Incident Overview
Date: Monday 26 September 1955
Aircraft Type: Lockheed P2V-3W Neptune
Owner/operator: United States Navy
Registration Number: 131442
Location: 480 km SW off Jamaica [Caribbean] –
ÿ Atlantic Ocean
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Aircraft missing, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11
Component Affected: P2V-3W Neptune aircraftP2V-3W Neptune aircraft
Category: Accident
A P2V-3W Neptune aircraft, ‘Snowcloud Five’, lost contact during investigation of Hurricane Janet, a Category 4 hurricane south of Jamaica. The aircraft penetrated the hurricane’s eyewall at an altitude of 700 feet and all contact was lost, resulting in the deaths of all 11 people on board, including nine crew members and two journalists.A P2V-3W Neptune aircraft, ‘Snowcloud Five’, lost contact during investigation of Hurricane Janet, a Category 4 hurricane south of Jamaica. The aircraft penetrated the hurricane’s eyewall at an altitude of 700 feet and all contact was lost, resulting in the deaths of all 11 people on board, including nine crew members and two journalists.
Description
The P2V-3W Neptune aircraft ‘Snowcloud Five’ departed Guant namo Bay NAS to investigate Hurricane Janet, which was at the time a Category 4 hurricane south of Jamaica. The aircraft penetrated the hurricane’s eyewall at an altitude of 700 feet and all contact was lost. All 11 people on board, including nine crew members and two journalists, were killed. An extensive search and rescue operation yielded no results.
Source of Information
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/the-6-lost-hurricane-hunter-missions-part-iv-hurricane-janet-1955http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/the-6-lost-hurricane-hunter-missions-part-iv-hurricane-janet-1955Primary Cause
Hurricane Janet’s intense eyewall interaction and the aircraft’s altitude crossing of the storm’s boundary likely caused the loss of contact.Hurricane Janet’s intense eyewall interaction and the aircraft’s altitude crossing of the storm’s boundary likely caused the loss of contact.Share on:
