Date: | Friday 13 April 1945 |
Time: | 06:20 |
Type: | Boeing-Canada PB2B-1 Catalina |
Owner/operator: | Royal New Zealand Air Force - RNZAF |
Registration: | NZ4031 |
MSN: | 28120 |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 10 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
Category: | Accident |
Location: | Funafuti Lagoon -
Tuvalu
|
Phase: | Take off |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | |
Destination airport: | |
Narrative:While taking off along a swell in Funafuti Lagoon the Catalina flying boat began to porpoise. On becoming airborne the plane stalled from about 15 feet and fell heavily bow-first into the lagoon, half submerging and finally sinking in 85 feet of water. The crash was caused by a mishandling of the controls by the second Pilot through a misunderstanding between him and the Captain. Seven survivors were rescued by American and RNZAF crash boats.
Sources:
NZ Serials
Auckland Museum Cenotaph database
Location
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |