No fatalities

1950-02-07: Consolidated PBY Catalina (NZ4051) — Royal New Zealand Air Force - RNZAF — Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington, New ZealandTakeoff (climb)

On February 7, 1950, a Consolidated PBY Catalina (registration NZ4051) operated by Royal New Zealand Air Force - RNZAF was involved in an aviation accident near Wellington, New Zealand during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft sank due to seawater entering the airframe during its takeoff roll. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781258426Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft sank in Wellington's Evans Bay during its takeoff roll after seawater entered the airframe.

What happened

During the initial stages of takeoff, an aircraft experienced a critical influx of seawater into the airframe. This flooding caused the plane to lose stability and sink into Evans Bay, located in Wellington.

Despite the severity of the water ingress and the subsequent sinking of the vessel, there were no fatalities or injuries reported among those on board. The incident occurred specifically during the takeoff phase of flight, preventing the crew from maintaining altitude or completing the departure.

Findings

Investigations into the event indicate that the primary reason for the loss of the aircraft was the flooding of the airframe with seawater during the takeoff sequence.

Probable cause

The aircraft sank due to seawater entering the airframe during its takeoff roll.