What happened
The flight originated from Pouembout-Plaine des Gaïacs AFB with a destination of Brisbane. Approximately thirty minutes after departure, the crew identified mechanical issues related to the engine and decided to return to the departure airfield for an emergency landing.
During the final approach phase, the pilot observed that another aircraft was partially blocking the runway surface. To avoid a collision with the parked machine, the pilot executed a short landing just beyond the obstruction. However, the remaining runway distance was insufficient to bring the aircraft to a halt. The plane overran the end of the runway, lost its undercarriage, and came to rest in a position where it subsequently burst into flames.
All personnel on board, including the pilot and crew chief, evacuated the aircraft safely before the fire consumed the structure. The aircraft was destroyed by the resulting blaze, but there were no injuries reported among the occupants.
Findings
The official investigation attributed the incident to an engine problem that necessitated the return to base.