Narrative:
Boeing 377 Stratocruiser "Clipper Romance of the Skies" carried out a round-the-world flight originating in San Francisco, first stop being Honolulu. The aircraft departed San Francisco at 19:51 GMT for a 10-hour flight. Latest position report over the Pacific was at 01:04. Some days later, on 14 November, the US Navy carrier "Philippine Sea" located bodies and parts of wreckage some 940 miles east of Honolulu and 90 miles North of the intended track.
The remains of 19 victims were recovered.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board has insufficient tangible evidence at this time to determine the cause of the accident. Further research and investigation is in process concerning the significance of evidence of carbon monoxide in body tissue of the aircraft occupants."
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Friday 8 November 1957 |
| Time: | 01:27 |
| Type: |  Boeing 377 Stratocruiser 10-29 |
| Operator: | Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) |
| Registration: | N90944 |
| MSN: | 15960/40 |
| First flight: | 1949-08-30 (8 years 2 months) |
| Engines: | 4 Pratt & Whitney R-4360-B6 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 36 / Occupants: 36 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 44 / Occupants: 44 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 1500 km (937.5 mls) E of Honolulu, HI ( Pacific Ocean)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | San Francisco International Airport, CA (SFO/KSFO), United States of America |
| Honolulu International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | PA7 |
Boeing 377 Stratocruiser "Clipper Romance of the Skies" carried out a round-the-world flight originating in San Francisco, first stop being Honolulu. The aircraft departed San Francisco at 19:51 GMT for a 10-hour flight. Latest position report over the Pacific was at 01:04. Some days later, on 14 November, the US Navy carrier "Philippine Sea" located bodies and parts of wreckage some 940 miles east of Honolulu and 90 miles North of the intended track.
The remains of 19 victims were recovered.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board has insufficient tangible evidence at this time to determine the cause of the accident. Further research and investigation is in process concerning the significance of evidence of carbon monoxide in body tissue of the aircraft occupants."
Sources:
» ICAO Accident Digest, Circular 59-AN/54 (35-41)Photos
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 San Francisco International Airport, CA to Honolulu International Airport, HI as the crow flies is 3831 km (2395 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from San Francisco International Airport, CA to Honolulu International Airport, HI as the crow flies is 3831 km (2395 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
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
Pacific Ocean- 3rd worst accident (at the time)
- 8th worst accident (currently)
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