What happened
The aircraft, known as 'Rafael Urdaneta', departed from New York-Idlewild Airport at 23:06 local time, heading south. During the flight along the United States coastline, approximately one hour and twenty minutes after takeoff, the crew reported a failure of the number two engine. In response to this mechanical issue, air traffic control authorized a return to New York.
Following the engine failure, the crew encountered significant difficulties attempting to feather the propeller, which led to intense vibrations throughout the airframe. While the crew was in the process of dumping fuel, an onboard fire ignited. This resulted in a loss of control, causing the aircraft type to dive into the ocean. The impact occurred roughly 40 miles southeast of New York, where the plane disintegrated. There were 74 fatalities among the occupants.
Findings
While investigators could not establish the cause with absolute certainty despite eyewitness accounts, evidence suggests that the intense vibrations stemming from the unfeathered number two engine may have caused a structural failure. It is believed that an internal wing attachment, located between the fuel tank and the dump chute near engine number three, likely loosened or broke due to the vibration-induced mechanical stress.