Pacific Ocean

Clipper 944, 1 a regularly scheduled around-the-world flight, originated at San Francisco with its first stop scheduled at Honolulu. It departed San Francisco at 1951 2 on November 8 estimating arrival at Honolulu at 0550, November 9. There were 36 passengers and a crew consisting of Captain Gordon H. Brown, First Officer William P. Wygant, Second Officer William H. Fortenberry, Flight Engineer Albert F. Pinataro, Purser Oliver E. Crosthwaite, Stewardesses Yvonne L. Alexander and Marie L. McGrath, and Flight Service Supervisor John E. King. The flight plan specified a cruising altitude of 10,000 feet and an airspeed of 226 knots. Gross weight at departure was 147,000 pounds, the maximum allowable, and the weight included fuel for approximately 13 hours. Good weather was forecast for the duration of the flight. All required position reports were made and Clipper 944 reported to Ocean Station vessel "November" at 0030; its position was fixed by radar as 10 miles east of the vessel. The last position report, at 0104, was routine with no indication of anything unusual. The next scheduled position report, due at 0204, was not received and 30 minutes thereafter the flight was designated unreported. Five days later, nine bodies and some debris were find about 147 miles northeast of the estimated point of impact. There were no survivors among the 44 occupants.

En route from Wake Island to Yokota AFB, Tokyo, while cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet, the crew informed ground about his position 320 km off the Japanese coast and that all was ok on board. Shortly later, the airplane disappeared and the crew was unable to send any distress call. SAR operations were conducted for eight days but no trace of the airplane nor the 67 occupants was ever found.

Trip 6 of October 13 was a regularly scheduled “around-the-world” flight eastbound from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. to San Francisco, California. with en route stops in Europe, Asia. and various Pacific Islands. All prior segments had been routine and the flight departed Honolulu on the last leg of the -trip on October 15. It was cleared to San Francisco Airport via Green Airway 9, then track to position 30 degrees N. 140 degrees W. at 13,000 feet. the 21,000 feet to San Francisco. There were 24 passengers aboard., including 3 infants, and a crew consisting of Richard N. Ogg, Captain; George L. Haaker. First Officer; Frank Garcia. Jr., Flight Engineer; Richard L. Brown, Navigator; Patricia Reynolds, Purser Mary Ellen Daniel and Katherine S. Araki, Stewardesses. The 8-hour, 54-minute flight was planned IFR and the aircraft carried sufficient fuel for 12 hours. 18 minutes. The gross takeoff weight of the aircraft was 138,903 pounds (maximum allowable 144,000) and the center of gravity was located within limits. N 90943 departed Honolulu at 2026. The climb to initial altitude was normal and the flight proceeded in a routine manner. At OLO2, the approximate midpoint of the flight, a request for VFR climb to its secondary altitude of 21,000 feet was approved by ATC. After reaching 21,000 feet and simultaneously with the reduction of power, the No. 1 engine oversped. Airspeed was immediately reduced by the use of flaps and reduction of power. Attempts were also made to feather the No. 1 propeller. It was impossible to control the engine or to feather the propeller and the captain decided to freeze the engine by cutting off the oil supply. Shortly after this was done there was a momentary decrease in the r. p. m., followed by a heavy thud. The propeller continued to windmill. At this time airspeed had slowed to 150 knots and the aircraft was losing altitude at a rate of approximately 1.000 feet per minute. The captain contacted the U. S. Coast Guard weather station “November” at 0122., alerted it to a possible ditching. and asked assistance. He also alerted the pas angers to the emergency and told them to prepare for a possible water landing. The flight course was altered to "home in” on station “November” and climb power applied to engines Nos. 2, 3, and 4 to cheek the rate of descent. At this time it was noticed that No. 4 engine was only developing partial power at full throttle. At 0125 the flight notified “November” that ditching was imminent and received a ditching heading from the cutter. During the descent the crew found they could maintain altitude at an airspeed of 135 knots with rated power on engines Nos. 2 and 3 and the partial power on No. 4. About 0137 the flight overheated the cutter. Prior to overheating the cutter the maximum range with the fuel remaining had been computed and it was determined to be insufficient either to complete the flight to San Francisco or return to Honolulu. Mortar flares had been fired by the cutter and electric water lights laid to illuminate a ditching track for the aircraft. However, it was decided to postpone the ditching until daylight, if possible. meanwhile remaining close to the cutter. About 0245 the No. 4 engine backfired and power dropped off. Its propeller was feathered normally. The flight was still able to maintain altitude and continued to orbit “November” to burn the fuel aboard down to a minimum while awaiting daylight. At 0540 Captain Ogg notified the U. S. S. Pontchartrain he was preparing to ditch the aircraft. A foam path was laid along the ditching heading of 3150 by the cutter and the aircraft was ditched at 0615. Passengers and crew safely evacuated the aircraft, boarded liferafts, and were completely clear of the aircraft at 0632. The aircraft sank at 0635 at position 30 degrees 01.5’ N. 140 degrees 09’ W.

The Lockheed WV-3 Super Constellation, BuNo 137893, took off from Guam at 06:00 in the morning of September 1956 on a weather recon mission with an 18 man crew. The flight was normal for the first 14 hours or so. On the return leg, when the flight was 200 miles from Guam, when it lost engine #1 due to oil starvation. The engine was shut down and the propeller feathered. The pilot reported his position to Guam central and the radioman sent the position to the VW3 squadron duty office where it was tracked. The flight continued toward Guam at an altitude of 1200 feet. With 100 miles to go #4 engine experienced complete loss of power and was shut down. The propeller was feathered. However, the propeller never went to full feather and windmilled. There was a violent swerve to the right. Shortly after this, engines #2 and #3 started to lose power. At 80 miles from Guam and losing altitude at 500 to 700 feet per minute the captain decided to ditch the aircraft while he still had lateral control and issued the "Prepare to Ditch" command. Navigator Wanbaugh gave an updated position report to the pilot and radioman for the "May-Day" transmissions. A ditching was carried out. All 18 occupants climbed into two life rafts, already deployed, and pushed off at around 22:00. At about 03:20 on September 18th, the life rafts were sighted by a P2V Neptune aircraft flying search and rescue. The occupants were rescued by Coast Guard Cutter Buttonwood.
Source:
https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19560917-1

The crew was completing a flight from Pope AFB to Tachikawa with intermediate stops at McClellan AFB and Hickam AFB. While cruising about 1,046 km northeast of Hickam AFB, a propeller blade failed. As the crew was unable to feather the propeller, they decided to bail out and abandoned the airplane that crash into the ocean. A crew member was killed while four others were rescued.

Trip 7413-23 originated at Travis Air Force Base, California, its destination Tokyo, Japan, with scheduled refueling stops at Honolulu and Wake Island. The cargo load of 15,33 pounds was properly secured and distributed relative to the center of gravity. The flight departed Travis Air Force Base at 0958 and arrived at Honolulu at 2211, September 23, 1955, without incident. The crew consisted of Captain A. J. Machado. First Off leer W. F. Gin, Copilot R. C. Hightower. and Navigators R. C. Olsen and D. Ventresca. No maintenance work was required at Honolulu and the aircraft was refueled to 3,016 gallons for the flight to Wake Island. There was no offloading or loading of cargo. Gross weight of the aircraft at the time of takeoff from Honolulu was 72.993 pounds; there was no change in the flight crew. The flight departed Honolulu at 0013, September 24, 1955, on an IFR (Instrument Plight Rules) flight plan to Wake Airport via Green 9, Rhumbline Track, to maintain 8,000 feet. Routine hourly position, fuel remaining and weather reports ware made to Honolulu ARTC (Air Route Traffic Center) as the flight progressed and at 0630 control of the flight was transferred to Wake Island ARTC. At 0633 an emergency was declared to Wake ARTC, the flight advising of loss of power in three engines and inability to return to Honolulu. The aircraft was ditched during darkness at approximately 0641 at position 20 degrees 20' N. latitude 175 degrees 45' W. longitude. Neither Wake nor Honolulu radio was able to maintain contact with the aircraft; therefore Air Search and Rescue was alerted and an extensive search was commenced using both aircraft and surface vessels. At approximately 1318 on September 25 the SS Steel Advocate sighted and picked up Captain Machado and Copilot Hightower who were floating in life jackets. The two survivors reported that Navigator Ventresca went down with the aircraft and First Officer Gin and Navigator Olsen died while in the water. Weather briefing at Honolulu indicated a low pressure trough to be crossed at about 165 degrees W. longitude; there were no fronts to be crossed. The forecast indicated that scattered cumulus clouds would prevail over the intended route with tops mostly 12,000 feet and lower. Review of the weather indicates no rain showers at the time and place of ditching. Sea swells in the ditching area wore probably 4 to 6 feet high with the sea surface intermittently in deep shadow and faintly illuminated by the moon, which was in its first quarter.

Trip 845/26, a scheduled flight from Seattle-Tacoma, Washington, to Sydney, Australia, departed Seattle-Tacoma Airport at 0815LT for Portland, Oregon, the first intermediate stop. There were 13 passengers and a crew of 8 consisting of Captain H. S. Joslyn, First Officer A. G. Kendrick, a Navigator N. F. Kerwick, Flight Engineer D. R. Fowler, Assistant Flight Engineer S. Bachman, Purser Natalie B. Parker, Stewardess Elizabeth M. Thompson, and Steward J. D. Peppin. The flight to Portland was normal in all respects with arrival at 0910. There the aircraft was serviced and two additional passengers boarded. Only inspections and service were accomplished. The flight left the ramp at 1010 and took off for Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, at 1021 on an IFR clearance. Weather conditions at time of takeoff were VFR. There were 15 passengers and the saw crew of 8. Takeoff gross weight was 139,494 (maximum allowable was 145,800 pounds) and the center of gravity was located within limits. The flight plan was via Newberg and Newport, Oregon, and thence to Honolulu to Cruise at 10,000 feet. Estimated flight time was 11 hours and 3 minutes. The flight reported over Newberg at 1031 at 7,000 feet climbing., reached 10,000 feet at approximately 1039, and reported over Newport at 1048 at cruising altitude. The aircraft was then headed to make good the initial track or 221 degrees . Forty-two minutes after takeoff, severe vibration occurred while cruising era at 10,000 feet under VIM conditions. This lasted for five to eight seconds following which No. 3 engine and propeller tore free and fell from the aircraft. The captain immediately disconnected the autopilot. Severe buffeting ensued, the nose want down and the aircraft swung to the right sharply. At this point, the emergency "Mayday" signal was broadcast on both VHF and HF. Direct return to Portland was authorized by Seattle Air Route Traffic Control. The captain, in the left seat, tried to get the airplane under control. Airspeed was about 220 knots and going higher, so he closed the throttles to keep the airspeed down. He still could not get the nose up; it felt to him as though the elevators were still on automatic pilot. He tried the elevator trim tab and could not turn it. After rapid loss of altitude to about 5,000 feet, the captain directed the first officer to assist him with the controls. Their combined efforts finally brought the nose up very rapidly but the aircraft then went into a steep climb. It turned sharply to the right about 180 degrees and, according to the captain, appeared to be on "the verge of a spin." Level attitude was regained by pushing the yoke forward, and by use of the rudder and aileron trim the turn was stopped. At an airspeed of 150 knots, flaps extended 25 degrees, buffeting decreased immediately, however., the aircraft continued to descend rapidly. Attempts to get rated power were futile and a message was broadcast that ditching was imminent. This message was sent at approximately 1106. The aircraft was then at an altitude of 500-1,000 feet. Ditching was imminent. Cabin attendants, realizing the emergency, assumed their respective stations for ditching. All passengers had been seated in the upper desk of the cabin with seat belts fastened and life jackets donned. The aircraft touched down under near ideal sea conditions with little swall. Contact with the water we severe and the impact dislodged life rafts from their storage bins and some seats were torn loose. The aft portion of the fuselage and empennage broke off at impact. Evacuation was orderly and the three rafts, although dislodged from their stowage receptacles, were launched without undue delay. The lanyards of all three life rafts were temporarily held at the cabin door by crow members. However, when one of the rafts was endangered by sharp metal of the broken fuselage its lanyard was released. Another was released by a crew member who then swam to that raft to right it. The lanyard of the third raft was released for unknown reasons. Consequently the rafts were carried away by the light surface wind. Passengers and crew left by both the main cabin door and escape hatches on both sides of the fuselage over each wing. Some crew members and passengers ware able to swim to and board the rafts. Three of the four fatalities, including the copilot and first engineer, were unable to do so and were lost. Members of the crew and passengers tried in vain to paddle to these persons. One other passenger later died in a raft from awe and shock. The purser, a woman, although suffering from shock swam and towed the only seriously injured passenger to the nearest raft, some 200 feet distant. The time of ditching was determined as 1112 and the position at lat. 43 degrees 48'15" N., long. 125 degrees 12'40" W., approximately 35 miles off the Oregon coast. The U.S.S. Bayfield, en route to Seattle, changed course toward the site and by add of search aircraft reached the life rafts some two hours later.

While cruising about 400 miles east of Hawaii, the crew informed ground about a dual engine failure and the captain attempted to ditch the aircraft. Six crew members were rescued while four others were killed. The aircraft sank and was lost.

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).

While performing a maritime patrol flight over the Pacific Ocean, the crew informed ground about an engine failure and the captain ditched the airplane 350 km southeast of Miyazaki. A crew member was killed while eight others were rescued.