1945 — Jan 8, Pan American Flight 161 water landing crash, Port of Spain, Trinidad —   23

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard for: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/  Last edit 12-15-16-2023.

—  23  ASN.  Accident description. Pan American World Airways Martin M-130, 8 Jan 1945.

—  23  Brownsville Herald, TX. “Pan Am Clipper Falls, With 23 of 30 Killed.” Jan 9, 1945, p. 1.

—  23  CAB. Pan American, Latin American Division, Trinidad, British West Indies, Jan 8, 1945.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945:

“08 Jan 1945…21:16…

“Martin M-130…

“Pan American World Airways,

“Registration: NC14716….

“Fatalities: 23 / Occupants: 30….

“Location: Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago)…Approach….

“Flight number: 161.

“Narrative: Flight 161 departed Miami, Florida, at 06:08 for a flight to Leopoldville, Belgian Congo. The flying boat landed at San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico, at approximately 14:23. After refueling Flight 161 took off from San Juan, at 16:05 on a contact flight clearance for Port of Spain, Trinidad. Crossing the north coast of Trinidad at an altitude of 4,000 feet, a gradual let-down was started. Wind was calm, and lights to mark the landing area on the surface of the water were laid out on a 70 degree course. The approach was flown by a captain acting as first officer in the left hand seat. During the first approach he came in too high so he was forced to circle the landing area. During the second try, the Martin descended too low and contacted the water at more than normal landing speed and in a nose-low attitude at a point 1.25 miles short of the intended landing area. As the plane came to an abrupt stop in the water, the hull broke in two at a point about three feet aft of the hull step and the rear part of the hull was forced up and forward. Water poured into the cabin and major portion of the flying boat sank immediately.” (ASN. Pan American World Airways Martin M-130, 8.)

Civil Aeronautics Board. Accident Investigation Report (File No. 98-45, Docket No. SA-99):

“The Accident:

“Pan American’s Flight 161 of its Latin American Division, en route from Miami, Florida, to Leopoldville, Belgian Congo, Africa, crashed during a night landing at Port of Spain, Trinidad, B.W.I. at 2116 EWT, January 8, 1945. The accident resulted in fatal injuries to 23 of the 30 occupants, injuries to those surviving, and complete loss of the Martin M-130 flying boat.

“Description of the Flight:

“Flight 161 departed Miami, Florida, at 0608, January 8, and landed without incident at San Juran Harbor, Puerto Rico, at approximately 1423. After refueling and routine mechanical check, Flight 161 took off from San Juan, at 1605 on a contact flight clearance for Port of Spain, Trinidad, the next scheduled stop. Routine position reports were made at proper intervals and at 1930 the flight received a company message reporting satisfactory contact weather at Port of Spain.

“Approaching Trinidad, the plane was being flown from the left Pilot’s seat by Captain L. W. Cramer (serving as First Officer of the flight) with Captain C. A. Goyette (in command) in the co-pilot’s seat on the right. Approximately 10 miles from the north coast of Trinidad Goyette instructed Cramer to remain in the left seat and to make the approach and landing at Port of Spain.

“Crossing the north coast of Trinidad at an altitude of 4,000 feet, a gradual let-down was started. The Port of Spain company station then advised Flight 161 that the wind was calm, that lights to mark the landing area on the surface of the water were laid out on a 70⁰ course, that no traffic was in the area, and that it was cleared to contact the company service launch for final landing instructions.

“At 2109, Flight 161 was advised, ‘no traffic, you are number one to land in the Corcorite area.’ Cramer continued his course over the row of lights and made a turn into the right-hand traffic pattern. Inasmuch as the plane’s altitude was too high for the final approach, Goyette advised Cramer that it would be necessary to circle the landing area again. Cramer complied, passed over the landing area a second time and started another 360⁰ turn, this time to the left. Goyette then advised Cramer that, because of adjacent hills, a left-hand pattern was not desirable and Cramer turned into the right-hand pattern. This downwind course was continued for 1½ minutes beyond the No. 1 landing area light. A 180⁰ turn for the final approach placed the plane at approximately 3 miles from the No.  1 light at an altitude of about 1,000 feet.

“According to the testimony of Capt. Goyette, a final approach was started with a rate of descent of 600 feet per minute and an airspeed of 105 knots [approximately 115 miles per hour]. At an altitude of 800 feet the rate of descent was reduced to about 300 feet per minute with the airspeed remaining between 100 and 105 knots. When approximately 700 feet above the surface the left landing light was turned on and the service launch was advised that the flight was on final approach. At an altitude of about 400 feet a light haze was encountered which Captain Goyette stated did not materially affect the visibility. At about 300 feet, the manifold pressure was reduced from 20 to 15 inches in accordance with standard landing procedure. Goyette stated that at this time he noted the position of the aircraft as about ½ mile from the No. 1 light.

“He also stated that at an indicated altitude of 250 feet with airspeed at 100 knots, he called out these readings to Cramer. Soon thereafter, Goyette, whose attention was still focused in the cockpit, heard what he described as a ‘tearing, shearing’ noise, followed by a sudden lurch. As the plane came to an abrupt stop in the water, the hull broke in two at a point about three feet aft of the hull step (about the center of compartment 2) and the rear part of the hull was forced up and forward. Water poured into the cabin and major portion of the flying boat sank immediately. Certain parts of the wreckage remained afloat for a short period while rescue work was conducted by company service launches and Navy rescue and salvage units. The point at which the wreckage sank was 1¼ miles short of the No. 1 light which marked the nearest portion of the intended landing area.

“Investigation:

….

“In analyzing the statements of the survivors, it is apparent that the aircraft’s keel first contacted the water at a point well forward, near the bow, while the plane was in a slightly nose-down attitude. Goyette stated that the initial sound of contact emanated forward of the pilot’s compartment. Morse’s statement suggests a 5-degree nose-down or approach attitude….

“Witnesses to the approach who were on the company service launches saw a single landing light approach with uniform and even descent until it appeared to be at water level when it suddenly sent out. Company procedure provides that when the second landing light is turned on during the approach it constitutes a signal for the firing of a flare from the company launch as an aid to the pilot in gauging accurately his height above the water. In this instance, the pilot did no turn on the second landing light during his approach.

“Examination of the wreckage revealed no indication of malfunctioning of any part of the airplane prior to its impact with the water….

“The aircraft was equipped with an NACA V-G recorder, the purpose of which is to record vertical acceleration in relation to speed. This recorder was recovered from the wreckage….In brief, the B-G record, as well as the condition of the bottom of the hull…indicted that: (1) the aircraft contacted the surface of the water at a higher than normal landing speed, and (2) the impact occurred while the aircraft was in a nose-down attitude….

“Discussion:

….

“Landing of the aircraft on the surface of the water in the attitude indicated, and under the then existing conditions of water surface and weather, was undoubtedly due to the pilot’s having misjudged his true altitude above the surface prior to contact with the water and his failure to correct the attitude for a normal landing at the proper moment.

….

“Knowledge of Cramer’s considerable previous experience with four-engine flying boats would have justified Captain Goyette in assuming that Cramer was capable of negotiating the landing safely; and, therefore, Captain Goyette is not subject to criticism for directing First Officer Cramer to execute the approach and landing. However, since Cramer’s total experience in the Martin M-30 type included less that a two-hour company check-out at Miami and a portion of the flight time to Port of Spain, Captain Goyette should have been particularly alert to his responsibility that the aircraft be landed safely. Proper exercise of this responsibility required a greater attention to the attitude of the aircraft and its relation to the water than to any particular instrument indications.

“Probable Cause:

“On the basis of the above findings, the Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was (1) First Officer failure to realize his proximity to the water and to correct his attitude for a normal landing and, (2) the lack of adequate supervision by the Captain during the landing, resulting in the inadvertent flight into the water in excess of normal landing speed and in a nose-down attitude”.”

(Civil Aeronautics Board. Accident Investigation Report. Pan American, Latin American Division, Trinidad, British West Indies, Jan 8, 1945.)

Newspaper

Jan 9: “Miami, Fla. – (AP) – Pan American Airways reported today that 23 persons apparently were killed last night in the crash at Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, of a huge Africa-bound Clipper. Wm. Snyder, airlines manager here, said reports from the scene ‘indicated that 23 of the 30 persons aboard were lost.’ Seven of the 30 passengers and crewmen aboard the Miami-to-Leopoldville flying boat are known to be safe.

“The 26-ton plane, known as the China Clipper during its early service on the airline’s trans-Pacific routes, apparently crashed in the darkness while coming to alight in a flare-marked area. Early radio reports to the airline headquarters here indicated the ship broke up and sank. Navy divers went to work in an effort to raise the wreckage.

“A full check of the dead awaited completion of the salvage. Since the Clipper usually alights at some considerable distance offshore, there was little hope that any of the 15 persons listed as missing had made his way to safety. The only known survivors were picked up by boat not long after the crash.

“Among the missing were a missionary, Paul J. Whitlock, 36, of New York, his wife and their three young children….”  (Brownsville Herald, TX. “Pan Am Clipper Falls, With 23 of 30 Killed.” Jan 9, 1945, p.1.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 1. Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) PA 161 approach crash, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 1-8-1945. Accessed 12-15-2023 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19450108-2

Brownsville Herald, TX. “Pan Am Clipper Falls, With 23 of 30 Killed.” 1-9-1945, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=74334268

Civil Aeronautics Board. Accident Investigation Report. Pan American, Latin American Division, Trinidad, British West Indies, Jan 8, 1945. Accessed 12-15-2023 at: dot_33248_DS1.pdf