No fatalities

1955-01-26: Douglas C-54 Skymaster (45-0569) — United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) — Atlantic Ocean, World

Atlantic Ocean, WorldFlight

On January 26, 1955, a Douglas C-54 Skymaster (registration 45-0569) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Atlantic 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 1781251452Data APIEditorial standards

A transatlantic flight from Lajes to Hamilton ditched near the Echo weather station after the captain reported fuel shortage. All eight crew members were evacuated by USCG before the aircraft sank.

Incident Overview

A crew of eight was engaged in a transatlantic flight from Lajes to Hamilton, Bermuda. During the enroute phase, the captain informed ground personnel that the aircraft was short of fuel and unable to reach its intended destination.

Sequence of Events

Faced with fuel exhaustion, the captain reduced altitude and executed a ditching maneuver near the Echo weather station. The aircraft subsequently sank and was lost.

Rescue

A United States Coast Guard (USCG) crew responded and successfully evacuated all eight crew members from the ditched aircraft. No injuries were reported.

Probable Cause

The official investigation determined the probable cause to be fuel exhaustion.