Investigation Summary
The flight was a complex 16-hour mission intended to drop mail at six remote Norwegian outposts in Svalbard. After successfully completing drops at Bjørnøya, Isfjord Radio, Longyearbyen, Ny-Ålesund, and Hopen, the crew returned via Bjørnøya for a second pass. The aircraft was flying at an extremely low altitude; while Wikipedia and BAAA estimate this at 40 meters (130 feet), other records suggest the pass was performed at 100 meters. Low-altitude flight was a common practice in the region to avoid high winds over the sea. The investigation commission noted that the crew had been flying for nearly 13 hours at the time of the accident, suggesting that pilot fatigue may have significantly reduced their faculties and reaction times. The weather was characterized by rain clouds and snow showers with intermittent pockets of visibility. The commission concluded that the aircraft likely entered a sideslip while maneuvering or lost altitude due to a loss of spatial awareness in poor visibility, leading to the wingtip strike on the flat landscape.
Final Conclusions
The investigation commission concluded that the accident was caused by the aircraft losing altitude and falling into a sideslip, resulting in the right wingtip striking the ground. While the exact reason for the altitude loss remained unknown, the commission cited fatigue from the long duration of the flight and the narrow margins of safety inherent in low-altitude maneuvering as decisive factors. No technical errors were found with the aircraft. The commission also noted that the crew might have encountered a sudden area of fog, causing them to lose sight of the horizon.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Side Blisters
Large transparent waist positions on the PBY Catalina; the sole survivor was seated in one of these blisters, which likely contributed to his ejection from the fuselage during the breakup.
Radio Communications
The radio operator attempted to contact the station just before impact, leading investigators to suspect the crew may have identified a problem shortly before the crash.
Interesting Facts
- 01The accident was the first major post-war aviation disaster in the Svalbard territory.
- 02The sole survivor was ejected 50 meters from the aircraft upon impact and survived due to heavy sheepskin clothing.
- 03The aircraft was flying at an altitude of only 40 meters (130 feet) when the wingtip strike occurred.
- 04The crew had been flying together for 20 months prior to the accident.
- 05The wreckage remains at the crash site on Bjørnøya as it was never cleared.
- 06The aircraft's Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) was 28129.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Postal Service Transition
The Royal Norwegian Air Force continued postal flights until 1959, after which a winter airport was built in Adventdalen and civilian operator Braathens SAFE took over the service.