What happened
The incident occurred after the completion of a maritime patrol mission. The seaplane was en route back to its home base at Jacksonville-Towers Field Naval Air Station. During the final approach phase under nighttime conditions, the aircraft descended at an altitude that was too low for the prevailing circumstances.
As the crew attempted to land, the airframe struck an approach light fixture. The impact caused the aircraft to crash into the St Johns River just before reaching the runway threshold. Emergency response teams subsequently recovered the occupants from the water.
Findings
The accident resulted in significant loss of life and injuries among the flight deck personnel. A total of six crew members were killed in the collision, while two other individuals were successfully rescued from the river. The primary contributing factor identified was the aircraft's excessive low altitude during the final approach segment.