Narrative:
A Boeing 707-321B passenger plane, N446PA, named "Clipper Climax", was destroyed when it crashed into the side of a mountain near Denpasar, Indonesia.
Flight PA-812 was a scheduled international flight from Hong Kong (HKG) to Sydney (SYD), Australia with an intermediate stop at Denpasar (DPS), Bali.
The crew prepared for an approach to runway 09 at Denpasar. The airplane descended to an altitude of 2500 feet when it flew into the side of a mountain.
It appeared that the crew had initiated the let-down procedure after one of the ADF needles swung. The other needle remained steady, but the crew assumed that they were over the beacon when the aircraft was still about 30 NM North of the beacon.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The premature execution of a right-hand turn to join the 263 degrees outbound track which was based on the indication given by only one of the ADFs while the other one was still in steady condition"
Navigational error
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
accident date: 22-04-1974
type: Boeing 707-321B
registration: N446PA
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Monday 22 April 1974 |
| Time: | 22:26 |
| Type: |  Boeing 707-321B |
| Operator: | Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) |
| Registration: | N446PA |
| MSN: | 19268/544 |
| First flight: | 1966 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 28000 |
| Cycles: | 9150 |
| Engines: | 4 Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3B |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 96 / Occupants: 96 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 107 / Occupants: 107 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 68 km (42.5 mls) NW of Denpasar ( Indonesia)
|
| Crash site elevation: | 762 m (2500 feet) amsl |
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Hong Kong-Kai Tak International Airport (HKG/VHHH), Hong Kong |
| Denpasar-Ngurah Rai Bali International Airport (DPS/WADD), Indonesia | |
| Flightnumber: | PA812 |
A Boeing 707-321B passenger plane, N446PA, named "Clipper Climax", was destroyed when it crashed into the side of a mountain near Denpasar, Indonesia.
Flight PA-812 was a scheduled international flight from Hong Kong (HKG) to Sydney (SYD), Australia with an intermediate stop at Denpasar (DPS), Bali.
The crew prepared for an approach to runway 09 at Denpasar. The airplane descended to an altitude of 2500 feet when it flew into the side of a mountain.
It appeared that the crew had initiated the let-down procedure after one of the ADF needles swung. The other needle remained steady, but the crew assumed that they were over the beacon when the aircraft was still about 30 NM North of the beacon.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The premature execution of a right-hand turn to join the 263 degrees outbound track which was based on the indication given by only one of the ADFs while the other one was still in steady condition"
Classification:
Non-adherence to procedures Navigational error
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
» ICAO Circular 132-AN/93 (126-133)Photos
accident date: 22-04-1974
type: Boeing 707-321B
registration: N446PA
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 Hong Kong-Kai Tak International Airport to Denpasar-Ngurah Rai Bali International Airport as the crow flies is 3437 km (2148 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
Distance from Hong Kong-Kai Tak International Airport to Denpasar-Ngurah Rai Bali International Airport as the crow flies is 3437 km (2148 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of 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.
languages: 
Indonesia
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Boeing 707
- 858 built
- 50th loss
- 36th fatal accident
- 8th worst accident (at the time)
- 12th worst accident (currently)
Indonesia- The worst accident (at the time)
- 7th worst accident (currently)
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