Miami – Camagüey – Kingston – Maracaibo

Flight 507 departed Miami, Florida, at 0700, September 2, 1951, and made a routine scheduled stop at Camagüey, Cuba. No irregularities were reported by the flight crew upon arrival at Camagüey, and the flight departed there on schedule at 0900, cleared under visual flight rules direct to Kingston, Jamaica, with Montego Bay, Jamaica, as an alternate. The gross weight of the aircraft and distribution of the disposable load were within allowable limits upon departure from Camagüey. The flight was uneventful between Camagüey and Kingston, and routine radio contacts were made en route At 1003 Flight 507 reported its position to Palisadoes Airport Tower, Kingston, as 20 miles north and a little later was cleared into the traffic pattern for Runway 14. The flight acknowledged this clearance and shortly thereafter reported that the field was in sight Palisadoes Tower then advised Flight 507 of the presence of a local squall between Kingston and the approach end of Runway 14, with heavy rain at the airport, and suggested a low approach. When the aircraft first came into view of the air traffic controller, it was just emerging from the heavy part of the squall, which was then over the approach end of Run-way 14 and moving northwesterly. At this time the flight requested and received permission to circle the airport to the right Witnesses located near the approach end of Runway 14 observed the aircraft flying in a southeasterly direction, paralleling the runway. At approximately the runway intersection, 2 the aircraft turned right and continued around the airport to a point northwest of the approach end of Runway 14 and over Kingston Harbor, here it was observed to descend into the water about 800 feet short of the runway. No one was seriously injured. A motor launch from a nearby salvage vessel arrived alongside the wrecked aircraft in a matter of minutes and took the survivors ashore. The wreckage floated for a short time, then sank, leaving only a part of the tail group and one wing visible above the surface of the water.

Flight / Schedule

Miami – Camagüey – Kingston – Maracaibo

Aircraft

Convair CV-240

Registration

N90662

MSN

49

Year of Manufacture

1948

Date

September 2, 1951 at 10:10 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Crash Location

Kingston Kingston City District

Region

Central America • Jamaica

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On September 2, 1951 at 10:10 AM, Miami – Camagüey – Kingston – Maracaibo experienced a crash involving Convair CV-240, operated by Pan American World Airways - PAA, with the event recorded near Kingston Kingston City District.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

34 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 34 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 30, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Flight 507 departed Miami, Florida, at 0700, September 2, 1951, and made a routine scheduled stop at Camagüey, Cuba. No irregularities were reported by the flight crew upon arrival at Camagüey, and the flight departed there on schedule at 0900, cleared under visual flight rules direct to Kingston, Jamaica, with Montego Bay, Jamaica, as an alternate. The gross weight of the aircraft and distribution of the disposable load were within allowable limits upon departure from Camagüey. The flight was uneventful between Camagüey and Kingston, and routine radio contacts were made en route At 1003 Flight 507 reported its position to Palisadoes Airport Tower, Kingston, as 20 miles north and a little later was cleared into the traffic pattern for Runway 14. The flight acknowledged this clearance and shortly thereafter reported that the field was in sight Palisadoes Tower then advised Flight 507 of the presence of a local squall between Kingston and the approach end of Runway 14, with heavy rain at the airport, and suggested a low approach. When the aircraft first came into view of the air traffic controller, it was just emerging from the heavy part of the squall, which was then over the approach end of Run-way 14 and moving northwesterly. At this time the flight requested and received permission to circle the airport to the right Witnesses located near the approach end of Runway 14 observed the aircraft flying in a southeasterly direction, paralleling the runway. At approximately the runway intersection, 2 the aircraft turned right and continued around the airport to a point northwest of the approach end of Runway 14 and over Kingston Harbor, here it was observed to descend into the water about 800 feet short of the runway. No one was seriously injured. A motor launch from a nearby salvage vessel arrived alongside the wrecked aircraft in a matter of minutes and took the survivors ashore. The wreckage floated for a short time, then sank, leaving only a part of the tail group and one wing visible above the surface of the water.

Aircraft reference details include registration N90662, MSN 49, year of manufacture 1948.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

Flight 507 departed Miami, Florida, at 0700, September 2, 1951, and made a routine scheduled stop at Camagüey, Cuba. No irregularities were reported by the flight crew upon arrival at Camagüey, and the flight departed there on schedule at 0900, cleared under visual flight rules direct to Kingston, Jamaica, with Montego Bay, Jamaica, as an alternate. The gross weight of the aircraft and distribution of the disposable load were within allowable limits upon departure from Camagüey. The flight was uneventful between Camagüey and Kingston, and routine radio contacts were made en route At 1003 Flight 507 reported its position to Palisadoes Airport Tower, Kingston, as 20 miles north and a little later was cleared into the traffic pattern for Runway 14. The flight acknowledged this clearance and shortly thereafter reported that the field was in sight Palisadoes Tower then advised Flight 507 of the presence of a local squall between Kingston and the approach end of Runway 14, with heavy rain at the airport, and suggested a low approach. When the aircraft first came into view of the air traffic controller, it was just emerging from the heavy part of the squall, which was then over the approach end of Run-way 14 and moving northwesterly. At this time the flight requested and received permission to circle the airport to the right Witnesses located near the approach end of Runway 14 observed the aircraft flying in a southeasterly direction, paralleling the runway. At approximately the runway intersection, 2 the aircraft turned right and continued around the airport to a point northwest of the approach end of Runway 14 and over Kingston Harbor, here it was observed to descend into the water about 800 feet short of the runway. No one was seriously injured. A motor launch from a nearby salvage vessel arrived alongside the wrecked aircraft in a matter of minutes and took the survivors ashore. The wreckage floated for a short time, then sank, leaving only a part of the tail group and one wing visible above the surface of the water.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

4

Passengers On Board

30

Estimated Survivors

34

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 34

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Miami – Camagüey – Kingston – Maracaibo

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Region / Country

Central America • Jamaica

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Convair CV-240

Registration

N90662

MSN

49

Year of Manufacture

1948

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