ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 334066
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| Date: | Tuesday 3 February 1959 |
| Time: | 22:05 |
| Type: |  Boeing 707-121 |
| Owner/operator: | Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) |
| Registration: | N712PA |
| MSN: | 17591/6 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1958 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 705 hours |
| Engine model: | Pratt & Whitney JT3C-6 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 129 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial, repaired |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | over Atlantic Ocean -
 Atlantic Ocean
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | London-Heathrow Airport (LHR/EGLL) |
| Gander Airport, NL (YQX/CYQX) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Pan American Flight 115 was a scheduled flight between Paris, France, and New York, USA with intermediate stops planned at London, England, and Gander, Canada.
The aircraft was flying at an altitude of 35,000 feet in smooth air with the autopilot engaged when the captain left the cockpit and entered the main cabin. During his absence the autopilot disengaged and the aircraft smoothly and slowly entered a steep descending spiral. The copilot was not properly monitoring the aircraft's instruments or the progress of the flight and was unaware of the actions of the aircraft until considerable speed had been gained and altitude lost. During the rapid descent the copilot was unable to effect recovery. When the captain became aware of the unusual attitude of the aircraft he returned to the cockpit and with the aid of the other crew members was finally able to regain control of the aircraft. Recovery was made at an altitude of approximately 6,000 feet.
Following recovery the aircraft was flown to Gander, Newfoundland, where a safe landing was made.
Probable Cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the inattention of the copilot to the progress of the flight, during the absence of the captain from the cockpit, following the involuntary disengagement of the autopilot. Contributing
factors were the autopilot disengage warning light in the dim position and the Mach trim switch in the "off"-position.
Accident investigation:
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Sources:
Revision history:
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