Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina in Marabá

Date & Time: May 13, 1954
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PT-AMR
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1995
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Apparently following engine problems, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing on the Río Tocantins in Marabá. All three passengers were unhurt while all three crew members were injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Consolidated PB2B-1 Catalina IV-B on Bjørnøya Island: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1954 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
KK-N
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tromsø – Bjørnøya – Isfjord – Longyearbyen – Ny-Ålesund – Hopen – Tromsø
MSN:
28129
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane was carrying one passenger and eight crew members of the 333rd Squadron on a mail dropping mission out from Tromsø. After an uneventful dropping mission at Bjørnøya Island, Isfjord Radio, Longyearbyen, Ny-Ålesund and Hopen, in the Svalbard region, the crew was returning to Tromsø when he decided to make a last low pass over the Bjørnøya station. While flying at a height of 40 meters in snow falls, the pilot-in-command completed a turn to the right when the right wing struck the ground. Out of control, the airplane crashed and disintegrated in one meter of snow. A radio operator was rescued while eight other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was caused by the aircraft losing altitude through a sideslip, possibly due to the pilot losing spatial awareness in the poor visibility.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina into the Pacific Ocean

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
64089
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
0217
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During a maritime patrol flight over the Pacific Ocean, the crew was forced to ditch the aircraft about 160 km off Midway Island following a fuel exhaustion. All occupants were rescued by the crew of a USN ship while the airplane sank and was lost. The exact date of the mishap remains unknown (somewhere in 1953).
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Consolidated PA-10 Catalina in Marabá: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 31, 1953 at 0740 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
6500
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1059
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
One minute after takeoff from Marabá, the aircraft crashed near a fuel depot located along the Rio Tocantins. Four crew members were killed, a fifth was rescued.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina into the Mississippi River: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
46617
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a medical evacuation from a vessel on the Mississippi River. Upon landing, the Catalina struck a submerged obstacle that caused the aircraft to water loop, separating the wing from the fuselage. The aircraft quickly sank and was lost. Three crew members were killed while three others were injured.
Crew killed were:
Ens V. C. Fleck,
Ad2 J. C. Netherland,
Aic M. L. Sweet.
Probable cause:
Collision with an unknown floating obstacle while landing on the Mississippi River.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Picinguaba

Date & Time: Jul 5, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
PT-AXX
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
São Paulo - Picinguaba
MSN:
1599
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was on its way from São Paulo-Congonhas to Picinguaba, carrying one pilot and nine passengers, among them Adhemar de Barros, politician and chairman of Aerovias (owner of the airplane). While landing in rough seas, the seaplane hit waves and a float was sheared off. The aircraft nosed down and plunged into the water. All ten occupants were rescued while the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina in Dahr Ain el Abid: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
P-211
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
1945
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While cruising in low visibility due to poor weather conditions, the seaplane hit the Dahr Ain el Abid hill. A crew member was killed while eight others were rescued. The aircraft was on its way from Dutch Guinea to The Netherlands.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina in Agana: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 11, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
46640
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Agana - Agana
MSN:
2004
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Agana-Harmon Field, while climbing by night, the aircraft suffered an engine failure. The crew elected to return for a safe landing when the seaplane stalled and crashed near the airport. Three crew members were killed while two others were rescued. The aircraft was destroyed.
Those killed were:
Lcdr R. S. McClendon,
Lt M. L. McGregor,
Sk3 H. J. Beltz.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina off Biak

Date & Time: Oct 28, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
P-213
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1824
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the left engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft. On landing, the seaplane struck a reef and sank rapidly. All crew members were able to evacuate safely while the aircraft was lost.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine in flight.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina into Lake Washington: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1952
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
46664
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
2028
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training sortie over Washington State. Upon landing on Lake Washington, the seaplane overturned and sank. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew forgot to raise the landing gear prior to landing on water, causing the aircraft to overturn.