Date & Time:
Feb 7, 1943 at 2100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express
Operator:
Registration:
41-23903
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
698
Country:
Kiribati
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
14
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
On final approach to Topham Airfield (Canton Island), by night, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in to the sea few hundred yards off shore. 18 occupants were killed while three others were rescued. The flight was operated by a United Airlines crew on behalf of the Air Transport Command (ATC).
Source: ASN
Source: ASN
Probable cause:
It was deemed possible that an asymmetric flap deployment caused the accident.
