Incident Overview
Date: Wednesday 5 December 1945
Aircraft Type: Martin PBM-5 Mariner
Owner/operator: United States Navy
Registration Number: 59225
Location: 40 km SW off Cape Canaveral, FL, USA –
ÿ Atlantic Ocean
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Aircraft missing, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 14 / Occupants: 14
Component Affected: TBM Avenger aircraftTBM Avenger aircraft
Category: Accident
On October 26, 1944, a PBM-5 Mariner, a tanker, deployed for a search mission to locate five missing US Navy TBM Avenger planes, identified as ‘Flight 19’, was lost. The Mariner was reported to have been deployed at 19:27 from Banana River Naval Air Station and subsequently lost contact with the Navy. At 19:50, the tanker SS Gaines Mills reported seeing a mid-air explosion, followed by flames leaping 100 feet (30 m) high and burning for 10 minutes. Captain Stanley searched for survivors through a pool of oil, but found none. The USS Solomons also reported losing radar contact with the aircraft in the same position and time.On October 26, 1944, a PBM-5 Mariner, a tanker, deployed for a search mission to locate five missing US Navy TBM Avenger planes, identified as ‘Flight 19’, was lost. The Mariner was reported to have been deployed at 19:27 from Banana River Naval Air Station and subsequently lost contact with the Navy. At 19:50, the tanker SS Gaines Mills reported seeing a mid-air explosion, followed by flames leaping 100 feet (30 m) high and burning for 10 minutes. Captain Stanley searched for survivors through a pool of oil, but found none. The USS Solomons also reported losing radar contact with the aircraft in the same position and time.
Description
The PBM-5 Mariner was deployed for a search mission to locate five missing US Navy TBM Avenger planes, known as “Flight 19”. PBM-5 BuNo 59225 took off at 19:27 from Banana River Naval Air Station (now Patrick Air Force Base), called in a routine radio message at 19:30 and was never heard from again. At 19:50 the tanker SS Gaines Mills reported seeing a mid-air explosion, then flames leaping 100 feet (30 m) high and burning on the sea for 10 minutes. . Captain Shonna Stanley, reported searching for survivors through a pool of oil, but found none. The escort carrier USS Solomons also reported losing radar contact with an aircraft in the same position and time.
Source of Information
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_19, http://joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries6.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_19, http://joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries6.htmlPrimary Cause
Mid-air explosion and subsequent fire on the sea.Mid-air explosion and subsequent fire on the sea.Share on:
