What happened
The flight was conducting an approach to Tacloban under adverse meteorological conditions characterized by heavy rain, strong winds, and low visibility due to nighttime operations. Upon initial touchdown, the landing was hard, prompting the captain to initiate a go-around procedure. The crew increased power on both engines and pulled up the control column to climb. The aircraft ascended to approximately 200 feet, passing within meters of the control tower before continuing over the sea. Despite these efforts, the aircraft ultimately crashed into the water about one mile offshore. Rescue teams arrived at the scene roughly five hours after the incident. During the recovery operation, one passenger was rescued alive, while 16 other occupants lost their lives.
Findings
Investigations indicated that weather conditions at the time were poor, with significant rain and limited visibility. Although fuel reserves were sufficient to divert to an alternative airport, the crew underestimated the severity of the situation and proceeded with the approach despite the hazardous conditions. As a direct consequence of this tragedy, night operations have been prohibited for USAAF aircraft at Philippine airports.