What happened
The incident occurred while the aircraft was in the process of returning to its home base after completing a combat mission. During this phase of flight, the plane came under attack from an opposing force. A German fighter engaged the target and successfully shot it down. The impact of the enemy fire caused the aircraft to crash, leading to the loss of the entire crew.
Findings
The official investigation determined that the direct cause of the accident was the engagement by hostile forces. The aircraft was shot down while operating in a contested environment. Both individuals on board were killed in the resulting crash.