Cubi Point - Cubi Point

On June 27, 1979 at 12:00 AM, Cubi Point - Cubi Point experienced a crash involving Lockheed P-3 Orion, operated by United States Navy - USN, with the event recorded near Subic Bay, Olongapo (Cubi Point NAS) Bataan.

The flight was categorized as survey / patrol / reconnaissance and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

15 people were known to be on board, 5 fatalities were recorded, 10 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 33.3%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 11, passenger fatalities: 5, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The four engine airplane departed Cubi Point NAS on a flight over the Pacific Ocean consisting on a tracking mission of the Soviet ship christened 'Minsk'. About five minutes after takeoff, while climbing to an altitude of 5,900 feet, the engine n°4 exploded. Propeller blades detached and the engine caught fire. Shortly later, the engine n°3 oversped and due to an excessive temperature, the crew decided to shut it down and to feather its propeller. In coordination with Cubi Point Tower, the crew initiated a turn and started the descent back to Cubi Point NAS. Despite the airplane banked right to an angle of 60° and nosed down to 15°, the pilot was able to continue the descent but eventually reduced the power on both left engine to ditch the aircraft. In a nose-down attitude (3 to 5° pitch down), the airplane struck the water surface and crashed into the sea about 1,400 meters short of runway threshold and sank quickly. Ten occupants were seriously injured while five others were killed. The wreckage was later recovered.

Aircraft reference details include registration 154596, MSN 185-5277, year of manufacture 1968.