PBY Catalina Wreck - On October 24, 1949, a Navy PBY-5A Catalina that had been converted for civilian use was attempting a water landing in the Boulder Basin area of Lake Mead.   The landing gear, which was still down, hit the water and the plane flipped, broke in two, burned and sunk.  Only one of the five people aboard survived, and two were never recovered.

Dive Description:  The PBY Catalina wreck is in 2 major sections, and resides roughly 180' down.  This dive is accessible by technical scuba divers only.  This site is now listed as a US archeological site, so destruction or removal of any material or items from the site is prohibited by federal law.  There is an excellent mooring provided by Lake Mead Technical Divers, which provides a secure tie point for your boat, and a quality line for descent and deco.  There are 2 cave lines at the base of the mooring running to each section of the wreck.  It's about a 75' swim from the mooring to each section of the wreck, so plan your gas accordingly.

Update:  As of August 2008, the mooring for the PBY has been removed.  Please do NOT drop anchor in hopes of diving this site without a permanent mooring.  Not only is this dangerous if the winds pick up, but you may inadvertently hook and damage the delicate wreck itself.

About the PBY Catalina aircraft:  PBY Catalina was the United States Navy designation for an American and Canadian-built flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s. PB stands for Patrol Bomber, with Y being Consolidated Aircraft’s manufacturer identification. This is a 64' long aircraft, with a 104' wing span.  When used by the military, it could be equipped with depth charges, bombs, torpedoes, and .50 caliber machine guns and was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBY Catalina Aircraft were used in every major theatre of WWII and achieved notable successes in reconnaissance and patrol bomber missions in the South Pacific.