Incident Overview

Date: Wednesday 19 February 1958
Aircraft Type: Consolidated Catalina IIA (PBY-5A)
Owner/operator: R‚seau A‚rien Interinsulaire – RAI
Registration Number: F-OAVV
Location: off Raiatea Airport (RFP) – ÿ French Polynesia
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 15 / Occupants: 26
Component Affected: Right wing tipRight wing tip
Category: Accident
A right-wing tip aircraft experienced a violent sinking during a shallow turn for final approach, impacting water at 36 meters in 10 minutes. The incident was caused by unfavorable weather conditions ? uniform gray sky with fractocumulus clouds at 400 meters, lacking wind, and a lack of visual cues indicating water level. The pilot failed to initiate a maneuver to adjust nose down attitude, and visibility was compromised, particularly during a right turn facing the Northwest. The sun’s position, particularly its alignment with the pilot’s position, contributed to the issue.A right-wing tip aircraft experienced a violent sinking during a shallow turn for final approach, impacting water at 36 meters in 10 minutes. The incident was caused by unfavorable weather conditions ? uniform gray sky with fractocumulus clouds at 400 meters, lacking wind, and a lack of visual cues indicating water level. The pilot failed to initiate a maneuver to adjust nose down attitude, and visibility was compromised, particularly during a right turn facing the Northwest. The sun’s position, particularly its alignment with the pilot’s position, contributed to the issue.

Description

The right wing tip float contacted the water during a shallow turn for final approach. The aircraft struck the water violently and sank in 36 m of water in about 10 minutes. CAUSES OF THE ACCIDENT (translated from original French report): Weather conditions: Uniformly gray sky (altostratus clouds across the region and some fractocumulus at 400 meters); The absence of wind; The absence of lines on a gray and smooth lagoon. created favorable conditions for an illusion and made it difficult to assess the exact height above the water level during the most difficult operation of the flight, the water landing. The evidence indicates that no maneuver was initiated to change the nose down attitude. The pilot did not see the water. Although there was no wind, the windsock had previously stopped in a position that prompted the pilot to land facing the NW which is used once in twenty at Raiatea. In addition, the sun , even through the altrostratus could be annoying; facing the NW, the pilot had the sun three quarter from the rear. Note that during the landing opposite the NW, the lap is necessarily right to avoid overflying the city and land. Vertical visibility of the first pilot during a right turn is poorer. Finally, the slight correction of alignment by the pilot resulted the right wing striking the water at too low altitude.

Primary Cause

Unfavorable weather conditions ? uniform gray sky, lack of wind, and obscured visual cues.Unfavorable weather conditions ? uniform gray sky, lack of wind, and obscured visual cues.

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