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ious points along the route. The weather over the route, as far as San Juan, Puerto Rico was good, except for anticipated head winds, and indicated contact flight. San Juan is an overnight stop on Trip 203, the flight being continued the following morning with a different aircraft.
The flight proceeded uneventfully to Antilla, Cuba, where it arrived at 11.12 a. m. (EST) (52 minutes late) and departed at 11.30 a. m. (EST) (50 minutes late) The landing and take-off were without incident.
On arrival at Port au Prince, Hati, where a landing was effected at 1.43 p. m. (EST) (1 hour and 5 minutes behind schedule) a slight swell was running on the surface of the water. As the aircraft decelerated and settled farther into the water the crew felt a shock on the aft end of the hull structure. This shock was not severe, but, in accordance with Pan American's custom, the captain ordered an inspection of the aircraft. This was performed by First Officer Breaux and Flight Engineer Donnelley. It consisted of a visual inspection of the aircraft's empennage and of the inside of the hull and revealed that no damage had been incurred. Following this inspection and the transaction of routine loading and unloading at Port au Prince the flight was resumed at 2.11 p. m. (EST) (1 hour and 11 minutes behind schedule).
Trip 203 proceeded to San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, where a normal landing was effected at 3.52 p. m. (EST) (1 hour and 17 minutes behind schedule). At 4.09 p. m. (EST) (1 hour and 19 minutes behind schedule) the flight departed for San Juan, Puerto Rico. The aircraft carried 21 passengers, a crew of six, 985 pounds of baggage, 614 pounds of mail, 1225 pounds of express, 79 pounds of company mail and cargo, and 775 gallons of fuel. This load, as previously stated, was under the allowable limits and was properly distributed with reference to the center of gravity of the aircraft.
The flight plan for this leg of the flight called for contact flight at a cruising altitude of 9000 feet with an estimated flight time of 1 hour and 40 minutes, indicating time of arrival at San Juan as 5.49 p.m. Official sunset was 5.23 p. m. (EST) at San Juan. The alternate destination was given as the point of departure, San Pedro de Macoris.
Captain Lorber stated that the aircraft was flown at an altitude of about 8000 feet over most of the route and when the flight was about 60 miles cut of San Juan he had descended to an altitude of about 7000 feet. At this point the captain started a descent at a rate of about 400 feet a minute. This procedure would place the aircraft according to the captains estimate, at an altitude of about 1000 feet at the time it arrived at a point 15 minutes out of San Juan Harbor.
The radio log of the flight between San Pedro de Macoris and San Juan, Puerto Rico, reveals a number of contacts, all of which were routine and made by CW (telegraphic code) radio. The last routine contact was made at 5.30 p. m. (EST) and, as recorded, read as follows
"NC 15376 at 5.30 p. m. sighted the San Juan Airport. The estimated time of arrival over the airport is 5.45 p. m. The altitude at 5.30 p. m. is 1000 feet and will be maintained until the aircraft is over the airport Signed—Lorber."
This is the customary "sighted" message and indicates that the destination is in sight. Immediately after this, the captain attempted to make voice contact with the ground station
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