Pan Am Flight 943

Infobox Airliner accident|name=Pan Am Flight 006
Date=October 16, 1956
Type=Engine failure, ditching at sea
Site=Pacific Ocean
Fatalities=0
Injuries=
Aircraft Type=Boeing 377 Stratocruiser
Operator=Pan American World Airways
Tail Number=N90943
Ship name="Clipper Sovereign Of The Skies"
Passengers=24
Crew=7
Survivors =31 (all)

Pan Am Flight 006, registration N90943, "Clipper Sovereign Of The Skies", was an around the world flight originating in Philadelphia that flew eastbound with several stops before arriving in San Francisco. On the evening of October 15, 1956 it departed Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii on its final leg to San Francisco at 8:26pm HST. After passing the half way point after 1:00am the number 1 engine began overspeeding and could no longer be controlled. The crew decided to cut fuel to the engine. The crew was unable to feather the prop. After the engine shut down the prop began to windmill in the airstream causing excessive drag. The crew calculated with the additional drag they no longer had sufficient fuel to reach San Francisco or return to Honolulu. At this time the United States Coast Guard maintained a weather station ship between Hawaii and the California coast. The crew contacted the ship and advised them they were making preparations to ditch the aircraft at sea. The plane was flown to the ship's location and orbited overhead until daylight. At 6:15am the plane was ditched at sea in sight of the ship at 30°2'N 140°9'W. All 31 onboard survived the ditching and were rescued by the Coast Guard before the last pieces of wreckage sank at 6:32am.

References

* [http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19561016-0 Aviation Safety Network] Description of the accident

List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft

Infobox Airliner accident|name=Pan Am Flight 6
Date=October 16, 1956
Type=Ditching
Site= Pacific Ocean Northeast of Hawaii
Fatalities=0
Injuries=a few minor
Aircraft Type=Boeing Stratocruiser
Operator=Pan American World Airways
Tail Number=
Ship name=
Passengers=24
Crew=7
Survivors=31

Pan Am Flight 6 was passenger air flight bound for San Francisco from Honolulu, Hawaii on October 15, 1956 that suffered an engine failure en-route. The aircraft was then ditched in the Pacific Ocean at 6:15 a.m. Oct. 16, 1956. All the passengers and crew survived.

Pan Am Flight 6 ditching in the Pacific Ocean from the deck of US Coast Guard Cutter Pontchartrain.

Flight details

The pilot was Captain Richard W. Ogg. Passengers and crew were rescued by the Coast Guard weather-watch cutter, Pontchartrain. The tail broke off upon touchdown. The plane sank eleven minutes after touching down.

External links

Time Magazine Article http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,867172,00.html

Book

Oct. 29, 1956, issue of Life Magazine. The article by Herbert Brean, "Ordeal On Flight 943: The Last Five Hours," Life: Oct. 29, 1956, p. 23. "Crippled Airliner With 50 Aboard Lands Safely"