On May 31, 1942, a Consolidated PBY Catalina (registration 2294) operated by United States Navy - USN was involved in an aviation accident near Pacific Ocean, World in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft sank due to the loss of stability resulting from landing in heavy seas. 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.
An aircraft sank into the Pacific Ocean following a landing in heavy seas. All crew members were successfully rescued from the water.
What happened
The incident occurred when the aircraft attempted to land in challenging maritime conditions characterized by heavy seas. Immediately after touchdown, the vessel lost stability and subsequently sank into the Pacific Ocean. Despite the total loss of the airframe, emergency response protocols were effective. All crew members were extracted from the water and rescued without report of fatalities or injuries.
Findings
The primary contributing factor to the accident was the environmental condition at the time of landing. The severity of the sea state directly impacted the aircraft's ability to maintain control upon impact, leading to the rapid submersion of the hull.
Probable cause
The aircraft sank due to the loss of stability resulting from landing in heavy seas.
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