Date & Time:
Feb 10, 1948
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Gulf Transportation Company
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Brownsville – Ciudad del Carmen
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was on his way from Brownsville to Ciudad del Carmen to pick up a load of seafood for the US market. While cruising vertical to the Gulf of Mexico, the right engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft 24 km off Ciudad del Carmen. While preparing a life raft, the American pilot Neil Womack fell into the water and was drowned. The Mexican copilot Esteban de León was rescued by the crew of a ship christened 'Roatán' nine days later.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine.
