Incident Overview
Date: Thursday 26 June 1941
Aircraft Type: Sikorsky S-43
Owner/operator: Pan American Grace Airways (Panagra)
Registration Number: NC16928
Location: Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, RJ (SDU) –
ÿ Brazil
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Component Affected: Aircraft noseAircraft nose
Category: Accident
An S-43 aircraft during a local practice flight in Guanabara Bay experienced a critical incident involving a nose-down landing due to a water contact. The bow wave caused the nose to depress, leading to an overturn and subsequent sinking.An S-43 aircraft during a local practice flight in Guanabara Bay experienced a critical incident involving a nose-down landing due to a water contact. The bow wave caused the nose to depress, leading to an overturn and subsequent sinking.
Description
The aircraft had taken off about 14:15 for a local practice flight out of Rio de Janeiro. Instrument approaches and landings were to be practiced in Guanabara Bay. During one of those approaches and landings the S-43 contacted the water in a nose down attitude. As the bow wave build op, the nose became more depressed. It then overturned and sank PROBABLE CAUSE: “Pilot’s error in judging altitude during a landing.” Contributing factor: Glassy surface of the water.
Primary Cause
Pilot’s error in judging altitude during a landing.Pilot’s error in judging altitude during a landing.Share on:
