What happened
During a scheduled maritime patrol mission over the Pacific Ocean, the crew of a four-engine aircraft encountered unforeseen circumstances that necessitated an emergency return to Midway Island Naval Air Station. The flight was attempting to land at night.
As the aircraft performed its final approach, it maintained an altitude that was too low relative to the terrain. This resulted in the main landing gear making contact with a seawall situated just before the runway threshold. The force of the collision caused the undercarriage to be completely severed from the airframe.
Following the impact with the seawall, the aircraft lost control and descended into a fire truck that was positioned near the runway. The truck was occupied by personnel stationed there as part of standard emergency response procedures for arriving flights. The subsequent crash and ensuing fire resulted in six fatalities among the passengers and three fatalities among the firefighters on the ground.
Findings
- The aircraft's approach altitude was insufficient to clear obstacles near the runway threshold.
- The impact with a seawall led to the structural failure of the landing gear and subsequent loss of control.