What happened
In the evening, a three-engine Lufthansa aircraft departed Berlin-Tempelhof for a scheduled flight to Munich. The itinerary included intermediate stops in Prague and Vienna. While cruising approximately 60 kilometers south of Berlin, the aircraft was engaged by a Soviet fighter pilot.
The plane was shot down and crashed into a field in Steinreich, where it burned completely. The impact and fire resulted in 18 fatalities among the occupants, including the German filmmaker Hans Steinhoff. Two other passengers sustained serious injuries. This incident marked the final Lufthansa departure from Berlin prior to the conclusion of World War II.
Findings
The official investigation determined that the aircraft was destroyed by hostile fire. The primary cause of the accident was identified as the interception and shooting down of the civilian airliner by a Soviet fighter pilot.