George Pierce Baker

“ Captain Lorber testified that he retarded all four throttles immediately upon the aircraft's first contacting the water and that he did not subsequently apply any power except that which he applied to the two right—hand engines in an effort to arrest the swerve. The Chief Pilot of the Eastern Division of Pan American, Captain Fatt, testified that the correct manner of handling the throttles during the landing of the subject type of aircraft consists in making the final approach with about 16 or 18 inches of manifold pressure with the engines running at about 2230 r.p.m. ”

“ The company procedure as to project the beam of the landing launch's searchlight in an upwind direction parallel to the row of landing lights so as to enable the landing aircraft to land between the beam from its searchlight and the string of landing lights. However, this was not done an this instance because the beam of the searchlight would have been directed toward the incoming aircraft since it was being brought in downwind and might well have blinded the pilot. ”

“ In using this system of lights as a landing reference, the aircraft usually lands from the green light toward the red light and to the right side of the entire line so that the captain, who is seated on the left side of the aircraft, will have the lights continually within ready visual reference. Before the lights had been arranged, the crew on the launch had ascertained that there were no floating obstacles in the landing area. ”

“ An accident involving aircraft NC 15376, a Sikorsky S-42B, occurred during a landing in the harbor at San Juan, Puerto Rico, on October 3, 1941, about 5:48 p.m. (EST) , while the aircraft was operating in scheduled air carrier service between Miami, Flordia, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, as Trip 203 of Pan American Airways, Inc. [1] The accident resulted in the destruction of the aircraft, fatal injuries to two passengers, serious injuries to two members of the crew, and minor injuries to four members of the crew and seven passengers. The remaining passengers were not injured. ”

“ Captain Lorber had from time to time been given flight checks on various aircraft, including S-42's. His last flight check on an S-42 followed his transfer from the Atlantic Division to the Eastern Division. This is in keeping with the policy of Pan American. All pilots are checked when transferred from one division to another. Captain Fatt, chief pilot in the Eastern Division, stated that in checking Captain Lorber on S-42's "he had a tendency to land with his nose down". ”

“ Moreover, all three of the flight officers testified that the aircraft, engines and controls functioned normally during the remainder of the flight to San Juan, including the landing and take-off at San Pedro de Macoris.
The fact that the aircraft's radiotelephone was inoperative is not material for at most it is used only as an additional radio facility to the flight while operating in close proximity to a station. The conventional (telegraphic) radio set was still available to Captain Lorber had he desired to obtain landing instructions prior to landing. ”

“ San Pedro de Macoris, the last port of departure, is not equipped for landing at night and according to company procedure, flights are not dispatched from that port later than a time which will allow return and landing at that port during daylight, if mechanical trouble or unfavorable weather is encountered before reaching a point half way to San Juan. ”

“ Captain Lorber and other crew members made every effort to direct the rescue of all passengers. The crew on the Pan American landing launch and other persons in the vicinity immediately rendered aid and all the occupants of the aircraft except the two small children referred to above were taken ashore. ”

“ Particularly noteworthy was the work of one Harold Roebuck, a native Puerto Rican who repeatedly dived and swam through the partially submerged cabin freeing passengers and removing them from the wreckage, This action was attended by considerable hazard and physical discomfort as the surface of the water was covered with gasoline from the wreckage. ”

“ The left wing was broken completely away from the hull. It was damaged in a manner suggesting that the direction of the water loads had been against the leading edge which was crushed backwards for a distance of about 70 percent of the span. The right wing also was torn from the hull but was damaged much less than the left wing. There appeared to have been much less water load on its leading edge. The right wing tip pontoon remained attached to the wing and was not damaged severely. ”

“ On the flight under discussion the crew consisted of Captain Charles A Lorber, First Officer Harvey E Breaux, Flight Mechanic J. E. Donnelley, Radio Operator W. P. Mahoney, and Flight Stewards Joe Catala and A. E. Calligari.
Captain Lorber, aged 45, had accumulated a total of approximately 11,384 hours of flying time and held airline transport pilot certificate No. 4554 with 4-M Land and 5 Land and Water ratings. Since his employment by Pan American in 1928 he had accumulated a total of approximately 1500 hours on Sikorsky S-42 airplanes and had had about 690 hours of night flying. ”

“ If, on he other hand the flying boat is landed in a nose—down attitude, the decelerating force acts forward of the center of gravity tending toward directional instability unless controlling forces are promptly applied. ”

“ Pogue, Chairman, and Ryan, Member, did not participate in the adoption of this report.
↑ Hereinafter referred to as "Pan American" ↑ Hereinafter referred to as the "Board" ↑ The "standard weight" of an aircraft is the maximum allowable gross load for landing. ↑ Prior to landing the sign requesting passengers to fasten their seat belts had been turned on and the first steward ascertained that the passengers had complied. ”