1944 — Aug 8, Pan Am Flight 218 flying boat takeoff crash Nipe Bay off Antilla, Cuba– 17

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 3-28-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

—  17  Aviation Safety Network.  “Accident Description…Pan Am 218.”

—  17  Civil Aeronautics Board. Accident Investigation Report. File No. 2667-44, 4-11-1945, p.1.

—  17  Planecrashinfo.com. “1944…Accident Details…Pan Am 218, Aug 08…”

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network: “Narrative:  Pan Am Flight 218 was on a return trip from San Juan to Miami with intermediate stops at Port au Prince and Antilla. The plane, a Sikorsky S42 flying boat, made its take-off run, attained a speed of about 80 knots and left the surface of the water. As the plane rose into the air to a height of 10 or 12 feet, the captain relaxed back pressure slightly, in order to gain speed, whereupon the plane seemed to want to go back on the water so he pulled back on the yoke. When it became obvious to him that the plane was going to go back on the water anyway, he dropped the nose quickly to “flatten out.” After striking, bow first, the plane left the water in a slightly nose-high attitude, rose higher than previously, then returned to the water at a much steeper angle. The third time, the plane rose out of control to a height of approximately 25 feet, and in a steeper angle of climb than previously. It then nosed down at a sharp angle and struck the water violently. The nose of the plane struck the water with such force as to cause the hull to fracture and completely separate at a point just aft of the pilot’s compartment. The after portion of the plane, which included passenger compartments A, B, C, and D, pitched forward and came to rest in a nearly inverted position with the forward portion fully submerged.

”PROBABLE CAUSE: “Based on the evidence produced through this investigation, loss of control during take-off was found to be the probable cause of the accident.”

“Sources: CAB File No. 2667-AA.”  (Aviation Safety Network.  “Accident Description…Pan Am 218.”)

Civil Aeronautics Board. Accident Investigation Report. File No. 2667-44, 4-11-1945:

“Flight 218 of Pan American’s Latin American Division, while on regular Caribbean schedule en route from San Juan to Miami, crashed in an attempted take-off at Antilla Cuba. Seventeen passengers were killed, nine of the passengers and all the five crew members survived. The accident occurred about 1:20 p.m. EWT, August 8, 19454 approximately ½ mile southeast of Antilla, in Nipe Bay.

“The plane, a Sikorsky S42 flying boat, made its take-off run, attained flying speed and became airborne. Immediately following this, the plane made two further contacts with the water. Upon leaving the surface the third time it gained an altitude of approximately 25 feet, then dived steeply into the water. The force of impact completely destroyed the airplane.

“From the evidence revealed by the investigation, the Board concluded that there was no mechanical failure of any part of the airplane but that the accident was caused by the faulty technique employed by the pilot, and that such faulty technique was due largely to his limited experience on the particular type of airplane flown.” (p. 1.)

Planecrashinfo.com: “Summary:  Crashed during the third attempt to lift from the water and sank into the ocean. Loss of control due to the captain’s inexperience in handling the particular type of aircraft. The aircraft was named “Hong Kong Clipper”.” (Planecrashinfo.com. “1944…Accident Details…Pan Am 218, Aug 08…”)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. Pan American World Airways Flight 218, 08 Aug 1944. Accessed 7/9/2010 at: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19440808-0

Civil Aeronautics Board. Accident Investigation Report. File No. 2667-44, 4-11-1945. Accessed 3-28-2024 at: dot_33242_DS1.pdf

Planecrashinfo.com. “1944…Accident Details…Pan Am 218, Aug 08…”  Accessed at:  http://www.planecrashinfo.com/1944/1944-22.htm