Incident Overview
Date: Sunday 22 July 1973
Aircraft Type: Boeing 707-321B
Owner/operator: Pan American World Airways (Pan Am)
Registration Number: N417PA
Location: 3 km NE off Papeete-Faaa Airport (PPT), Tahiti –
ÿ French Polynesia
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 78 / Occupants: 79
Component Affected: Boeing 707Boeing 707
Investigating Agency: BEABEA
Category: Accident
A PanAm Boeing 707, the Clipper Winged Racer, experienced a catastrophic landing following a left turn in Papeete, Tahiti, resulting in a sinking of the aircraft into the sea. The aircraft’s descent was exacerbated by an instrument failure, possibly diverting attention during the turn, and was dark outside, hindering visual reference availability.A PanAm Boeing 707, the Clipper Winged Racer, experienced a catastrophic landing following a left turn in Papeete, Tahiti, resulting in a sinking of the aircraft into the sea. The aircraft’s descent was exacerbated by an instrument failure, possibly diverting attention during the turn, and was dark outside, hindering visual reference availability.
Description
PanAm flight PA816 was a regular flight from Auckland (AKL) to Los Angeles (LAX) with an intermediate stop at Papeete, Tahiti (PPT). Boeing 707 “Clipper Winged Racer” took off from runway 04 at Papeete-Faaa Airport for its second leg of the flight. The airplane climbed to a height of 300 feet and initiated a left turn. It began to descend with an excessive bank turn and struck the sea. The wreckage sank into the 700 m deep waters off Papeete. Both CVR and FDR were not recovered. PROBABLE CAUSE: Unknown. It is considered possible that an instrument failure may have diverted the crew’s attention during the turn. Since it was dark outside and the turn was made towards the sea. No visual references were available.
Primary Cause
Instrument failure diverting crew attention during a turn.Instrument failure diverting crew attention during a turn.Share on:
