Page:Bureau of Air Commerce Aircraft Accident Report, Pan American Airways Sikorsky S-42B Samoan Clipper.pdf/1

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                            April 1, 1938

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BUREAU OF AIR COMMERCE Washington

REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATING BOARD

Statement of probable cause concerning an accident which occurred to an aircraft of Pan American Airways Company near Pago Pago, Tutuila, Samoa, on January 11, 1938

To the Secretary of Commerce:

On January 11, 1938, at approximately 7:40 p.m. Greenwich Civil Time (8:40 a.m. Pago Pago local civil time) in the vicinity of Latitude 14°08'20 S and Longitude 170°51'00 W, which is approximately 12.5 nautical miles NW of Pago Pago, Tutuila, American Samoa, and 10.5 nautical miles from Fagasa Bay, an airplane of United States registry, while being flown in scheduled foreign operation, carrying mail and express, met with an accident resulting in death to all on board and the complete destruction of the aircraft. No authority had been requested or granted for the carrying of passengers on this route; hence, none were aboard. The crew consisted of the Captain, First Officer, Junior Flight Officer, Navigating Officer, Radio Officer, Flight Engineer, and Assistant Flight Engineer

The Captain, Edwin C. Musick, held a Federal Transport Pilot's license, Class 3-B Land and Sea. His last physical examination, as required by the Department of Commerce and taken on December 9, 1937, showed him to be in good physical condition for flying, with a proceding physical examination, taken November 1, 1937, in conformity with Company regulations for all flight personnel, which also showed him to be in satisfactory condition. Captain Musick's record indicated that he had a total of 13,200 hours flying experience, 2,320 hours of which had been in trans-Pacific operations. His total flying experience with the Sikorsky S-42-B type seaplane in trans-oceanic operations