ASN Aircraft accident Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina 7278 Greenland ice cap
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Status:
Date:Wednesday 27 January 1943
Type:Silhouette image of generic CAT model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina
Operator:United States Navy
Registration: 7278
MSN:
First flight:
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:Greenland ice cap (   Greenland)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Military
Departure airport:?
Destination airport:?
Narrative:
The Catalina was flying over the Greenland Ice Cap at an altitude of 4500 ft. This altitude should have given a clearance of 1000 ft over terrain according to charts of the area. Weather and snow covered terrain resulted in poor depth perception. Without realizing they were close to the ice, as a horizon was visible and were not on instruments, they suddenly made contact on the upslope of a 400 ft hill. The pilot immediately applied throttles in an attempt climb away but he was unsuccessful. Further attempts to swing plane around in order to takeoff downhill were unsuccessful as the plane sank into snow and ice.
This crew were stranded on the ice cap for fifteen days before being rescued.

Sources:
» Greenland Air Crash (warcovers.dk)
» US Navy and US Marine Corps Aircraft Serial Numbers and Bureau Numbers--1911 to Present / Joe Baugher


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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.
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