What happened
During the conflict, a German military aircraft came under attack from Allied forces. The plane was engaged by an RAF Defiant fighter operating with the 264th Squadron. After being hit by enemy fire, the aircraft lost control and crashed onto agricultural land in the village of Steenkerke. The impact occurred on a farm property, leading to significant casualties among both the military personnel aboard and civilians or soldiers present at the location.
The crash site was situated on a private farm. The force of the impact resulted in the immediate death of all five crew members who were on board. Additionally, six Belgian soldiers who were located at the farm perished in the incident. There were no survivors from the aircraft or the ground casualties mentioned in the records.
Findings
The official investigation determined that the primary cause of the accident was the interception and destruction of the aircraft by enemy fire. The engagement by the RAF fighter pilot directly led to the loss of control and the subsequent fatal crash into the occupied farm.