What happened
On December 23, 1957, a Lockheed Constellation was conducting a training flight to qualify a new commander. The aircraft was operated by a squadron with a total of 23 crew members on board. During the five-and-a-half-hour flight, the crew performed various maneuvers and procedures. While cruising at an altitude of approximately 1,500 feet above the ocean, the instructor pilot initiated a simulated emergency procedure involving a fire in the forward baggage compartment.
In response to the drill, the trainee pilot disconnected several electrical circuits by pulling circuit breakers. Following this action, the aircraft began a rapid descent toward the sea. The crew initially believed the descent was part of the exercise until the aircraft impacted the water. Upon impact, the Lockheed Constellation broke into two sections and ignited.
During the crash, several crew members were trapped by debris or flames. One crew member managed to push a colleague through an escape hatch before escaping himself, while another was freed from beneath a radar console and swam underwater to avoid the fire. Despite the efforts of those on board, the accident resulted in 19 fatalities and left four survivors.