Accident
On a training mission from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in Washington, a twin-engine aircraft was flying at an altitude of approximately 4,000 feet in marginal weather conditions when it struck the slope of Mount McCreight. The impact destroyed the aircraft.
Search and Recovery
Search and rescue operations were quickly initiated but were suspended after a few days when no trace of the aircraft or its crew could be found. The wreckage was eventually spotted by hikers on October 21, 1951, in a dense wooded area on Vancouver Island.
Crew
The aircraft carried 11 crew members, all of whom were killed. The crew belonged to VP-931. Among them was pilot Lt Lalonde M. Pinne, along with 10 other individuals.