Incident Overview
A four-engine aircraft assigned to the 352nd Special Operations Group, based at RAF Mildenhall, crashed during a night training mission with the Albanian Army. The aircraft had departed Tirana-Rinas Airport in the evening for a low-level flight exercise.
Flight and Crash
While flying at approximately 300 feet above the ground at night, the crew was using night-vision goggles. As they approached a ridge, the crew decided to gain altitude. However, the aircraft was unable to climb, stalled, and subsequently crashed into hilly, snow-covered terrain.
Aftermath
The aircraft was destroyed in the impact, and all nine occupants were killed.
Official Findings
The accident investigation board determined the probable cause: the crew's loss of situational awareness placed the aircraft in too low a climb with respect to the surrounding mountainous terrain. Responding to the situation, the crew did not use all available power and stalled the aircraft during a turning climb. This resulted in a loss of aircraft control and an almost immediate crash.