What happened
During a night-time transpacific flight traveling from Wake Island toward Biggs AAF, the crew encountered critical fuel shortages. While operating under visual flight rules (VFR) during the descent phase, the pilot notified ground controllers that the aircraft's fuel reserves had reached a low level.
As the aircraft approached the airfield, it impacted the desert terrain approximately six miles from the threshold of runway 21. Following the initial impact, the plane slid for roughly 300 yards before coming to rest on a sand dune, where an explosion occurred. The aircraft, a military transport, was completely destroyed during the accident.
Findings
There were nine fatalities among the crew members, with no survivors reported. The sequence of events indicates that the aircraft struck the ground while attempting to manage low fuel reserves during its final approach.