Samoan Clipper

NC16734 Samoan Clipper (foreground), moored at Auckland, New Zealand in 1937.
Accident
Date	January 11, 1938
Summary	In-flight explosion
Site	Pago Pago, American Samoa 14°8′20″S 170°51′0″W / 14.13889°S 170.85000°W / -14.13889; -170.85000
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Sikorsky S-42B
Aircraft name	Samoan Clipper (formerly Pan American Clipper II)
Operator	Pan Am
Registration	NC16734
Flight origin	Honolulu, Hawaii
1st stopover	Kingman Reef
2nd stopover	Pago Pago, American Samoa
Destination	Auckland, New Zealand
Passengers	0
Crew	7
Fatalities	7
Survivors	0

Samoan Clipper was one of ten Pan American Airways Sikorsky S-42 flying boats. It exploded near Pago Pago, American Samoa, on January 11, 1938, while piloted by aviator Edwin Musick. Musick and his crew of six died in the crash. The aircraft was carrying only airmail and express freight; no passengers were aboard.

The aircraft developed an oil leak shortly after taking off from Pago Pago harbor, and the crew decided to return to port. However, the S-42, fully loaded with fuel, was too heavy to land safely in the limited space of the harbor, so the crew elected to dump fuel before landing. While fuel dumping was in progress, there was a fire and explosion which destroyed the aircraft, killing all aboard.^[1] The exact cause of ignition for the fire could not be determined.^[2]

• 1938 flights to and from New Zealand
• Airmail items carried on outward trip
• Samoan Clipper at http://planecrashinfo.com