▁on ▁the ▁late ▁afternoon ▁of ▁ 2 3 ▁March ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁after ▁an ▁explos ion ▁in ▁the ▁cargo ▁and ▁en su ing ▁fire ▁forced ▁the ▁pil ots ▁to ▁d itch ▁the ▁aircraft ▁at ▁ 5 0 ▁degrees ▁ 2 2 ▁minutes ▁North , ▁ 2 2 ▁degrees ▁ 2 0 ▁minutes ▁West , ▁in ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Ocean ▁several ▁hundred ▁na ut ical ▁miles ▁West ▁South west ▁of ▁Ireland , ▁as ▁recorded ▁in ▁the ▁log book ▁of ▁the ▁US C GC ▁C utter ▁Cas co . ▁ ▁The ▁d itch ing ▁and ▁subsequent ▁ev acu ation ▁were ▁successful , ▁but ▁when ▁Cas co ▁arrived ▁at ▁the ▁d itch ing ▁position , ▁the ▁aircraft ▁and ▁its ▁occup ants ▁had ▁van ished . ▁ ▁Fl ight ▁The ▁transport ▁was ▁on ▁a ▁military ▁flight ▁from ▁Walker ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁in ▁Ros well , ▁New ▁Mexico , ▁to ▁R AF ▁M ild en hall ▁in ▁Su ff olk , ▁England , ▁with ▁a ▁stop over ▁at ▁Lim estone ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁in ▁Lim estone , ▁Maine . ▁It ▁was ▁commanded ▁by ▁Major ▁Robert ▁S . ▁Bell , ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Str ateg ic ▁Support ▁Squadron ▁( similar ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁Douglas ▁C - 5 4 D ▁disapp earance ▁in ▁that ▁respect ). ▁At ▁ 1 3 0 0 ▁hours , ▁ 2 3 ▁March ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁the ▁aircraft ▁radio ed ▁" May day " ▁to ▁We ather ▁Sh ip ▁US C GC ▁Cas co , ▁reporting