Accident Overview
A night training mission ended in a crash when an in-flight fire erupted inside the aircraft. The accident occurred after a light torch activated inside the airplane, leading to an emergency landing attempt at sea that was unsuccessful. All five crew members aboard were killed.
Flight Details
The aircraft departed Biak-Boroekoe Naval Air Station (NAS) at 1837 local time for a night training mission. The crew practiced approach and landing procedures before being tasked with activating light torches off the coast of Biak. During this phase, the airplane flew along the coastline at an altitude between 3500 and 4000 feet.
Accident Sequence
While the aircraft was in flight, one of the light torches activated inside the cabin, causing an in-flight fire to break out. The crew attempted to carry out an emergency landing at sea, but the aircraft crashed during the attempt. The exact sequence of events leading to the crash was not specified in the source.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause of the accident to be an in-flight fire caused by a light torch.