1953 — July 2, US Navy PBM-552 Mariner engine failure / crash, 25M off Adak, AK –all 12

–12 Aviation Safety Network. USN Martin PBM-552 Mariner crash at sea 25M off Adak AK.
–12 Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. “Crash of a Martin PBM-5S Mariner off Adak: 12 Killed.”

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network:
“Date: 02-Jul-1953
“Time: night
“Type: Martin PBM-552 Mariner
“Owner/operator: United States Navy (USN)
“Registration: 85158
….
“Fatalities: Fatalities: 12 / Occupants: 12
….
“Location: 25 mi NE of NS Adak, AK – United States of America
“Phase: En route
“Nature: Military
“Departure airport: NS Kodiak, Ak/VP-42
“Destination airport: [not noted]
“Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources.
“Narrative:

“Twin-engined Navy patrol plane missing in Bering Sea. Pilot reported 20:50 the failure of one engine and he attempting an open-sea landing in heavy fog and 50ft sailing. Only oil slick, floating debris (tip tanks) and one body found.” (Aviation Safety Network. USN Martin PBM-552 Mariner crash at sea 25M off Adak AK.)

Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives:
“…. Flight Phase: Landing (descent or approach)
“Flight Type: Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
“Survivors: No
….
“Crew on board: 12
….
“Circumstances: “The crew was completing a maritime patrol flight over the North Pacific
Ocean when the radio operator informed ATC he would divert to Adak for
an emergency landing due to a fire on board. While approaching Adak
Airport, the seaplane hit the water surface and crashed into the ocean few
miles off shore, killing all 12 crew members.”

(Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. “Crash of a Martin PBM-5S Mariner off Adak: 12 Killed.”)

Newspaper

July 3, AP: “Kodiak, July 3. (AP) – A twin-engined navy patrol seaplane with 12 men aboard went down Thursday [July 2] in the Bering Sea near Adak in the Aleutian islands. Hours later, search planes sighted only an oily slick and floating debris. A spokesman for the 17th naval district said the plane’s pilot radioed at 8:50 a.m. (10:50 PST) that one engine had failed and that he was attempting an open-sea landing in heavy fog and a 50-foot ceiling. The pilot gave his position near Great Sitkin island, about 30 miles northeast of Adak and 1,000 miles southeast of here. Several hours later, a coast guard plane reported sighting a large oil slick and floating debris at approximately the position given. Other search planes continued to comb the sea, without results.

“The navy said the plane, a Martin Mariner, was on routine patrol at the time it went down in the frigid sea midway between Alaska and Siberia.

“Lieut. Norman Dunn, Oxford, Mich., public information officer for the 17th naval district, said it is possible some of the crew might have taken to rubber boats. They could haver drifted far from the scene before the arrival of the first cutter, he said.” (Associated Press. “12 Navy Men Perish Off Aleutians.” Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK. 7-3-1953, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “12 Navy Men Perish Off Aleutians.” Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK. 7-3-1953, p. 1. Accessed 5-16-2023 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/fairbanks-daily-news-miner-jul-03-1953-p-1/

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. USN Martin PBM-552 Mariner crash at sea 25M off Adak AK (ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 172771). Accessed 5-16-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/172771

Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. “Crash of a Martin PBM-5S Mariner off Adak: 12 Killed.” Accessed 5-16-2023 at:
https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-martin-pbm-5s-mariner-adak-12-killed