3 fatalities

Pacific Ocean Ditching Results in Three Fatalities (N5-191)

Pacific Ocean, WorldFlight

On February 27, 1944, a North American B-25 Mitchell (registration N5-191) operated by Royal Netherlands East Indies Air Force - ML-KNIL was involved in an aviation accident near Pacific Ocean, World in flight. 3 people were killed. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

Aircraft ditched into the Pacific Ocean en route, resulting in the death of three individuals and the rescue of one crew member.

What happened

During an en route flight phase, the operating crew was compelled to execute an emergency ditching of the aircraft into the Pacific Ocean. The incident resulted in significant loss of life, with three individuals killed while a single crew member was successfully rescued from the water. No specific aircraft registration or model is provided in the available records for this event.

Findings

The investigation into this occurrence has not established a definitive explanation for why the ditching became necessary. The reason for the incident remains unknown, and no contributing factors or mechanical failures have been formally identified in the source material.