What happened
A flight traveling from Corpus Christi to Norfolk, intended to include a refueling stop at Whiting Field NAS, crashed during the night. The aircraft was transporting 44 members of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps at the time of the incident. Shortly after departing from the runway at Whiting Field NAS, the plane struggled to maintain sufficient altitude and impacted a wooded area situated approximately 0.75 miles beyond the end of the runway.
The accident resulted in 44 fatalities, while two individuals—one crew member and one passenger—were successfully rescued from the wreckage.
Findings
Investigations into the crash identified several critical factors regarding the aircraft's configuration and the flight conditions. During the impact, the landing gear and flaps were found to be in the retracted position. It was determined that the failure to deploy flaps prior to takeoff led to an insufficient climb gradient following rotation, preventing the aircraft from gaining necessary height.
Additionally, although visibility was reported at approximately 9 miles, investigators noted that the flight conditions were not adequate for the operation. The co-pilot was serving as the pilot-in-command during the accident, and evidence suggests the crew may have experienced spatial disorientation immediately following liftoff.