What happened
In the early evening, a three-engine transport aircraft departed Tunis bound for Castelvetrano. The plane was carrying wounded soldiers and was noted to be heavily loaded at the time of departure. Upon arriving for a night approach, the crew faced adverse weather conditions characterized by low cloud cover and rain.
During the initial attempt to land, the captain aborted the approach. This decision was driven by poor visibility that prevented the identification of the runway, compounded by the fact that the aircraft's approach lighting system was inoperable. On the subsequent second approach, the aircraft achieved proper alignment with the runway centerline. However, the airspeed remained excessive at 160 km/h.
As the aircraft entered the final segment of the landing, the captain reduced engine power to idle. This action resulted in an aerodynamic stall, causing the plane to strike the runway surface. Upon impact, fire broke out on the right wing. The aircraft subsequently lost control and crashed, resulting in a total loss as it burst into flames.
The accident resulted in four fatalities, comprising three German soldiers and one French soldier. Additionally, thirty-three other occupants sustained injuries. The airframe was destroyed by the post-crash fire. The flight crew consisted of two pilots, a flight engineer, a radio navigator, and an air gunner.