What happened
On the morning of 2 January 1943, an aircraft was undergoing a five-hour engine run-in procedure. Approximately one hour and fifteen minutes into the flight, the starboard engine experienced a loss of power, indicated by a drop in RPM, fuel pressure, and subsequently oil pressure.
The crew attempted to manage the situation by using the wobble pump to maintain fuel pressure and feathering the starboard propeller. However, indications suggested that a fuel pump line had failed, forcing gas into the accessory section. This fuel likely contacted the exhaust collector ring, igniting a fire. The rapid spread of flames burned off the fabric on the starboard wing, rudder, and elevators, which prevented successful single-engine operation.
With full power applied to the port engine, the aircraft maintained a descent rate of 500 feet per minute. As the craft descended to approximately 150 feet, the damaged starboard engine detached from the wing. The pilot lowered the floats and executed a landing at sea. All personnel aboard escaped via rubber boats and were recovered by a US Coast Guard cutter shortly after. The aircraft continued to burn after abandonment and eventually sank.
Findings
The official investigation concluded that the incident was caused by the failure and subsequent fire of the right engine during flight.