ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 707-321B N761PA San Francisco, CA
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Monday 28 June 1965
Time:14:13
Type:Silhouette image of generic B703 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Boeing 707-321B
Operator:Pan American World Airways (Pan Am)
Registration: N761PA
MSN: 18336/270
First flight: 1962
Total airframe hrs:12789
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 10
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 143
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 153
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Aircraft fate: Repaired
Location:near San Francisco, CA (   United States of America)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:San Francisco International Airport, CA (SFO/KSFO), United States of America
Destination airport:Honolulu International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL), United States of America
Flightnumber:PA843
Narrative:
Pan Am flight 843 experienced an explosive disintegration of the third stage turbine disk of the No. 4 engine. The accident occurred shortly after takeoff from San Francisco, at an altitude of about 800 feet above the ground.
Disintegration of the turbine disk was followed by a fire in the No. 4 engine area and an explosion in the outboard reserve fuel tank. The No. 4 engine and approximately 25 feet of the right outer wing separated from the aircraft.
The fire was extinguished and a successful emergency landing was accomplished at Travis Air Force Base, California, with no injuries to the 143 passengers or 10 crewmembers aboard the flight.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The failure of the third stage turbine disk. This failure was caused by a transient loss of operating clearance between the third stage turbine disk and the third stage inner sealing ring. This loss of clearance resulted from a combination of improper turbine rotor positioning during engine assembly, the use of serviceable worn parts, and an operating clearance which was less than predicted in design analysis."

Accident investigation:

Investigating agency: CAB
Status: Investigation completed
Accident number: final report
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Uncontained engine failure
Forced landing on runway

Sources:
» CAB accident report
» Life 26.7.1965


Photos

photo of Boeing-707-321B-N761PA
accident date: 28-06-1965
type: Boeing 707-321B
registration: N761PA
 

Video, social media

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).

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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