What happened
The incident involved a Catalina that had undergone specific modifications to support aerial survey operations. The aircraft was equipped with a nine-lens camera system developed by the Coast & Geodetic Survey for mapping purposes. At the time of the accident, the plane was operated by a joint team consisting of personnel from both the Coast Guard and the Coast & Geodetic Survey.
During the flight, the aircraft crashed on Mt Moffett, a location situated approximately 9 kilometers northwest of Adak. The impact resulted in fatal injuries for everyone on board. There were no survivors among the eight crew members who were part of this combined operational team.