Narrative:The Catalina departed Gander, Canada at 13:17 hours on a chartered cargo flight to Cartwright, Labrador. The aircraft was seen approaching to land in Sandwich Bay near Cartwright Harbour with the main undercarriage extended. The aircraft appeared to come to a sudden stop immediately after the wheels touched the water and the tail of the aircraft was seen to rise to a vertical position and settle back at an angle of about 45 degrees. The crew were killed.
Probable Cause:
Probable Causes: "The aircraft crashed on the water through failure on the part of the pilot-in-command to ensure that the main undercarriage was retracted."
Sources:
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Canadian Military Aircraft Serial Numbers RCAF 9701 to 9750
Photos
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 Gander Airport, NL to Cartwright Airport, NL as the crow flies is 551 km (344 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.