What happened
United Airlines operated a special mission from New Zealand to Brisbane on behalf of the US Consulate. The objective was to transport Japanese and Thai refugees for exchange with US soldiers. Shortly after departing runway 04 at night, the aircraft climbed through light rain and soft fog. As it penetrated above the stratus layer, the plane banked left and began losing altitude. It struck the ground at a speed of 200 knots, bounced twice, and finally came to rest in a mangrove area.
Search and rescue teams evacuated 16 injured individuals from the site. Tragically, 14 other occupants were killed in the impact. The following day, two additional survivors succumbed to their injuries. US Air Force records confirmed that three crew members and thirteen passengers lost their lives. The passenger manifest consisted primarily of women and children who were returnees.
Findings
The US Air Force investigation concluded that the accident resulted from inadequate flight preparation. The crew failed to follow the pre-departure checklist and made multiple errors during the climb procedure, leading to an incorrect climb configuration. Fatigue was identified as a significant contributory factor, as the crew had accumulated 126 flying hours within the preceding 26 days.