Narrative:
Flight 202 originated at Buenos Aires, destination New York, with en route stops scheduled at Montevideo, Uruguay; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Port of Spain, Trinidad. The flight departed Buenos Aires 18:52 UTC. After a scheduled stop at Montevideo the flight arrived at Rio de Janeiro at 01:05, April 29. The flight departed Rio de Janeiro at 02:43 for a direct off-airways flight to Port of Spain. At 06:16 the flight reported abeam of Barreiras, flying at 14,500 feet under VFR conditions and estimating abeam of Carolina, Brazil, at 07:45 UTC. This was the last known message from the flight. The aircraft was later found to have crashed in dense jungle.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The separation of the no.2 engine and propeller from the aircraft due to highly unbalanced forces, followed by uncontrollability and disintegration of the aircraft for reasons undetermined."
Loss of control
» ICAO Circular 38-AN/33 (64-72)
accident date: 29-04-1952
type: Boeing 377 Stratocruiser 10-26
registration: N1039V
accident date: 29-04-1952
type: Boeing 377 Stratocruiser 10-26
registration: N1039V
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Tuesday 29 April 1952 |
| Time: | 04:40 |
| Type: | Boeing 377 Stratocruiser 10-26 |
| Operator: | Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) |
| Registration: | N1039V |
| MSN: | 15939/12 |
| First flight: | 1949-09-28 (2 years 7 months) |
| Total airframe hrs: | 6944 |
| Engines: | 4 Pratt & Whitney R-4360-B6 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 41 / Occupants: 41 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 50 / Occupants: 50 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | 450 km (281.3 mls) SW of Carolina, MA ( Brazil)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport, RJ (GIG/SBGL), Brazil |
| Port of Spain-Piarco Airport (POS/TTPP), Trinidad and Tobago | |
| Flightnumber: | PA202 |
Flight 202 originated at Buenos Aires, destination New York, with en route stops scheduled at Montevideo, Uruguay; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Port of Spain, Trinidad. The flight departed Buenos Aires 18:52 UTC. After a scheduled stop at Montevideo the flight arrived at Rio de Janeiro at 01:05, April 29. The flight departed Rio de Janeiro at 02:43 for a direct off-airways flight to Port of Spain. At 06:16 the flight reported abeam of Barreiras, flying at 14,500 feet under VFR conditions and estimating abeam of Carolina, Brazil, at 07:45 UTC. This was the last known message from the flight. The aircraft was later found to have crashed in dense jungle.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The separation of the no.2 engine and propeller from the aircraft due to highly unbalanced forces, followed by uncontrollability and disintegration of the aircraft for reasons undetermined."
Classification:
Engine separationLoss of control
Sources:
» CAB File No. 1-0080» ICAO Circular 38-AN/33 (64-72)
Photos
accident date: 29-04-1952
type: Boeing 377 Stratocruiser 10-26
registration: N1039V
accident date: 29-04-1952
type: Boeing 377 Stratocruiser 10-26
registration: N1039V
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport, RJ to Port of Spain-Piarco Airport as the crow flies is 4190 km (2619 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
Distance from Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport, RJ to Port of Spain-Piarco Airport as the crow flies is 4190 km (2619 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
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.
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Boeing 377
Brazil- 2nd worst accident (at the time)
- 9th worst accident (currently)
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