Flight Details
Trip 845/26, a scheduled flight from Seattle-Tacoma, Washington, to Sydney, Australia, with intermediate stops, departed Seattle-Tacoma Airport at 0815 local time for Portland, Oregon. The aircraft carried 13 passengers and a crew of 8: Captain H. S. Joslyn, First Officer A. G. Kendrick, Navigator N. F. Kerwick, Flight Engineer D. R. Fowler, Assistant Flight Engineer S. Bachman, Purser Natalie B. Parker, Stewardess Elizabeth M. Thompson, and Steward J. D. Peppin. The flight to Portland was normal, arriving at 0910. After servicing and boarding two additional passengers, the flight departed the ramp at 1010 and took off for Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, at 1021 under IFR clearance with VFR weather conditions. Takeoff gross weight was 139,494 pounds (maximum allowable 145,800 pounds), center of gravity within limits. The flight plan routed via Newberg and Newport, Oregon, then to Honolulu, cruising at 10,000 feet; estimated flight time 11 hours 3 minutes.
In-Flight Emergency
The flight reported over Newberg at 1031 at 7,000 feet climbing, reached 10,000 feet at approximately 1039, and reported over Newport at 1048 at cruising altitude, heading to make good the initial track of 221 degrees. Forty-two minutes after takeoff, severe vibration occurred while cruising at 10,000 feet under VFR conditions, lasting five to eight seconds. The No. 3 engine and propeller then tore free from the aircraft. The captain disconnected the autopilot. Severe buffeting ensued; the nose went down and the aircraft swung sharply to the right. An emergency "Mayday" signal was broadcast on both VHF and HF. Seattle Air Route Traffic Control authorized a direct return to Portland.
Control Difficulties and Descent
The captain, in the left seat, closed the throttles to keep airspeed (about 220 knots and increasing) from rising further. He could not raise the nose; it felt as though the elevators were still on autopilot. He could not turn the elevator trim tab. After rapid loss of altitude to about 5,000 feet, the captain directed the first officer to assist with controls. Their combined efforts brought the nose up very rapidly, but the aircraft entered a steep climb, turning sharply right about 180 degrees. According to the captain, it appeared on "the verge of a spin." Level attitude was regained by pushing the yoke forward and using rudder and aileron trim to stop the turn. At 150 knots with flaps extended 25 degrees, buffeting decreased immediately, but the aircraft continued to descend rapidly. Attempts to get rated power were futile; a message was broadcast that ditching was imminent at approximately 1106. The aircraft was then at 500–1,000 feet altitude.
Ditching and Evacuation
Cabin attendants assumed ditching stations; passengers were seated with seat belts fastened and life jackets donned. The aircraft touched down under near ideal sea conditions with little swell. Contact with the water was severe; the impact dislodged life rafts from storage bins and tore some seats loose. The aft fuselage and empennage broke off at impact. Evacuation was orderly; three rafts were launched without undue delay. Lanyards of all three rafts were temporarily held at the cabin door by crew members. However, one raft's lanyard was released because of danger from sharp metal of the broken fuselage; another was released by a crew member who swam to right it; the third's lanyard was released for unknown reasons. The rafts drifted away with the light surface wind. Passengers and crew exited via the main cabin door and escape hatches over each wing. Some crew and passengers swam to and boarded the rafts. Three of the four fatalities—including the copilot and first engineer—were unable to reach the rafts and were lost. One other passenger later died in a raft from exposure and shock. The purser, a woman, despite suffering shock, swam and towed the only seriously injured passenger to a raft about 200 feet away. The ditching time was determined as 1112, at latitude 43°48'15" N, longitude 125°12'40" W, approximately 35 miles off the Oregon coast. The U.S.S. Bayfield, en route to Seattle, changed course toward the site and, aided by search aircraft, reached the life rafts about two hours later.
Investigation Findings
The Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was loss of control and inability to maintain altitude following failure of the No. 3 propeller which resulted in wrenching free No. 3 power package. Weather was not a factor. The aircraft and components functioned normally until a blade of No. 3 propeller failed, causing imbalance that wrenched free No. 3 power package. Control difficulty resulted in rapid altitude loss. Fuel was not dumped. RPM of remaining three engines was not increased due to lack of specific crew training. This aircraft had not been notified in accordance with Service Bulletin No. 283; however, that information was available to the company. The aircraft was ditched under control. There were no fatalities as a direct result of the ditching. The three life rafts were launched without undue delay but permitted to drift free. The aircraft floated for an estimated 20 minutes. Four persons succumbed as a result of shock, exposure, and/or drowning. Search and rescue facilities were notified promptly and responded quickly and effectively.