Incident
A special flight from Blackbushe to Fāyid Air Force Base in Egypt, with an intermediate stop in Luqa, Malta, encountered a serious in-flight emergency while flying south of Paris. The aircraft was carrying 68 British soldiers and a crew of eight, bound for Egypt to assist troops after a coup by General Nasser. For diplomatic reasons, the aircraft was wearing the military registration WZ839 instead of its civil registration G-ALDB.
During the flight, engine number four exploded. The propeller blades detached and struck engine number three, causing further damage. In response, the pilot-in-command reduced altitude and attempted to divert to Pithiviers aerodrome for an emergency landing.
Emergency Landing and Evacuation
The aircraft executed a stable approach and landed on a grassy runway at Pithiviers. Upon landing, the aircraft came to rest in flames. All 76 occupants were able to evacuate the cabin safely before the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire. It was reported that some of the occupants sustained minor injuries.
Probable Cause
The exact cause of the explosion on engine number four could not be determined with certainty. However, it was reported that several components, among them the reduction gear pinion bearing, of engine number four failed in flight, causing the propeller to detach and the engine to partially disintegrate.