What happened
The aircraft departed from Jacksonville-Towers Field NAS to conduct a local training exercise. While maintaining an altitude of approximately 1,800 feet, the left engine experienced a catastrophic failure and detached completely from its mounting structure. This mechanical separation caused the airplane to enter an uncontrolled descent. As the aircraft lost control, fuel lines were severed, leading to ignition. At an altitude of roughly 800 feet, the plane suffered a major explosion and disintegrated in mid-air before impacting the surface of the Saint Johns River. The crash site was located approximately 8 kilometers south of the departure airfield. The impact and subsequent fire destroyed the aircraft entirely, resulting in 13 fatalities among the crew.
Findings
Investigation into the incident determined that the left engine detached from its mount for an unknown reason. This structural failure resulted in the disconnection of fuel lines. Consequently, approximately 400 gallons of fuel from the left main tank ignited, triggering a significant aerial explosion that led to the loss of the aircraft and all personnel on board.