Date & Time:
May 31, 1986 at 1050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Jonathan Seagull Holdings
Registration:
C-FOWE
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Demonstration
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
11074
YOM:
1941
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The Catalina was one of two that arrived that morning in celebration of the first transatlantic flight by a Curtis NC-4 aircraft in 1917. The first landed without incident but the 2nd veered off course on landing and hit a temporary buoy before crashing into a heavy permanent navigational buoy that ripped off part of a wing and one of her floats. This caused the aircraft to cartwheel around out of control performing a spectacular 'surface loop'. Luckily she stayed afloat and the people on board were rescued by the occupants of some of the welcoming party's boats. One member of crew was taken to hospital with a gashed leg. The sinking aircraft was kept afloat and towed to the nearby former RAF flying boat base at Mount Batten where she remained in one of the old 'Sunderland' hangars under repair for several months. She eventually flew out of Plymouth Hoe on the return leg of the transatlantic flight towards the end of the year.
