Incident Overview
Date: Friday 21 September 1973
Aircraft Type: Grumman HU-16E Albatross
Owner/operator: United States Coast Guard
Registration Number: 2123
Location: Gulf of Mexico –
ÿ Atlantic Ocean
Phase of Flight: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Status: Destroyed
Casualties: Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6
Component Affected: Cabin of HU-16 Albatross CG2123Cabin of HU-16 Albatross CG2123
Category: Accident
On September 21, 1973, a search and rescue operation was initiated following a report of a man overboard from the merchant vessel Berlin Ester. The crew of HU-16 Albatross CG2123 responded to the call and commenced dropping hand-launched MK-45 parachute flares. An uncontrolled descent into the water occurred due to a fire in the cabin, resulting in incapacitation of the aircrew.On September 21, 1973, a search and rescue operation was initiated following a report of a man overboard from the merchant vessel Berlin Ester. The crew of HU-16 Albatross CG2123 responded to the call and commenced dropping hand-launched MK-45 parachute flares. An uncontrolled descent into the water occurred due to a fire in the cabin, resulting in incapacitation of the aircrew.
Description
On Sept. 21, 1973, the crew of HU-16 Albatross CG2123 answered the call of duty and responded to a search and rescue case for a man reported overboard off the merchant vessel Berlin Ester, just to the east of the Port Aransas jetties. As the crew began dropping hand-launched MK-45 parachute flares for the HH-52 helicopter aircrew searching behind them, a fire erupted in the cabin. The aircrew attempted to ditch the aircraft, but the intense smoke of the fire incapacitated them. The aircraft made an uncontrolled descent into the water.
Source of Information
http://www.joebaugher.com/coastguardseries.html, https://coastguardnews.com/corpus-christi-coast-guard-holds-remembrance-ceremony-for-lost-crew/><div class=
Primary Cause
Fire in the cabin of the HU-16 Albatross CG2123.Fire in the cabin of the HU-16 Albatross CG2123.Share on:
