1943 — Feb 22, Pan American Air Flying Clipper crash, Tagus River, Lisbon, Portugal–   24

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 5-19-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–24  Civil Aeronautics Board. Report of…Investigation…United States registry NC 18603…

            –19  Passengers

            —  5  Crew members

–24  Thurston. “Broadway Singers…and the Doomed Flight of the Yankee Clipper,” 8-5-2023.

–24  UP. “Say Air Pocket Cause of Crash.” The Telegraph-Herald, Dubuque, IA. 2-24-1943, p1.

 Narrative Information

Civil Aeronautics Board. Report of…Investigation…United States registry NC 18603…:

“An accident involving an aircraft of United States registry, NC 18603, a Boeing 314 flying boat, occurred in the Tagus River approximately 2 miles east of Cabo Ruivo Airport, Lisbon, Portugal at about 1847 GMT (6:47 p.m.) on February 22, 1943 which resulted in fatal injuries to 19 passengers and c5 crew members. Of the remaining 8 passengers, 2 received serious injuries, 2 minor injuries and 4 were uninjured, while 7 members of the crew received injuries ranging from minor to serious. The aircraft, which was being operated b Pan American Airways in scheduled air carrier service as Trip 9035 between New York, N.Y.; Bermuda; Horta; Lisbon, Portugal; and Foynes, Erie, was demolished…. [p. 1.]

“….While proceeding in a northeasterly direction, at an estimated speed of 135 knots and at an altitude of between 500 and 600 feet over the [landing] area, about 1½ miles east and abeam of the center light in the string of landing lights, the aircraft made a descending turn to the left which continued until it was headed in a westerly direction when the left wing tip skimmed along the surface of the water, dug in and the plane crashed into the river. It remained partially submerged for approximately 10 minutes, then disappeared below the surface of the river. The PanAm launch, which had been standing by for the landing, proceeded to the scene of the accident, arriving about 10 minutes alter, and began rescue operations. The PanAm launch was joined by a BOAC launch (British) and another PanAm launch approximately 10 minutes later…. [p. 5.]

Conclusions

“The Board finds no convincing evidence that the accident was caused by failure of any part of the aircraft, or in particular by a failure of the control system. The captain’s recollection of the behavior of the airplane, i.e., that it entered an abnormally steep descent some time prior to making contact with the water, was at wide variance with the recollections and testimony of the surviving members of the crew and surviving passengers. No indication could be found in the wreckage of the control system which would account for any failure of the airplane to respond to the controls. Had such a failure occurred when the aircraft was at an altitude of 600 feet, as the captain testified, it is logical to assume that he would surely have had some conversation with the first officer or that he would have warned the other members of the crew on the flight deck of the impending crash. Furthermore, it is believed that had the situation been such that the first officer found it necessary to assist the captain in an attempt to regain control [as the Captain said] and had the angle of the descent of the aircraft been as severe as 45⁰ from an altitude of 400 feet until it struck the water, to which the captain alone testified, surely one or both of the unusual circumstances would have been noticed by at least one or more of the surviving members of the crew. Also, this severe angle of descent would undoubtedly have made an impression on the surviving passengers.

“The direction of the wind and the rapidly approaching darkness might have influenced the captain to land from east to west at a right angle to the landing lights. If such was the case, and in view of the marginal daylight remaining, the accident might well have been the result of misjudgment of altitude while executing a turn preparatory to landing, which resulted in the wing tip striking the water. Although Captain Sullivan’s testimony does not coincide with these conclusions, the testimony of members of the crew and passengers who survived does at least support this theory, inasmuch as they had no other thought than that the airplane was making a normal landing at the time of the accident. It is inconceivable that all of the witnesses could have had this impression had the airplane descended from 400 feet at an angle even approaching 45⁰, as testified to by the captain…. [pp. 17-18.]

Probable Cause

It appears that the probable cause of this accident was an inadvertent contact of the left wing tip of the aircraft with the water while making a descending turn preparatory to landing.” [p.19.]

Partial List Fatalities

Cuhel, Frank. Cedar Rapids, IA. (UP. “Say Air Pocket Cause of Crash.” The Telegraph-Herald,

Dubuque, IA. 2-24-1943, p. 1.)

Diaz, Manuel, Pelham Manor, NY. (AP. “Workers Delayed In Trying To Lift Wrecked Clipper.”

The Cumberland News, MD. 2-24-1943, p. 2.)

Freeland, A. R., Jackson Heights, Queens, NY, crew member. (AP. “Workers Delayed In Trying

To Lift Wrecked Clipper.” The Cumberland News, MD. 2-24-1943, p. 2.)

Harrison, Arthur Lee, NY, missing. (AP. “Workers Delayed In Trying To Lift Wrecked Clipper.”

The Cumberland News, MD. 2-24-1943, p. 2.)

Ingels, L. A. Jackson Heights, Queens, NY, crewmember. (AP. “Workers Delayed In Trying To

Lift Wrecked Clipper.” The Cumberland News, MD. 2-24-1943, p. 2.)

Lamb, T. W., Wayne, IL., missing. (AP. “Workers Delayed In Trying To Lift Wrecked Clipper.”

The Cumberland News, MD. 2-24-1943, p. 2.)

Roberson, Benjamin Franklin Jr., Clemson, SC. (Clemson Alumni. “Scroll of Honor – Benjamin

Franklin Robertson, J. 2-23-2023; United Press. 2-24-1943.

Robinson, C., NY, crew member. (AP. “Workers Delayed In Trying To Lift Wrecked Clipper.”

The Cumberland News, MD. 2-24-1943, p. 2.)

Rognan, Roy, NY, missing. (AP. “Workers Delayed In Trying To Lift Wrecked Clipper.”

The Cumberland News, MD. 2-24-1943, p. 2; Wikipedia. “Roy Rognan.” 6-23-2022.)

Rush, H. S., Jackson Heights, NY, First Officer.[1] (AP. “Workers Delayed In Trying To Lift

Wrecked Clipper.” The Cumberland News, MD. 2-24-1943, p. 2.)

Seidel, H. G., Kingston Hill, Surrey, England. (AP. “Workers Delayed In Trying To Lift Wrecked

Clipper.” The Cumberland News, MD. 2-24-1943, p. 2.)

Swann, Tamara Drasin (Thurston. “Broadway Singers, a Nazi Sympathizer, and the Doomed

Flight of the Yankee Clipper,” 8-5-2023; Wikipedia. “Roy Rognan.” 6-23-2022.)

Vaughn, J. F., Flushing, Long Island, Crew member. (AP. “Workers Delayed In Trying To Lift

Wrecked Clipper.” The Cumberland News, MD. 2-24-1943, p. 2.)

Wright, James N., State Department Diplomatic Courier,[2] Washington, DC. (AP. “Workers

Delayed In Trying To Lift Wrecked Clipper.” Cumberland News, MD. 2-24-1943, p. 2.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Workers Delayed In Trying To Lift Wrecked Clipper. Swift Waters of Tagus River Made Work Difficult; Four Known Dead.” The Cumberland News, MD. 2-24-1943, p. 2. Accessed 5-19-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/cumberland-news-feb-24-1943-p-2/

Civil Aeronautics Board. Report of The Civil Aeronautics Board on the Investigation of an accident, involving aircraft of United States registry NC 18603, in the Tagus River, Lisbon, Portugal, on February 22, 1943. Adopted 9-7-1943, released 9-9-1943. Accessed 5-19-2024 at: https://www.baaa-acro.com/sites/default/files/import/uploads/2015/05/NC18603.pdf

Clemson Alumni. “Scroll of Honor – Benjamin Franklin Robertson, J. 2-23-2023. Accessed 5-19-2024 at: https://alumni.clemson.edu/scroll-of-honor-benjamin-franklin-robertson-jr/

Thurston, Andrew. “Broadway Singers, a Nazi Sympathizer, and the Doomed Flight of the Yankee Clipper,” 8-5-2023. Accessed 5-19-2024 at:

Broadway Singers, a Nazi Sympathizer, and the Doomed Flight of the Yankee Clipper

United Press. “Say Air Pocket Cause of Crash.” The Telegraph-Herald, Dubuque, IA. 2-24-1943, p. 1. Accessed 5-19-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/dubuque-telegraph-herald-feb-24-1943-p-1/

United States Department of State. “James Wright, Diplomatic Courier, Deceased February 22, 1943.” Accessed 5-19-2024 at: https://www.state.gov/biographies/james-wright/

Wikipedia. “Roy Rognan.” 6-23-2022. Accessed 5-19-2024 at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Rognan

[1] Civil Aeronautics Board. Report of…Investigation…United States registry NC 18603, in the Tagus River… p. 3.

[2] United States Department of State. “James Wright, Diplomatic Courier, Deceased February 22, 1943.”