Date & Time:
Dec 28, 1933 at 1540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Loening C-2 Air Yacht
Operator:
Registration:
NC139H
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Milwaukee – Muskegon
MSN:
236
YOM:
1929
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The float plane departed Milwaukee harbor at 1510LT on a flight to Muskegon. About 30 minutes into the flight, while cruising at a height of 200 feet in marginal weather conditions, the engine failed, maybe due to a valve issue according to the pilot. The crew reduced his altitude and ditched the airplane. The crew remained sitting in the cabin for about 5 hours when the right pontoon snapped off and the right wing cracked. The ship started to list and the crew get out on the left wing to balance it. Because the waves were hitting the seaplane hard, it cracked and eventually sank. Both pilots Pat Gossett and Ben Craycraft were rescued by the crew of the USCG vessel named 'Escanaba' shortly before midnight.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.
