Portal:Civil Aeronautics Board

“ Forces created by the speed of the plane on its contact with the water in the excessive nose-down attitude caused failure of the hull bottom and its structure, resulting in rapid submersion of the aircraft. ”

“ Goyette, a final approach was started with a rate of descent of 600 feet per minute and an airspeed of 105 knots [2] . At an altitude of 800 feet the rate of decent was reduced to about 300 feet per minute with the airspeed remaining between 100 and 105 knots. When approximately 700 feet above the surface the left landing light was turned on and the service launch was advised that the flight was on final approach. ”

“ The carrier, aircraft and pilots were properly certificated. Captain Cramer, having very limited flight time in the aircraft, was at the controls with Captain Goyette acting in a supervisory capacity. Conditions of weather and water surface within the vicinity of Port of Spain were satisfactory for a safe approach and landing. The plane first contacted the water at more than normal landing speed and in a nose-low attitude. The crash occurred at a point 11⁄4 miles short of the intended landing area. ”

“ His employment with Pan American dated from April 1, 1942, and he had served as co-pilot and then as captain in the company's Eastern Division. The subject trip was the first flight made by Cramer over this route. Cramer had been checked out by the company in the Martin M-130 type aircraft three days before the departure of Flight 161, and this flying time, with the addition of his time for a portion of the flight from Miami to Port of Spain, constituted his total flying experience in an M-130. ”

“ Third Officer S. K. George III, seated and facing aft in compartment 3, said that there was no shock or jar prior to contacting the water, and the sound of contact was deeper than usual and was followed by a violent lurch. ”

“ The high values of impact speed (170-200 m.p.h.) are not readily explainable and should be tempered in view of other known facts. Further it appears that the impact took place while the aircraft was descending at a very shallow flight path angle with the nose slightly depressed from the normal horizontal trim attitude. ”