Status:	Final
Date:	Saturday 24 September 1955
Time:	06:41 UTC
Type:	Douglas C-54A-15-DC (DC-4)
Operator:	Flying Tiger Line
Registration:	N90433
C/n / msn:	10410
First flight:	1944
Total airframe hrs:	25590
Crew:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 5
Passengers:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 5
Aircraft damage:	Damaged beyond repair
Location:	1600 km (1000 mls) W off Honolulu, HI, USA (   Pacific Ocean)
Phase:	En route (ENR)
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Honolulu International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL), United States of America
Destination airport:	Wake Island Airport (AWK/PAWK), U.S. Minor Outlying Islands
Flightnumber:	7413-23

Narrative:
While on a cross-Pacific flight from Wake Island to Honolulu, the no. 1 engine stopped. The crew then placed the no. 2 and 3 fuel selectors to the near empty auxiliary tanks. The no. 2 and 3 engines then also stopped, forcing the crew to feather the no.1, 2 and 3 propellers. Full power was applied to the remaining no. 4 engine as the DC-4 descended. Separate attempts were made to restart the no. 1 and 2 engines, but of no avail. When trying to restart the no. 3 engine, the aircraft struck the water.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of the accident was the loss of power in three engines due to incorrect fuel system management and faulty restarting methods which resulted in the ditching of the aircraft."

Fuel starvation
Ditching

» CAB report File No. 1-0160