Narrative:
The Sikorsky S-43B flying boat was operating on an international service from Miami, FL to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with en route stops at Antilla, Port-au-Prince, San Pedro de Macorís, San Juan, Port of Spain, Georgetown, Paramaribo, Cayenne, Bélem, São Luís, Fortaleza, Natal, João Pessoa, Recife, Maceió, Aracaju, Salvador, Caravelas and Vitória.
The flight was circling Rio de Janeiro for a normal approach when the left engine lost power. The airplane yawed to the left and started a descending turn. The turn became sharper and the airplane descended at a steeper angle until it struck a caisson at Ilha das Cobras, in Guanabara Bay and crashed.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Loss of power from the left engine during landing approach necessitating an attempted landing under extremely hazardous conditions."
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Sunday 13 August 1939 |
| Time: | 16:35 |
| Type: | Sikorsky S-43B |
| Operator: | Pan American Airways (Pan Am) |
| Registration: | NC16933 |
| MSN: | 4324 |
| First flight: | 1936 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3650 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1690-S1EG Hornet |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 12 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 14 / Occupants: 16 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | ca 1 km N off Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, RJ (SDU) ( Brazil)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Vitória-Goiabeiras Airport, ES (VIX/SBVT), Brazil |
| Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, RJ (SDU/SBRJ), Brazil |
The Sikorsky S-43B flying boat was operating on an international service from Miami, FL to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with en route stops at Antilla, Port-au-Prince, San Pedro de Macorís, San Juan, Port of Spain, Georgetown, Paramaribo, Cayenne, Bélem, São Luís, Fortaleza, Natal, João Pessoa, Recife, Maceió, Aracaju, Salvador, Caravelas and Vitória.
The flight was circling Rio de Janeiro for a normal approach when the left engine lost power. The airplane yawed to the left and started a descending turn. The turn became sharper and the airplane descended at a steeper angle until it struck a caisson at Ilha das Cobras, in Guanabara Bay and crashed.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Loss of power from the left engine during landing approach necessitating an attempted landing under extremely hazardous conditions."
Classification:
Ditching
Photos
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 Vitória-Goiabeiras Airport, ES to Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, RJ as the crow flies is 417 km (261 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
Distance from Vitória-Goiabeiras Airport, ES to Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, RJ as the crow flies is 417 km (261 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
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.
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Sikorsky S.43
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- 78th worst accident (currently)
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