Investigation Summary
On July 28, 1938, the Hawaii Clipper departed Guam at 11:39 local time for the final leg of its trans-Pacific journey to Manila. The flight proceeded for 3 hours and 27 minutes until 15:06 local time (04:06 GCT), when Flight Radio Officer William McCarty transmitted a routine position report. He noted the aircraft was flying at 9,100 feet through 'rough air' and 'rain,' and requested the ground station to 'standby one minute' due to rain static interfering with the signal. When the ground operator at Panay attempted to re-establish contact one minute later, there was no response. The aircraft never arrived in Manila. The US Army transport ship USAT Meigs later discovered an oil slick roughly 500 miles from Manila, near the aircraft's last known position. However, contemporary chemical analysis suggested the oil was 'bunker oil' from a surface vessel rather than aviation fuel or engine oil. The Air Safety Board investigation noted that a telephone company employee on Lahuy Island reported hearing a large aircraft above the clouds around 3:00 p.m. local time (07:00 GCT), but subsequent searches of the area yielded no results. In its final report, the board concluded that the aerial search of Lahuy and other areas 'cannot be considered conclusive.'
Final Conclusions
In its official report dated November 18, 1938, the Air Safety Board of the Civil Aeronautics Authority stated that 'no authentic trace of the aircraft was discovered.' The board concluded that the cause of the disappearance could not be determined based on the available evidence. The report acknowledged the witness account from Lahuy Island but noted that aerial searches of the vicinity were inconclusive.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Captain Leo Terletzky had extensive trans-Pacific experience.
Systems & Failure Modes
Radio Transmitters
The aircraft was equipped with two independent radio transmitters capable of operating on international distress frequencies.
Emergency Gear
The Clipper carried a rubber lifeboat, emergency rations, and a hand-operated generator to power the radio in case of electrical failure.
Interesting Facts
- 01The Hawaii Clipper was one of only three Martin M-130 flying boats ever built.
- 02The aircraft was carrying 15 people: 9 crew members and 6 passengers.
- 03At the time, it was the worst aviation accident in the Pacific Ocean.
- 04The aircraft had been certified as airworthy just five days prior to the disappearance.
- 05The oil slick found by USAT Meigs was 28 nautical miles south-southeast of the last reported position.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Search and Rescue Coordination
Source ↗The investigation highlighted the limitations of the aerial search conducted over Lahuy Island and other areas, noting that while no trace was found, the search could not be considered conclusive due to weather and terrain, leading to later improvements in maritime search coordination for trans-oceanic flights.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Hijacking Theories
Reference ↗Various authors have proposed that the aircraft was hijacked by Japanese agents to intercept millions of dollars in gold bonds intended for the Nationalist Chinese government.
Amelia Earhart Rescue Mission Allegations
Reference ↗Some researchers claim the flight was a secret mission to pay a ransom for Amelia Earhart, though no official evidence supports this.