded across the runway surface before finally coming to rest. Despite the severity of the crash and the resulting damage, all three members of the flight crew escaped without injury.
Findings
The investigation into the event confirmed that the collapse of the landing gear upon touchdown was the primary factor leading to the loss of control. The structural integrity of the aircraft was compromised to such an extent that it was declared damaged beyond repair. No fatalities were recorded in the incident.