ASN Aircraft accident Boeing-Canada PB2B-1 Catalina NZ4031 Funafuti Lagoon
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Status:
Date:Friday 13 April 1945
Time:06:20
Type:Silhouette image of generic CAT model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Boeing-Canada PB2B-1 Catalina
Operator:Royal New Zealand Air Force - RNZAF
Registration: NZ4031
MSN: 28120
First flight:
Crew:Fatalities: / Occupants:
Passengers:Fatalities: / Occupants:
Total:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 10
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:Funafuti Lagoon (   Tuvalu)
Phase: Takeoff (TOF)
Nature:Military
Departure airport:?
Destination airport:?
Narrative:
While taking off along a swell in Funafuti Lagoon the Catalina flying boat began to porpoise. On becoming airborne the plane stalled from about 15 feet and fell heavily bow-first into the lagoon, half submerging and finally sinking in 85 feet of water. The crash was caused by a mishandling of the controls by the second Pilot through a misunderstanding between him and the Captain. Seven survivors were rescued by American and RNZAF crash boats.

Classification:
Loss of control

Sources:
» NZ Serials
» Auckland Museum Cenotaph database


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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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