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Pan Am wreck found 74 years after crash that transformed aviation safety
The discovery of Clipper Endeavor off Puerto Rico has renewed attention on the 1952 disaster that helped shape today’s pre-flight safety procedures.
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The wreck of the Pan American Airways aircraft was found 610 metres below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, more than 74 years after it crashed off the coast of Puerto Rico. The aircraft was located on 2 June using an autonomous sonar drone that detected the aircraft's fuselage and tail, according to the BBC.
The wreck was found in two sections, both of which were largely intact. Images taken at the site show that both the Pan Am logo and the aircraft's name remain clearly visible.
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Clipper Endeavor was a Douglas DC-4, a four-engined propeller aircraft comparable in size to today's Boeing 737. Its loss became a catalyst for important changes in commercial aviation safety.
Today, passengers on commercial flights routinely receive a pre-flight safety briefing explaining the location of emergency exits and how to use life jackets before take-off. The accident involving Clipper Endeavor on 11 April 1952 helped bring about those changes.
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The crash occurred after several engines failed soon after departure from San Juan for New York. Although all those on board initially survived, the force of the impact tore away the aircraft's tail section, causing the situation to deteriorate rapidly. Many were unable to find the life-saving equipment before the aircraft sank.
No pre-flight safety briefing had been given, and language barriers complicated the evacuation. Less than three minutes later, the aircraft had sunk. The US Coast Guard and the US Air Force were involved in the rescue operation but only 17 of the 69 passengers and crew survived. It is one of the deadliest aviation accidents in Puerto Rico's history.
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The depth of the Atlantic kept the wreck beyond reach for more than seven decades. The search was led by the Air/Sea Heritage Foundation in collaboration with Discovery Channel's Expedition Unknown and several other organisations.
A special episode of Expedition Unknown featuring the discovery of the Clipper Endeavor will air later this year.
