What happened
During a night-time maritime patrol mission over the Japan Sea, an aircraft assigned to the USS Essex experienced a mechanical failure. While conducting its flight operations, one of the engines lost a propeller. In response to this emergency, the crew elected to descend and perform a controlled ditching in the ocean.
The incident occurred approximately 165 km east of the North Korean coastline at coordinates 39°05'N - 130°11'E. Following the impact with the water, the aircraft sank and was subsequently lost. Out of the total crew on board, two fatalities were recorded, while five crew members were successfully rescued from the scene.
Findings
Investigations into the loss of the aircraft determined that the primary reason for the emergency was a propeller failure during flight.