No fatalities

1953 Pacific Ocean Ditching: Aircraft Lost After Fuel Exhaustion (64089)

Pacific Ocean, WorldFlight

On December 31, 1953, a Consolidated PBY Catalina (registration 64089) 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: Fuel exhaustion. 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 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft ditched in the Pacific Ocean about 160 km off Midway Island in 1953 after fuel exhaustion. All occupants were rescued by a USN ship while the airplane sank and was lost.

Incident Overview During a maritime patrol flight over the Pacific Ocean, the crew was forced to ditch the aircraft about 160 km off Midway Island following a fuel exhaustion. The exact date of the mishap remains unknown, but it occurred somewhere in 1953. ## Rescue and Outcome All occupants were rescued by the crew of a USN ship while the airplane sank and was lost. The official probable cause of the accident was fuel exhaustion. ## Investigation Findings The investigation determined that the aircraft ran out of fuel during the maritime patrol flight, leading to the ditching. The exact date of the incident remains unknown, but it is known to have occurred in 1953.