Pan Am Flight 121
|
Lockheed L-049 Constellation in Trans World Airlines livery, similar to the crash aircraft. | |
| Accident summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | June 19, 1947 |
| Summary | Engine fire |
| Site | Mayadine, Syria |
| Passengers | 26 |
| Crew | 10 |
| Fatalities | 14 |
| Survivors | 22 |
| Aircraft type | Lockheed L-049 Constellation |
| Aircraft name | Clipper Eclipse |
| Operator | Pan American World Airways |
| Registration | NC88845 |
| Flight origin | Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, Pakistan |
| Destination | Istanbul, Turkey |
Pan Am Flight 121 was a Lockheed L-049 Constellation operating from Karachi to Istanbul. It suffered an engine failure, leading to the remaining engines overheating and failing to maintain altitude, resulting in a crash in the Syrian desert.
Flight history
The flight departed as normal during its inaugural westbound round-the-world voyage, starting from New York.[1] On the leg from Karachi to Istanbul, the plane suffered an engine failure. Instead of landing at the nearby RAF Habbaniya in Iraq, the pilot decided to press on to Istanbul.[2] The remaining engines could not take the load and overheated, resulting in an engine number 2 fire, with the engine later separating from the plane. The aircraft crashed in the Syrian desert.
Search and recovery
The survivors split into two groups and went to search for help. One of these later found a village with a radio, and initiated the search and rescue operation.
Notable persons
Gene Roddenberry was third officer on the flight and helped rescue passengers from the crashed wreckage.[3][4]
See also
Notes
- ↑ "Planecrashinfo.com accident details".
- ↑ "ASN aircraft accident".
- ↑ "Clipper Eclipse".
- ↑ Alexander, David (1995). Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry. New York: Roc. pp. 91––95. ISBN 0-451-45440-5.
References
- Alexander, David (1995). Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry. New York: Roc. ISBN 0-451-45440-5.
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