What happened
The incident involved a military transport aircraft operating a transit flight destined for Münster-Handorf Airport. During the approach or en-route phase toward the destination, the crew encountered adverse weather conditions characterized by significant icing. As the ice accumulated on the airframe, the aircraft subsequently went out of control. The loss of controllability resulted in the plane crashing into the ground at a location identified as Veulen.
The accident was fatal for everyone on board. There were no survivors among the four crew members who were killed in the impact. The flight deck and cabin personnel included a pilot, a bomb aimer, a radio operator, and an air gunner. All four individuals perished in the crash.
Findings
Official investigations attributed the accident directly to the environmental conditions encountered during the flight. The accumulation of ice on the aircraft's surfaces was determined to be the primary factor that led to the loss of control. This icing event rendered the aircraft uncontrollable, ultimately causing the fatal collision with the terrain in Veulen.