What happened
During a nighttime approach to land near Port of Spain, a United States Navy seaplane operated by Scouting Squadron VP-31 encountered difficulties. The aircraft failed to touch down safely and instead crashed into the waters of the Gulf of Paria. Following the impact, the seaplane sank and was subsequently lost.
The accident resulted in significant loss of life. Ten occupants were killed in the incident, while two individuals were successfully rescued from the water. The crew included a pilot and other personnel assigned to the squadron at the time of the event.
Findings
Official investigations determined that the primary factor leading to the crash was the aircraft's speed during the landing phase. The seaplane attempted to land while traveling at too high an airspeed, which prevented a safe touchdown and caused it to strike the water and sink.