Incident Overview
Date: Thursday 12 December 1968
Aircraft Type: Boeing 707-321B
Owner/operator: Pan American World Airways (Pan Am)
Registration Number: N494PA
Location: 18,4 km N off Caracas –
ÿ Venezuela
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 51 / Occupants: 51
Component Affected: Boeing 707-300 aircraftBoeing 707-300 aircraft
Category: Accident
A Boeing 707-300, named ‘Clipper Malay’, crashed into the sea near Caracas, Venezuela, resulting in loss of life. The aircraft?s descent was likely triggered by an optical illusion caused by city lights.A Boeing 707-300, named ‘Clipper Malay’, crashed into the sea near Caracas, Venezuela, resulting in loss of life. The aircraft?s descent was likely triggered by an optical illusion caused by city lights.
Description
Pan Am flight 217, a Boeing 707-300 named “Clipper Malay”, crashed into the sea to the north off Caracas, Venezuela. The crew possibly descended into the sea due to an optical illusion created by the lights of the city on an upslope.
Primary Cause
Optical illusion induced by city lights.Optical illusion induced by city lights.Share on:
