3 fatalities

1952-07-11: Consolidated PBY Catalina (46664) — United States Navy - USN — Lake Washington, United States of America

Lake Washington, United States of AmericaLanding (descent or approach)

On July 11, 1952, a Consolidated PBY Catalina (registration 46664) operated by United States Navy - USN was involved in an aviation accident near Lake Washington, United States of America during landing or approach. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The crew failed to retract the landing gear before attempting to land on the water, leading to the aircraft overturning. 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.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781254525Data APIEditorial standards

A training flight over Washington State ended in tragedy when a seaplane overturned and sank during a water landing.

What happened

During a scheduled local training mission conducted over the waters of Washington State, a seaplane was performing maneuvers before attempting to land on Lake Washington. As the aircraft approached the surface of the lake, it capsized and subsequently submerged.

There were three fatalities resulting from the accident, as all members of the crew perished in the sinking.

Findings

Investigations into the incident revealed that the aircraft's landing gear had not been retracted before the water landing. The failure to raise the landing gear prior to touchdown caused the plane to overturn during the landing phase.

Probable cause

The crew failed to retract the landing gear before attempting to land on the water, leading to the aircraft overturning.