Incident
A maritime patrol aircraft attached to the USS Essex was conducting a night maritime patrol flight over the Japan Sea. During the flight, a propeller fell away from one of the engines. In response, the crew decided to reduce altitude and ditch the aircraft. The ditching occurred approximately 165 kilometers east of the North Korean coast, at coordinates 39°05'N - 130°11'E. The aircraft sank and was lost. Five crew members were rescued. The two other crew members, identified as R. J. Perkinson and K. K. Hathorn, were killed.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was propeller failure in flight.