What happened
The incident occurred during a night operation when two Consolidated PBY Catalina aircraft were flying in close formation. The weather conditions at the time included heavy rainfall, which likely reduced visibility for both crews. While cruising side by side, the two aircraft collided mid-air. Following the impact, both planes crashed into the ocean approximately 110 kilometers west of San Diego, near San Clemente Island.
The collision resulted in significant loss of life on one of the involved aircraft. All individuals aboard the plane registered 0462 were killed in the crash. In contrast, three crew members from the second aircraft, registered 0463, survived the accident and were subsequently recovered from the water.
Findings
The official investigation attributed the accident to an in-flight collision that resulted from poor judgment exercised by the crews of both aircraft. The failure to maintain adequate separation or make safe decisions during the formation flight in adverse weather conditions was identified as the primary contributing factor.