Accident description
Last updated: 18 May 2013
| Status: | |
| Date: | 03 OCT 1942 |
| Time: | 19:05 |
| Type: | Vought-Sikorsky VS-44 |
| Operator: | American Export Airlines |
| Registration: | NC41880 |
| C/n / msn: | 4401 |
| First flight: | 1942 |
| Engines: | 4 Pratt & Whitney S1C3G |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 11 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 26 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 37 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Botwood, NF (Canada)
 |
| Phase: | Takeoff (TOF) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | ? |
| Shannon Airport (SNN/EINN), Ireland | |
| Flightnumber: | 71 |
Porpoised and crashed on takeoff.
The flying boat operated on a flight from New York to Shannon, Ireland with an en route stop at Botwood, Canada.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Inadvertent actuation of the wing flaps to the full 35° down position during the take-off run, thereby rendering the aircraft excessively nose-heavy and uncontrollable. Sources:
» CAB report
Photos
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
