Investigation Summary
The aircraft was completing a multi-stop international journey from Miami to Rio de Janeiro, having made 19 scheduled stops across the Caribbean and South America. The full route included stops at Antilla, Port-au-Prince, San Pedro de Macorís, San Juan, Port of Spain, Georgetown, Paramaribo, Cayenne, Bélem, São Luís, Fortaleza, Natal, João Pessoa, Recife, Maceió, Aracaju, Salvador, Caravelas, and Vitória. While Miami was the original point of departure for the entire flight sequence, the final leg of the journey originated from Vitória-Goiabeiras Airport. As the crew prepared for arrival at Santos Dumont Airport, the left Pratt & Whitney Hornet engine failed. The resulting asymmetrical thrust caused the aircraft to yaw and roll into a descending turn. The investigation by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) determined that the loss of power forced the crew into an attempted landing under extremely hazardous conditions. The aircraft struck a caisson, a large watertight chamber used for underwater construction, located approximately one kilometer from the airport.
Final Conclusions
The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) concluded that the probable cause was the loss of power from the left engine during the landing approach, which necessitated an attempted landing under extremely hazardous conditions. The aircraft was written off as a total loss.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Pratt & Whitney R-1690-S1EG Hornet Engine
The aircraft was powered by two radial engines; the failure of the left unit created significant asymmetrical thrust during the low-speed approach phase.
Sikorsky S-43B Airframe
A twin-engine amphibious flying boat known as the Baby Clipper, designed for short-haul routes in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a Sikorsky S-43B flying boat, serial number 4324, manufactured in 1936.
- 02The flight involved 19 intermediate stops between Miami and Rio de Janeiro.
- 03There were only two survivors among the 16 occupants.
- 04The crash occurred approximately one kilometer north of the destination airport.
- 05The aircraft had accumulated 3,650 total airframe hours at the time of the accident.
Safety Actions & Advisories
CAB Investigation and Reporting
Source ↗The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) conducted a full investigation into the engine failure and subsequent loss of control, resulting in a formal report (dot_33012_DS1) detailing the hazards of low-altitude engine failure during circling maneuvers.