Accident description
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| Status: | |
| Date: | 22 JUL 1973 |
| Time: | 22:06 |
| Type: | Boeing 707-321B |
| Operator: | Pan American World Airways |
| Registration: | N417PA |
| C/n / msn: | 18959/470 |
| First flight: | 1966 |
| Engines: | 4 Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3B |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 68 / Occupants: 69 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 78 / Occupants: 79 |
| Airplane damage: | Destroyed |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 3 km (1.9 mls) NE off Papeete-Faaa Airport (PPT), Tahiti (French Polynesia)
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| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Papeete-Faaa Airport (PPT/NTAA), French Polynesia |
| Honolulu International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 816 |
PanAm flight PA816 was a regular flight from Auckland (AKL) to Los Angeles (LAX) with intermediate stops at Papeete, Tahiti (PPT) and San Francisco (SFO)
Boeing 707 "Clipper Winged Racer" took off from runway 04 at Papeete-Faaa Airport for it's second leg of the flight. The airplane climbed to a hight of 300 feet and initiated a left turn. It began to descen with an excessive bank turn and struck the sea. The wreckage sank into the 700m deep waters off Papeete. Both CVR and FDR were not recovered.
PROBABLE CAUSE: Unknown. It is considered possible that an instrument failure may have diverted the crew's attention during the turn. Since it was dark outside and the turn was made towards the sea. no visual references were available. Sources:
» Aviation Disasters / D.Gero (118)
» Flight International 28.05.1977 (1472)
Official accident investigation report
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Statistics
44th loss of a Boeing 707
11th worst accident involving a Boeing 707 (at the time)
19th worst accident involving a Boeing 707 (currently)
The worst accident in French Polynesia (at the time)
The worst accident in French Polynesia (currently) » figures explained
11th worst accident involving a Boeing 707 (at the time)
19th worst accident involving a Boeing 707 (currently)
The worst accident in French Polynesia (at the time)
The worst accident in French Polynesia (currently) » figures explained
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 Papeete-Faaa Airport (PPT/NTAA) to Honolulu International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL) as the crow flies is 4400 km (2750 miles).
Distance from Papeete-Faaa Airport (PPT/NTAA) to Honolulu International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL) as the crow flies is 4400 km (2750 miles).
