What happened
On its flight from Tokyo-Hanadamente Airport, Japan, toward Barbers Point NAS, Hawaii, an aircraft experienced a critical loss of fuel during transit. While operating near Midway Island, the plane ran out of usable fuel, necessitating an emergency ditching in the ocean.
Following the water landing, all members of the crew were successfully recovered by a nearby Navy vessel. During the recovery process, the aircraft subsequently sank after being struck by gunfire.
Findings
Investigations into the incident determined that the primary reason for the fuel exhaustion was an error in navigation. The crew's inability to maintain the correct course led to the depletion of onboard fuel reserves before reaching the destination.