What happened
On a scheduled training mission, a four-engine aircraft departed from Idlewild Airport at 11:57 local time. The flight was operated by a crew consisting of six individuals. During the climb along the Long Island coastline, the aircraft began a left-hand bank and transitioned into a dive.
Approximately 23 minutes after takeoff, the plane impacted the ocean surface roughly five miles from the coast. Following the accident, minimal debris was recovered near Montauk Point. The crash resulted in six fatalities, with no survivors among the crew.
Findings
Investigators were unable to establish a definitive cause for the accident. However, evidence suggests the aircraft was in a specific configuration involving 30-degree flaps at the moment of impact. It is suspected that the loss of control may have occurred while the crew was attempting to simulate an engine failure by preparing to shut down one of the engines. Additionally, investigators did not rule out the possibility that two engines were non-functional during the final moments of the flight.