What happened
On the evening of November 10, a four-engine aircraft departed from Otis AFB, MS, to conduct a maritime patrol mission across the Atlantic Ocean. The flight was carrying a total of 19 people, consisting of a crew of four and 15 passengers.
During the early morning hours, specifically at 0130LT, the aircraft was maintaining a cruising altitude of 200 feet when it suddenly pitched downward and impacted the ocean surface. The crash occurred approximately 200 km east of Nantucket. Witnesses from a nearby fishing vessel attempted to assist immediately following the impact; however, their efforts yielded only minimal debris, including personal belongings and life vests.
Findings
Eyewitness accounts from the scene indicated that one of the aircraft's engines appeared to be on fire during the final moments of flight. There were 19 fatalities associated with this accident. Because of the lack of recoverable evidence from the site, investigators were unable to establish a definitive reason for the crash.