Date & Time:
Jul 18, 1970 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
N6459C
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Fire fighting
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Columbia - Columbia
MSN:
2017
YOM:
1943
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total hours on type:
1202
Circumstances:
Following a firefighting mission, the crew was returning to Columbia Airport when, on final approach, the airplane was too low and struck a rocky wall located about 252 feet short of runway threshold. The airplane crashed and was destroyed. Both crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The crew misjudged the distance, speed and altitude on final approach, causing the aircraft to struck the ground and to crash. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Downwind,
- High temperature,
- Terrain,
- The crew made a 360 turn at low altitude,
- Hit granite boulders 252 feet short of runway, five feet below the runway.
- Downwind,
- High temperature,
- Terrain,
- The crew made a 360 turn at low altitude,
- Hit granite boulders 252 feet short of runway, five feet below the runway.
Final Report:
N6459C.pdf120.06 KB
