Date & Time:
Aug 20, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
04468
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Coco Solo - Coco Solo
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a training exercise near Colón. While descending to the Manzanillo Bay, off Coco Solo NAS, the crew turned on the approach lights when the seaplane hit the water surface and sunk. Five crew members were killed while four others were rescued.
Probable cause:
It seems the pilot misjudged the distance between the aircraft and water surface due to the glassy water surface that probably caused an optical illusion and wrong distance indication to the crew, favored by the approach lights.
