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52 fatalities

Pan American World Airways Flight 526A Water Landing (N88899)

San Juan, Puerto RicoTakeoff (climb)

On April 11, 1952, a Douglas DC-4 (registration N88899) operated by Pan American World Airways - PAA was involved in an aviation accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico during takeoff. 52 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The Board determined the probable cause was (a) the company’s inadequate maintenance in not changing the No. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

Pan American Flight 526A made an emergency water landing on April 11, 1952, after engine failure following takeoff from San Juan. The aircraft sank three minutes after landing, and all on board were evacuated.

Flight Details and Takeoff On April 11, 1952, Pan American World Airways Flight 526A departed San Juan at 1211 for New York, New York. The crew included Captain J. C. Burn, First Officer W. T. Hutchins, Second Officer J. R. Laubach, Purser A. Perez, and Steward R. Torres. Company records indicated the aircraft weighed 31,868 kilograms (70,256 pounds) at takeoff, within the allowable gross takeoff weight of 33,113 kilograms (73,000 pounds), with the load properly distributed within approved center of gravity limits. The captain filed an approved IFR flight plan to New York International Airport, planning to cruise at 8,000 feet with an estimated flight time of eight hours and three minutes. During the takeoff and initial climb, the aircraft appeared sluggish but not to a degree that caused concern. At approximately 250 feet with the landing gear retracted, the flaps were raised and power was reduced to climb power.

Probable cause

The Board determined the probable cause was (a) the company’s inadequate maintenance in not changing the No. 3 engine, which failed immediately after takeoff, and (b) the captain’s persistent attempt to re-establish a climb without using all available power after the loss of power to another engine. This resulted in a nose-high attitude, progressive loss of airspeed, and the aircraft settling at too low an altitude to recover.

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Same operator

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