Home / Disasters and Accidents / Lost Pan Am Plane Found After 74 Years
Lost Pan Am Plane Found After 74 Years
21 Jul
Summary
- Wreckage of Pan Am's Clipper Endeavor found 75 years later.
- The plane crashed off Puerto Rico's coast in April 1952.
- Discovery made nearly 2,000 feet down on the ocean floor.
Nearly 75 years after its disappearance, the wreckage of the Pan Am flight Clipper Endeavor has been found on the ocean floor. The passenger aircraft crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on April 11, 1952, just minutes after taking off from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Douglas DC-4, bound for New York, suffered engine failure shortly after departure. The plane carried 64 passengers and five crew members, with 17 survivors. The wreckage was located using high-resolution sonar at a depth of nearly 2,000 feet and is described as largely intact.
The crash led to significant aviation safety changes, including the introduction of pre-flight safety briefings. Despite initial survival of all aboard the impact, chaos and flooding resulted in a swift sinking. Efforts are underway to protect the wreck site and establish a memorial.
