- 5 -
Radio Operator W. P. Mahoney had been employed by Pan American for one year and eight months and had flown as a radio operator in aircraft for approximately 926 hours. At the time of the accident he held a currently effective radio telegraph license, first class, issued by the Federal Communications Commission.
Mr. Catala and Mr. Calligari, flight stewards, had been employed by Pan American since July 13, 1939, and April 16, 1941, respectively.
Thus, it appears from the evidence that Captain Lorber and First Officer Breaux held the proper certificates of competency for the aircraft involved and were physically qualified. The evidence further indicates that the remaining members of the crew were well qualified to perform their respective duties.
Airplane and Equipment
Aircraft NC 15376, a Sikorsky Model S-42B, was manufactured by the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and was purchased by Pan American in May, 1936. It was powered by four Pratt and Whitney SIEG engines and was equipped with Hamilton Standard constant speed propellers equipped with brakes. At the time of the accident the aircraft had been flown a total of 7,832 hours and 9 minutes. The airplane and its equipment had been given a 100-hour inspection on September 29, 1941, and a pre-flight inspection prior to departure from Miami on October 3, 1941. The evidence shows that the engines and propellers had been maintained properly and that none of the engines had exceeded the major overhaul period of 550 hours authorized in the maintenance competency letter issued by the Civil Aeronautics Administration to Pan American. This model aircraft and its equipment had been approved by the Civil Aeronautics Administration for air carrier operation over routes flown by Pan American for 32 passengers and a crew of 6. It had been certificated for operation with a standard gross weight of 41,000 pounds.[1] The total weight of the aircraft on departure from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, the last stop before the accident, was 39,407 pounds which was 1,593 pounds less than its approved standard weight. The center of gravity limits of the subject aircraft, as prescribed by the Civil Aeronautics Administration, are from 29 percent to 36.1 percent of the mean aerodynamic chord. The aircraft was actually loaded so that its center of gravity was at 33.2 percent of the mean aerodynamic chord.
The condition of the airplane and the maintenance records produced by Pan American indicated that the airplane was in an airworthy condition when it was dispatched from Miami, Florida, on October 3, 1941, for the flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
History of the Flight
Pan American Airways, Inc, Trip 203 of October 3, 1941, originated at Miami, Florida, and was bound for Buenos Aires, Argentina, with numerous intermediate stops including those at Antilla, Cuba; Port au Prince, Haiti; San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The trip was dispatched to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and departed Miami at 7:33 a.m. (EST), about 18 minutes after the scheduled time of departure.
Prior to departure from Miami, the flight crew, with the assistance of other company personnel, prepared a flight plan for the trip. This flight plan was based on weather reports issued by the United States Weather Bureau and Pan American weather observers for var-
- ↑ The "standard weight" of an aircraft is the maximum allowable gross load for landing.
20499—5
