Biloxi – Seattle

On December 18, 1945 at 12:00 AM, Biloxi – Seattle experienced a crash involving Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina, operated by United States Coast Guard - USCG, with the event recorded near Fort Worth Texas.

The flight was categorized as ferry and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

7 people were known to be on board, 7 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 7, crew fatalities: 7, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. While on a ferry flight from CGAS Biloxi to NAS Seattle for overhaul, the pilot reported an oil leak in the right engine. He then reported a single engine operation and requested an emergency clearance to Fort Worth. The aircraft proceeded out the north leg of the Fort Worth range where the other engine stopped due to an unknown cause, and the propeller was feathered. The aircraft emerged from the clouds in a spin to the left and impacted the ground. All seven crew members were killed and the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces. Crew: Lt Vaughn E. Salisbury, Cpt Ernest C. Lindsey, Ammc John E. Vallowe, Arm1 William L. Hickman, Amm2 George L. Proffitt, Amm1 Oswald D. Jacobson, Cpl Marion Higgins.

Aircraft reference details include registration 46497, MSN 1861, year of manufacture 1944.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 32.7532°, -97.3327°.