Accident description
Last updated: 19 May 2013
| Status: | |
| Date: | 27 MAR 1953 |
| Time: | 03:40 PST |
| Type: | Douglas R5D-1 (DC-4) |
| Operator: | California Eastern Airways |
| Registration: | N229A |
| C/n / msn: | 10322 |
| First flight: | 1944 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | off San Fransisco, CA, USA (Pacific Ocean) |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Fairfield-Travis AFB, CA (SUU/KSUU), United States of America |
| Honolulu International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL), United States of America |
DC-4 N229A departed Travis AFB at 22:20 PST for a flight to Honolulu; cruising altitude 8000 feet. At 01:55 PST the no. 4 engine backfired and the oil pressured dropped to 40lb PSI. The prop was feathered and the crew elected to divert to San Francisco. At 02:50 PST the no. 3 engine lost manifold pressure and this propeller was also feathered. Altitude could no longer be maintained and a ditching was carried out off San Francisco. The aircraft stayed afloat for about 5 and a half hours.
Events:
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Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Fairfield-Travis AFB, CA to Honolulu International Airport, HI as the crow flies is 3890 km (2432 miles).
Distance from Fairfield-Travis AFB, CA to Honolulu International Airport, HI as the crow flies is 3890 km (2432 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
