Midway - Midway

On January 22, 1961 at 03:04 AM, Midway - Midway experienced a crash involving Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation, operated by United States Navy - USN, with the event recorded near Midway Island United States Minor Outlying Islands.

The flight was categorized as survey / patrol / reconnaissance and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

22 people were known to be on board, 9 fatalities were recorded, 13 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 40.9%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 18, passenger fatalities: 6, other fatalities: 3.

The listed crash cause is human factor. While conducting a maritime patrol flight over the Pacific Ocean, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and the captain decided to return to Midway Island NAS for a safe landing. During the final approach completed by night, the four engine aircraft was too low, causing the main landing gears to struck a seawall located short of runway threshold. On impact, the undercarriage were sheared off. The airplane went out control and crashed in flames onto a fire truck parked by the runway. Six passengers were killed as well as all three firemen sitting in the truck and awaiting the aircraft according to procedures.

Aircraft reference details include registration 143193, MSN 4467, year of manufacture 1957.