Pan Am B747 San Francisco Accident 1971

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 16 тра 2013
  • Pan Am Boeing 747-121 reg. N747PA. Accident at SFO 30th July 1971.
    The aircraft was badly damaged due to performance miscalculations by the crew.
    Digitised from old VHS from the 1970s. Watch the landing sequence footage later in the film.
    To read the NTSB report click on the following link:
    www.ntsb.gov/investigations/A...
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Am_F...

КОМЕНТАРІ • 742

  • @d.thompson7026
    @d.thompson7026 11 років тому +252

    My grandfather was the pilot.
    #1) They said the runway was 1000 feet longer than it was.
    #2) The engines underperformed by 200-300 feet & Boeing could not tell NTSB why.
    #3) Plane was overloaded for the runway by 11,000 lbs.
    My Grandfather asked SFO about runway length, PanAm and Boeing about weight for runway 1R. They all gave him bad information.
    It shouldn't have been able to take off. It was a feat of amazing flying that he was able to land it as badly damaged as it was. No one died.

    • @tantrispicks2440
      @tantrispicks2440 3 роки тому +9

      Interesting. I used to work with one of the passengers.

    • @noelio67
      @noelio67 2 роки тому +13

      I hope he was exonerated 100%

    • @okk944
      @okk944 2 роки тому +10

      Your grandfather is an angel, he saves people's life

    • @misseselise3864
      @misseselise3864 2 роки тому +8

      No. They were told the runway was 9500ft and the runway is actually 9500ft long. Planes like this one were not allowed to use the first 1000ft because someone believed the jet exhaust was causing wrecks on the highway behind the runway.

    • @TheLukaszpg
      @TheLukaszpg 2 роки тому +11

      I call bullshit - people claim those things all the time 🤣🤣🤣

  • @carolehall7250
    @carolehall7250 Рік тому +17

    I am now 82 years old. Remember that day well and become emotional when watching the video. I was the junior purser on the flight sitting at door 4 left. During the 2 hours we spent dropping fuel I prayed many times and hard. The passengers clapped when we came to a stop on the ground. We were not aware of what was going on outside right away. We were just happy to be down!!

    • @sharonlawler2009
      @sharonlawler2009 Рік тому +8

      Carole, I also was a crew member on this flight. For landing, I sat in a pax seat across from 4L because not enough jump seats for all the FAs. I don’t remember any of the FAs names and was trying to find a list when I saw your comment. If the plane had had more pax or if there had been fire.this would have been so much worse. I think your prayers were answered. I went with UAL IN 1986 and finally retired in 2012. Sharon Lawler

  • @McRocket
    @McRocket 10 років тому +37

    There is just something about a narrator with a British accent that adds calmness and matter-of-factness.

  • @patdunfee8483
    @patdunfee8483 8 років тому +744

    I was a passenger on this flight along with my 16 month old son. Amazing to see even after all these years. Pat D.

    • @432b86ed
      @432b86ed 8 років тому +28

      +Pat Dunfee
      That must have been a traumatic experience, needless to say. Where were you seated in relation to the cabin floor damage? What was the announcement from the cockpit? How were they able to handle those who were injured? It must have felt like an eternity before you were back on the ground. I'd be interested in knowing more about this event in as much detail as you care to share. Best regards

    • @bnr32rbpower
      @bnr32rbpower 8 років тому +6

      +John Smith i did get airborne and returned to the airport after burning fuel for some time.

    • @realmadridfan8210
      @realmadridfan8210 8 років тому +4

      me i was the person front of you

    • @mikerossscuba
      @mikerossscuba 8 років тому +8

      +Pat Dunfee Glad you and your little one made it out OK!

    • @patdunfee8483
      @patdunfee8483 8 років тому +4

      +Kit Carson no

  • @tjfSIM
    @tjfSIM 10 років тому +19

    It is an absolute miracle that this thing got back on the ground without any fatalities. Testament to the sheer strength and multiple redundancies built into the 747 structure.

  • @martinap1961
    @martinap1961 3 роки тому +10

    Imagine.....Living thru a rough take-off then waiting for a “lifetime” to dump the fuel and than...a rough landing...then the plane falling on it’s tail !
    Bless you all who lived thru it !!

  • @pjc783
    @pjc783 5 років тому +127

    The narrator is awesome. If you were sitting next to him on a plane having trouble he'd say calmly "Right...put on your parachute and off you go then"

    • @noworries12
      @noworries12 5 років тому +2

      pjc7 if was sitting next to him,I would have fallen asleep

    • @stinkyfungus
      @stinkyfungus 5 років тому +5

      If I had to fly into an epic air battle...
      This is the dude I'd want to give the mission briefing.
      Ending with a "stout hearts lads, and good hunting"

    • @rooftopvoter3015
      @rooftopvoter3015 5 років тому +3

      Proper British for sure

    • @turnhousefilms5942
      @turnhousefilms5942 4 роки тому

      Rooftop Voter English in fact probably London or surrounds

    • @jamesmcgee5086
      @jamesmcgee5086 2 роки тому

      Then “we shall all meet in Tipperary for all spot of tea when it’s over”.

  • @Robert_N
    @Robert_N 2 роки тому +8

    It's simply amazing that after sustaining all that damage, the "queen of the skies B747" was still able to fly and land safely. Best aircraft ever built.

  • @marcbiff2192
    @marcbiff2192 5 років тому +227

    Good old British detailed no nonsense presenting style.

    • @Sytb01
      @Sytb01 5 років тому +2

      More than 10% dislikes typically means F. For his Britglish i guess

    • @jongaulthero
      @jongaulthero 5 років тому +2

      Absolutely lifeless, monotonous, and incomprehensible presentation and undecipherable acronyms made it utterly painful.

    • @seancrowe3353
      @seancrowe3353 5 років тому +10

      @@jongaulthero COG... centre of gravity. You'll have to look up gravity

    • @sirandrelefaedelinoge
      @sirandrelefaedelinoge 5 років тому +16

      @@Sytb01 Britglish...? You mean proper English.

    • @mrdemoncrusher3927
      @mrdemoncrusher3927 5 років тому +16

      If you can't understand this very simply 'to-the-point' vocab then clearly it's not the accent but the grasp of the English language by the recipient. My 7yr old nephew understood every word. And he isn't British either.

  • @dutchy1176
    @dutchy1176 8 років тому +48

    Second 747 ever built. Very lucky that nobody was killed, and that the plane wasn't written off. Last Pan Am 747 to depart JFK airport in 1992, about 5 months after the airline folded. Plane went on to become a noodle restaurant in Korea where it sat in derelict until it was scrapped in 2010. Very sorry end to a piece of american aviation history although it was not the very first 747 to be put into commercial service. This aircraft should have been restored to it's former glory inside and out, and flown to airshows today as one would do with the historic old war planes.....RIP Pan American World Airways, 1927-1991.

    • @AJ67901
      @AJ67901 7 років тому +5

      I agree completely with your remarks. If it wasn't for Juan Trippe, there wouldn't have been a 747. It should have been a museum piece for two reasons; a. first revenue 747 in service b. a classic symbol of Pan AM at their highest.

  • @anttipeltola8578
    @anttipeltola8578 7 років тому +55

    Every flight on a 747 still feels like a special event to me. 747 gave us affordable intercontinental flights and a level of comfort few planes achieve even today.

    • @kona702
      @kona702 2 роки тому

      When this comment was made even 5 years ago there was still plenty of them flying. Then the pandemic hit. 😔

  • @newalm
    @newalm 10 років тому +287

    "Now pay attention 007 while I explain."

    • @fever_spike
      @fever_spike 5 років тому +10

      Read this comment just as the narrator's voice came on, and had a chuckle...thanks, pal!

    • @bigplameuk
      @bigplameuk 5 років тому +3

      Brilliant.

    • @williambiggs2308
      @williambiggs2308 5 років тому +5

      Oh grow up!

    • @axilleas
      @axilleas 5 років тому +2

      Made my day!!! XD

    • @morgangrey4020
      @morgangrey4020 5 років тому +1

      you made me laugh...good work....but he does sound a little like Q when he explains thing's.

  • @Giac0966
    @Giac0966 11 років тому +7

    for those who are aviation fans this footage is a masterpiece!!! many thanks for having uploaded it.

  • @aaronbays4
    @aaronbays4 5 років тому +107

    747 is built like a tank. I remember reading about this accident and the development of the 747, there was a serious debate within Boeing about the need for 4 hydraulic systems, saying it cost too much. Eventually the engineers got their way, and that overbuilt design of the hydraulic system saved A LOT of lives that day.

    • @mountainmanws
      @mountainmanws 5 років тому +19

      I agree with your statement on the 747. I've flown in many of them in my life: though someone dropped the ball with the 737MAX.

    • @FSEVENMAN
      @FSEVENMAN 5 років тому +5

      @@mountainmanws Your statement couldn't be further from the truth the 737 Max 8 is amazing you're talking about a software issue you fucking idiot

    • @jajamuc
      @jajamuc 5 років тому +22

      FSEVENMAN Does it make any difference if it is hardware or software that makes a plane crash? The sad result is the same. My trust in Boeing is gone.

    • @fairfaxcat1312
      @fairfaxcat1312 5 років тому +13

      Lamentable that one of our fine UA-cam commentators, one “FSEVENMAN,” has gone ahead and called another commentator a name and has used an expletive.

    • @tommynikon2283
      @tommynikon2283 5 років тому +12

      (4) systems....and yet Boeing now, in a rush for corporate profits above all else, puts ONE Angle of Attack sensor on the 737-Max. NO backup. And then a flawed software system to "cheat" on the displaced COG (Center of Gravity)....all because of a defective design. 350+ DEAD, two accidents. Grounded.

  • @CyclerJim
    @CyclerJim 10 років тому +10

    I remember this. I worked for TWA, and was on a TWA flight from NYC to SFO when this happened. Fortunately my flight was able to land after circling for a bit. I had an excellent view of this plane as we went down the runway. The Pan Am was in the red clay between runways at a very strange angle. The news had very good coverage of this because they were aware that there was a problem. I'm surprised that there isn't better quality video from the networks out there.

  • @HailAnts
    @HailAnts 7 років тому +18

    That was the most violent 'bounce' I've ever seen a 747 do! Amazing it held together.

    • @davidaaa6427
      @davidaaa6427 7 років тому +4

      Yes it doesnt look like much yes that is a violent bounce on such a big aircraft.

    • @JasonWardStudios
      @JasonWardStudios 7 років тому +1

      The Flight Sim 2004 Meljet 747 wouldn't have survived that! Boeing makes a great aircraft.

    • @davidaaa6427
      @davidaaa6427 7 років тому +3

      JasonWardStudios
      This summer Im on a Lufthansa fight to Frankfurt. My ticket says 747-400.

    • @petercasey1453
      @petercasey1453 6 років тому

      HailAnts I

    • @38911bytefree
      @38911bytefree 6 років тому +1

      Clearly overengineereed, like the 707 and 727. Flying tanks.

  • @cliffandersson4964
    @cliffandersson4964 7 років тому +16

    I remember this incident well, as the plane flew over my home in Redwood City on the return to SFO. My dad, a former crash investigator, noticed the low altitude and damage to the 747 as it flew over. He and I flew on the same aircraft some 5 years later, LHR/SEA/SFO.

  • @caldyer
    @caldyer 3 роки тому +2

    The Pan Am aircraft Captain was my father who had over 30-years of commercial multi-engine experience, and he was one of the first pilots, ever trained and checked out on the 747 aircraft. My niece previously wrote about some of the issues, but the biggest problem was it is very easy for all parties to blame “pilot error”. Every party, Boeing, Pan Am, the Airport, FAA etc., wanted to be done with the problem (liability) and blame all on someone else, and guess who that was? Nobody protects the pilot(s) except for the union attorney.
    There is a reason people can’t find the complete records of the hearing, because some of the information never was included, like Pan Am loading the plane over its maximum allowable gross weight and not providing the actual real weight to the pilot, for the computations for takeoff! The Jensen Manuals were incorrect, the runway was not a legal runway, 9,500 feet long, for a 747 to take off from. The airport authority was also wrong about the length of the runway! Additionally, manuals did not take into account of the effects of jet thrusts at the end of the runway, where it drops off down to the water below. Boeing also lied to save themselves, “stating that the plane should have been able to take off.” As a past young aspiring lawyer I listened to every tape and transcript available and reviewed every document to help and advised my father whenever I could. The hearing process took almost two years and a lot of my dad’s energy. Pan Am wanted him to quit, retire and take the blame; he only went through the process to save the jobs of his junior pilots so they could continue to fly. The finding of the hearing, “there was no finding of pilot error”, however, as previously stated they did find other areas that needed attention.

  • @exclipperfa4139
    @exclipperfa4139 10 років тому +158

    N747PA remained in Pan Am service for the next 20 years until Dec. 4, 1991 when Pan Am ceased operations. I was a Purser and worked onboard N747PA for many a flight in the years following this accident. The aircraft was eventually renamed 'Clipper Juan T. Trippe' and remained so until Pan Am's last day. My understanding is that due to the amount of damage incurred, N747PA was the heaviest 747-100 in the world once the extensive repairs were finished. I can't verify whether that's a fact, it's just what I had heard. Though if my memory serves me correct, it seems that we were always weight restricted whenever we operated this aircraft as Flt.121 LHR-LAX. Also, while it's true that N747PA was the first 747 ever built, it wasn't the first 747 to actually enter service. The aircraft that operated our 747 Inaugural Flight was N736PA ('Clipper Young America') and was later destroyed in the Tenerife accident in 1977.

    • @dutchy1176
      @dutchy1176 10 років тому +9

      They tested the hell out of this plane at Boeing back in 1969, too. So she should have been used to a few bumps and bruises. Shame that she ended up as a restaurant in korea, where she was eventually scrapped

    • @wilburfinnigan2142
      @wilburfinnigan2142 9 років тому +5

      N747PA was not the "First" "747 ever built" That distinction belongs to the Prototype 747 "City of Everett" and today it sits at the Museum of flight Boeing Field Seattle Wash It may have been the first "PRODUCTION" 747...big difference....The "City of Everett" remained with Boeing as a test aircraft it's full life....

    • @dutchy1176
      @dutchy1176 9 років тому +6

      Wilbur Finnigan You're right, Though I still think that this plane was an icon, and should have been saved.

    • @wilburfinnigan2142
      @wilburfinnigan2142 9 років тому +2

      dutchy1176 True...but how many of these old planes do you want to save...someone has to want them and pay to have them saved and some place to store them...the desert in Arizona is full of these old planes...even the first DC 8 was scrapped.. as only a scrapper wanted it so yes it is a problem especially for these large planes. Fortunately Boeing has saved the first 707 727 737 747, all but 707 are at the Museum of flight Seattle Wash the 707 is at the Smithonian museum the 757 767 777 who knows where they are and the 787 still in service...

    • @RoadCone411
      @RoadCone411 9 років тому +4

      I believe N747PA was scheduled to operate the first B747 flight in 1969 but had gone tech shortly before boarding was to commence, so the ill-fated N736PA was substituted in it's place.I flew N747PA in 1984 LHR-JFK when she was Juan Trippe - operating as flight PA103 no less! I remember it fondly...the film that played that afternoon was 007's "Octopussy!"
      The aircraft was historical and probably deserved to be saved but as others have said, it is expensive to keep out-of-service planes around. Even on static displays at museums, they need a lot of costly maintenance!

  • @johnmpifer
    @johnmpifer 7 років тому +2

    Real testament to the robustness of the B747 that they even made it into the air after all that damage. And that it didn't come apart after that bounce on landing.

  • @Erics5th
    @Erics5th 10 років тому +145

    Just shows how tough the 747 is. I used to build them... They are built like tanks.

    • @Milnoc
      @Milnoc 10 років тому +14

      And apparently, they're still being made today. Four more years, and that would make it half a century old.

    • @jasoncentore1830
      @jasoncentore1830 5 років тому +9

      A 747 truly will bring you home, let's see same situation with today's aircraft. As it is just about every 747 to crash was terrorism, pilot error and maintenance errors. I truly hope down the road with more travelers year by year, they bring 747's mainstream again, I'm so sick of commuter Jets n 737's

    • @khalidabdulghani
      @khalidabdulghani 5 років тому +9

      @@Milnoc Yep, and that makes them half a century old already, thanks to its master Joe Sutter.

    • @jeremypilot1015
      @jeremypilot1015 5 років тому +5

      @@jasoncentore1830 I hear ya. I wish they'd bring the Concorde back, but it comes down to good old corporate greed. Shove as many in a small space, fly them slow to save gas and make as much money while spending as little as possible. Watch the original airport movies form the 70s (skip airport 79 that one was just stupid) and you're reminded of how great flying once was in America.

    • @mitseraffej5812
      @mitseraffej5812 5 років тому +6

      Yes, with appropriate maintenance the 747 has an unlimited life. Most other planes have cycle limits. I fly a twin on over water ETOPS routes. Never flown a four engine plane, If an engine stops way out over the ocean in my twin I’m sure I’ll be wishing I had had four to start with.

  • @JohnS916
    @JohnS916 7 років тому +33

    A friend of the family was on that flight as a stewardess, I believe it was her first flight after training. I recall her mentioning the severe injury one of the passengers sustained when metal came up through the floor boards, but it could have been much worst if the seats that were impaled by a long piece of angle iron were occupied. From things that I read, the incident came very close to being a catastrophic event, especially on take off when the jet collided with a row of metal landing light structures, they were very lucky that didn't bring the plane down. My friend went on to retire after working 41 years as a stewardess.

    • @billanthony7896
      @billanthony7896 7 років тому +14

      +John S
      What a first flight, eh? Some people might have found a different career after that. Hats off to your family friend!

    • @dr.donchristie7093
      @dr.donchristie7093 5 років тому

      John S, do you and I know that same former Pan Am attendant, later transferring to Delta on the 25th anniversary of her Pan Am employment? (Perhaps your friend was one of my friend's junior colleagues.)

    • @TheTruthKiwi
      @TheTruthKiwi 5 років тому +1

      Wow, talk about a trial by fire. It must have been horrific for that passenger and all passengers surrounding him/her. Your friend was a brave lady and obviously cut out for the job.

  • @NearKona
    @NearKona 5 років тому +2

    I was 8 years old when this happened and I remember it on the Bay Area news. The landing gear going into the cabin scared me for a long time after that and I was afraid to fly. I have never seen this before. Very cool.

    • @gbear285
      @gbear285 5 років тому

      NearKona it’s interesting that the landing gear went into the cabin but the plane was still able to land on it later. I wonder how that happened.

  • @miquel440
    @miquel440 7 років тому +8

    Glad it went ok,but what a strong aircraft the 747 is,thanks to Mr.Sutter for building in so much redundancy.For me the best airplane ever build.

  • @sweetmana23
    @sweetmana23 5 років тому +4

    This is really incredible footage of the 747

  • @mickblock
    @mickblock 7 років тому +108

    The hired voice is comforting and all knowing.

    • @Adeon55
      @Adeon55 5 років тому +2

      Indeed, good sir.

  • @Viewcroft
    @Viewcroft  11 років тому +2

    Exactly, all accidents are as a result of a chain of events, not one single error. Thanks for the additional info. I had been trying to get a copy of this video for years but only recently obtained it.

  • @joedesnoyer523
    @joedesnoyer523 9 років тому +4

    I was plant maintenance mechanic for NWA in SFO. When we took over PAA's Cargo 6 building I found several 8x10 glossy prints of this hard landing. Also have some photos from an old Hughs Airwest crash. I found these when we took over Republic Airlines property. Still have lots of memorabilia from the old days. Started at NWA in 1969.

    • @tracer740
      @tracer740 9 років тому +2

      Joe- your comment is not only interesting and appreciated but for us old guys it's a startling reminder of how many, many different airlines there once were, but no longer exist.

    • @joedesnoyer523
      @joedesnoyer523 9 років тому +4

      In 1969 I was hired by three airlines at the same time, North Central, Delta, and NWA. I chose NWA at the time for $10 a month more. Funny how it all ended up.

    • @wwacepeachy
      @wwacepeachy 9 років тому +2

      My dad worked for Hughes AirWest. He would love to see anything you may have related to them.

  • @DeadlyDiddly
    @DeadlyDiddly 5 років тому +15

    A remarkable story, I hadn't heard about this accident until today.

  • @ramsaimaruti4923
    @ramsaimaruti4923 5 років тому +3

    Such a professional presentation! Serene and smooth.

  • @sym667
    @sym667 5 років тому +8

    As an aviaton enthusiast, I find this video priceless.

  • @anononomous
    @anononomous 6 років тому +24

    Dirt saves the day again. Three cheers for dirt!

  • @shiv0681
    @shiv0681 8 років тому +36

    B747 is a strong plane folks..wow!! a beauty..

  • @SixTenVisuals
    @SixTenVisuals 8 років тому +22

    Woooow. I'm shocked it made it back to SFO with all that damage to the horizontal stab.

    • @Gromitdog1
      @Gromitdog1 8 років тому +4

      +Trevor C If they had studied and worked harder in life maybe they could have afforded first class and this would never have happened.

    • @atoage8902
      @atoage8902 8 років тому +2

      +Gromitdog1 I shouldn't laugh. . . oh fuck it. . . I am on the expressway to hell anyway! Haha

    • @watchgoose
      @watchgoose 8 років тому

      +Ato Âge you can change that.

    • @ZepG
      @ZepG 7 років тому

      @watchgoose How so wise sage, to pick one of the thousands of religions and brainwash yourself into believing in it?

    • @watchgoose
      @watchgoose 6 років тому

      not a religion, a FAITH. Free.

  • @chris746568462
    @chris746568462 5 років тому +54

    Here is what happened to the plane:
    It was repaired and returned to service until 1991. Cut into pieces in 1999, shipped to Korea and rebuilt into a restaurant. Scrapped in 2010.

    • @clayz1
      @clayz1 5 років тому +1

      The restaurant plane! Awesome. Thanks for that tidbit.

    • @TheTruthKiwi
      @TheTruthKiwi 5 років тому

      Interesting. Tnx. I'm guessing the airline kept the horrific things that happened to some of the passengers pretty low key when it was flying again.

    • @incrediblesimilarity5858
      @incrediblesimilarity5858 5 років тому +2

      Interesting story, at http;//airwaysmag. com Search FINDING THE CLIPPER JUAN T. TRIPPE-IN 2017
      Gimme a thumbs up if you enjoy the link to the story referenced above. Thanks.

    • @bagpopuk
      @bagpopuk 5 років тому

      @@incrediblesimilarity5858 May I suggest "FINDING THE CLIPPER JUAN" will suffice, as your full title yields no relevant results.
      A great link all the same, thanks. This aircraft has an amazing history and I'm glad she's still around, even though she looks a little sad.
      Post either this address or coordinates for her location in Google maps (without speech marks):
      "1052-14 Wolmun-ri, Wabu-eup, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea"
      "37.590565, 127.227662"

    • @timemachinefan
      @timemachinefan 3 роки тому +1

      @@bagpopuk Thank you for the coordinates for Google Earth. Brought me right to the site and was even able to view the aircraft from the Google Earth street view. Cheers my friend.

  • @Bobman84
    @Bobman84 9 років тому +13

    Sad that such an amazing plane had such a sad ending as a restaurant and is now scrapped. There's also a Pan Am documentary about this very plane and the fondness from stewardesses who flew it as it was the first ever 747 to take commercial flight.

    • @donmcpherson1608
      @donmcpherson1608 9 років тому +1

      This plane ought to have been purchased or given to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum when it was still in California. Sad that nobody cared enough and let it go.

    • @scottmathews3777
      @scottmathews3777 9 років тому +3

      Don McPherson I don't think that the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy museum has room for a 747, it's pretty well packed right now. I suppose they could store it offsite somewhere, but maybe they would think that having the 367-80 (prototype 707) is enough of a tribute to one manufacturer?

    • @roykliffen9674
      @roykliffen9674 9 років тому +1

      Ah well, so it goes, unfortunately. I just today saw the last part about the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6), the most decorated vessel of the US Navy during WWII. It fought from day one up to almost the end of the war and took enormous amounts of damage while doing so. In June 1945 it was damaged so badly it had to go into dry-dock and still was there when the war ended in August.
      As it was unsuitable to operate the new jet-fighters and bombers, it was decommissioned and sold for scrap.

    • @donmcpherson1608
      @donmcpherson1608 9 років тому +2

      When they go they never can come back. Sometimes cities buy surplus planes with some claim to fame and put them in parks. Wouldn't it have been cool if they did that with a 747 jumbo jet? I wouldn't mind having a picnic under the wing of one.

    • @dcs002
      @dcs002 8 років тому +1

      +Bobman84 Such a historic plane - I'd hate to be the guy who bent it.

  • @adams1961
    @adams1961 10 років тому +3

    An analysis of the accident from a person who had studied the NTSB report and other data would confirm all the issues noted above. But the critical flaw was that the aircraft had been overloaded with airfreight, etc. That fact was hidden from the pilot. The extra weight was like the “hair that broke the camels back” because this plane actually came within inches of clearing those runway lights. Unfortunately the pilot was unfairly “scapegoated” and forced into early retirement.

    • @caldyer
      @caldyer 3 роки тому

      Ac

    • @caldyer
      @caldyer 3 роки тому

      Technically he was not forced into retirement. After the hearings were completed and the pilots were found innocent they were all given back their pilot licenses. However, by that time approximately a year and a half had passed all the pilots were required to re-certify for their license renewals, which meant back to ground school, re-training, re-testing, and new physicals. The senior pilot, my father, had always been number one in his flight class from his days in the Navy and at Pan Am, and he continued to pass all the flight testing required by him from both the FAA and Pan Am. My father also past his FAA physical exam, however, Pan Am when over him with a team of doctors and found that he had a cataract starting in one eye and grounded him until it could be repaired. Upon advise of his eye doctor and surgeon he was told to wait a few years for surgery because of all the improvements in this field, so at that time he retired.

  • @idadho
    @idadho 6 років тому +1

    This was not recorded in VHS. In 1971, the video recording was done with a real to real system with a large almost suitcase size real to real recording deck connected to the camera with cable. U-Matic, the first cassette system was released by Sony in September, a few months after this event. It would have been rerecorded to VHS after 1976. There would be a two generation loss in quality.

  • @gapelekanos
    @gapelekanos 10 років тому +2

    Thanks for your help in making a difference

  • @Firografi
    @Firografi 5 років тому +3

    “THE END”. That one thing all the Movies and Documentaries had back in those days !!!

  • @jrblanston
    @jrblanston 5 років тому +40

    I was a 16 month old passenger on this flight. I was fine until Pat stole me!

  • @boydgrandy5769
    @boydgrandy5769 5 років тому +5

    I was in San Fransisco the day this happened, and my buddies and I watched this 747 orbit around the Bay between SF and Alameda at 4 or 5 thousand feet, and you could see the fuel coming out of the plane.
    I had not realized how badly the aircraft had been damaged. I do remember Boeing making a pitch about how safe and stable this design was after they were able to land it without killing everyone.

  • @LivviEquestrian
    @LivviEquestrian 7 років тому +10

    its transported over 80 percent of the human race since its introduction in 1969 yes i would travel on a 747 any day of the week very safe reliable air plane.

  • @sundevilification
    @sundevilification 8 років тому +7

    authority and common sense. best statement of the film. thank you.

  • @lexluthermiester
    @lexluthermiester 8 років тому +6

    This was very interesting video. Thank You for posting it.

  • @alexriesenbeck
    @alexriesenbeck 10 років тому

    Crazy vintage footage! Thanks !

  • @nigelssurfshop
    @nigelssurfshop 10 років тому +2

    This aircraft N747PA was the first 747 built for commercial use. It was later sold to Tower Air and then to Pasta Air, both companys kept the same tail number because of its history.

  • @katrinajones8788
    @katrinajones8788 5 років тому +4

    Back in the days when flying was a real treat.

    • @sausagefingers714
      @sausagefingers714 5 років тому

      any when everybody would clap for the captain when the plane landed.. what happend to that? nobody seems to do it any more

  • @robertglenn5398
    @robertglenn5398 10 років тому +2

    Back in 71, pilots were just that "pilots" and could take charge in any emergency such as the one your grandfather experienced. Today's crews are too dependent upon automation and I really wonder what would happen today under similar circumstances. Your grandfather exhibited phenomenal skill and I'd have flown with him anytime, anywhere.

  • @kernyager9832
    @kernyager9832 11 років тому +4

    My wife was on this flight. I remember standing on the old observation deck of the SFO Central terminal watching the takeoff and seeing the dirt and debris falling from under the plane as it first dipped towards the bay, but then lifted into the air. I watched the landing from a UAL utility truck on the ramp side of the Central terminal near the old PSA gates. I often wonder why the crew took off in this situation, but have to credit their skill in getting that plane back on the ground

    • @DaveyCrockett001
      @DaveyCrockett001 4 роки тому

      Rule of thumb - always preferable to be on the ground wishing you were in the air than vice - a - versa.

  • @Afterburner003
    @Afterburner003 10 років тому

    INCREDIBLE !!!
    Thank you for sharing this story with all of us.

  • @georgesager1628
    @georgesager1628 10 років тому +1

    I had met the captain on this flight. He gave me and a number of others a tour of the first 747s that Pan Am rec'd. I understand his life didn't got well after this crack up.

  • @colinashby3775
    @colinashby3775 8 років тому +4

    really interesting. thanks.i am sure that much was learnt and changed from this episode.

  • @steelcityterps
    @steelcityterps 4 роки тому

    Great find. Thanks for uploading

  • @nwadoug
    @nwadoug 10 років тому

    Thank you for posting this!

  • @TQGraham11
    @TQGraham11 5 років тому +91

    How on earth did you get this footage? Excellent coverage by the way!

    • @psygn0sis
      @psygn0sis 5 років тому +2

      Time machine.

    • @shions3135
      @shions3135 5 років тому

      I think he had the VHS tape says in desc

  • @eds1994fatboy
    @eds1994fatboy 6 років тому +2

    I do remember this on the news....its amazing that all passengers lived.....could have been way worse....thank you oh lord for their safety

  • @ck1film
    @ck1film 11 років тому +1

    This was more than 40 years ago... the slides and procedures have changed immensely since then.

  • @MrL1mey
    @MrL1mey 10 років тому

    Responses like this are what make reading responses in this medium worthwhile.

  • @stevegacovino6699
    @stevegacovino6699 10 років тому +1

    This is a very thorough description of why this disaster occurred.

  • @opdrvr
    @opdrvr 11 років тому

    Wow. You learn something every day. Thank you.

  • @jonathanbecker8935
    @jonathanbecker8935 5 років тому +1

    Gosh that two hour flight to dump fuel and assess damage must've been white knuckles for all involved. Amazing airmanship that they got it on the ground safely. That big bounce on the landing is testament to the strength of the gear and the great force of impact during the take-off. Those poor people who were sent down that nearly vertical emergency slide must've been hurting. I wonder how close to the ground the two tail exits were when the fusilage see-sawed aftward. It's incredible that the airplane was repairable and flown into the nineties. Must've had many updates and upgrades over the years. I've always wondered how they calculate how much fuel to leave onboard during the dump so they have enough to do any necessary go arounds.

    • @sblack48
      @sblack48 5 років тому

      Kenneth Tombs amazing airmanship??? Those twits caused the whole thing by a lack of basic airmanship!

  • @Bounty_Hunter84
    @Bounty_Hunter84 7 років тому +2

    Great footage and very rare. When the pole went up through the floor of the plane it sliced a mans foot off but 4 seats it cut through no one was sitting in them that's lucky.

    • @billanthony7896
      @billanthony7896 7 років тому +4

      Bo Danville I hope the guy got a good insurance settlement from the morons at the airlines.

  • @wannamlwithu
    @wannamlwithu 11 років тому +2

    interesting video to learn about emergency landing. thanks for uploading!

  • @andypreston1524
    @andypreston1524 7 років тому +4

    "Thank you for flying Pan Am today, we hope you had a comfortable flight......etc etc "

    • @DaveyCrockett001
      @DaveyCrockett001 4 роки тому

      I would have been pissed off that all that shit got real and i ended back in the same place I started from - like what was the point of that please?

  • @TheDeJureTour
    @TheDeJureTour 8 років тому +15

    No way I would have gone down that front slide...

  • @lostinspace9818
    @lostinspace9818 5 років тому +2

    You know my dad worked at the airport for 33 years and what i recall is the plane landed short of the runway , have never heard this version before, things are very weird in this world.

  • @Clipper1094
    @Clipper1094 11 років тому +1

    I have heard alot about this accident but after seeing the video I had no idea it was that bad.

  • @sobelou
    @sobelou 11 років тому

    Excellent upload, thanks!

  • @peterpalmer9755
    @peterpalmer9755 6 років тому +2

    How lucky for you and your son, Pat. Watching that was horrifying. I very rarely fly and when I do it's always a white-knuckled flight.

  • @Zoomer30
    @Zoomer30 6 років тому

    The 747 is a freaking tank. Such a hard hit on touchdown. The DC10 Flight 232 that crash landed in Sioux City, IA in 1989 was debris after the first hit.

    • @432b86ed
      @432b86ed 6 років тому

      apples and oranges, severity wise.

    • @Zoomer30
      @Zoomer30 4 роки тому

      Yeah, the Flight 232 in Souix City decent rate was over 1,000 feet/min. Hard hit.

  • @blumax999
    @blumax999 10 років тому

    Hey! I didn't know the 747 was a tail dragger! You learn something new everyday.

  • @upatreepete
    @upatreepete 10 років тому +1

    It doesn't matter whether the area around the runway is land or water. If you miss the runway or go off the runway, it's not going to be pretty. The pilots know how long the runways are and where they are, they just have to aim right and get airborne before the runway ends. Communication and correct information is key.

  • @bguzman003
    @bguzman003 11 років тому +1

    the 747 had 4 hydraulic systems, in this accident 3 were damaged. the DC-10 had only 3 hydraulic systems. that made a big difference in this accident.

  • @jayfbee
    @jayfbee 9 років тому +6

    wow! Great docu.

  • @bryson217
    @bryson217 8 років тому +16

    Could have been another Sioux City cartwheel...fantastic landing.

  • @kontol41
    @kontol41 6 років тому +1

    Unbelievable to think it carried on airborne two hours in the condition it was in.

  • @gootchie
    @gootchie 10 років тому +33

    Would like to see a Mayday - Air Crash Investigation episode made out of this incident.

    • @smoodiverg2286
      @smoodiverg2286 5 років тому +1

      gootchie i wouldnt, it would take an hour to explain what this chap did in ten minutes

  • @DannyGoldingTV
    @DannyGoldingTV 11 років тому

    Great story! Thanks for sharing!!

  • @sweetmana23
    @sweetmana23 5 років тому

    Amazing... good work. Job well done. Still love the jumbo any day.

  • @martyaus2905
    @martyaus2905 10 років тому +6

    I was a passenger on this flight, was very scary.

    • @cincycap
      @cincycap 9 років тому +3

      martyaus2905 Assuming that you are serious and were really there.....I have a couple questions if you don't mind. Did the passengers scream or freak out or anything? Which was scarier - hitting the light poles on the way up, or landing with a broken plane? Im guessing the landing would be more scary since there was time to think about it.

    • @johnmanley3849
      @johnmanley3849 5 років тому

      @@cincycap I will try and answer the question. In 1971 the demographics mostly traveling on
      airplanes at the time were the greatest generation those born
      Around 1920 that were WW2 veterans and there wifes.
      The next grouping is the silent generation. Born in the thirties.
      Also my mom and dads generation. Both of these generations were as tough as
      Nails. These generations would
      Not freak out at anything so
      I bet they all just looked around
      and helped the injured and stayed
      Calm.

    • @tantrispicks2440
      @tantrispicks2440 3 роки тому

      I know of another passenger too. He didn't want to talk about it.

  • @tp7614
    @tp7614 5 років тому +1

    My pop drove our family to SFO to watch this ..... Back in those days you could park 100 yards from the airfield.

  • @WJack97224
    @WJack97224 7 років тому +2

    The NTSB Report did not come up when the link was clicked. It would be interesting to know what happened to the pilots and other managers and the full extent of injuries and compensation and how the injured recovered.

  • @dutchy1176
    @dutchy1176 11 років тому +1

    This aircraft was flown until the mid 1990s, and then sold to a korean couple who made the mistake of shipping it home in pieces and reassembling it to turn it into a restaurant. Somewhat of a cliche event at the time. The restaurant venture failed, and the by then miserable looking fuselage was abandoned. Nothing of the plane inside or out, resembled her former glory, but they did put Juan Trippe's name on it. It was scrapped a ears ago. RIP.

  • @sfflyer123
    @sfflyer123 10 років тому +7

    great video!

  • @TheMarioMen1
    @TheMarioMen1 5 років тому +6

    Ah ole PanAm and your aviation disasters, you and KLM still hold the world record for Tenerife

  • @charlieabbot3649
    @charlieabbot3649 7 років тому +1

    Amazing that plane held together.

  • @AugustusLarch
    @AugustusLarch 11 років тому

    Thank you for the info.

  • @desireegrisham3892
    @desireegrisham3892 5 років тому

    My word, there so many experts here!

  • @lucasjibhi
    @lucasjibhi 11 років тому

    This is very interesting, thanx for the upload;) Miracle nobody got killed!!

  • @gabrielcox3835
    @gabrielcox3835 10 років тому +2

    My dad witnessed this with his own eyes. He worked for TWA at the time.

  • @michaelrobbins7390
    @michaelrobbins7390 7 років тому

    Interesting film. Thank You.

  • @claudemaassen2963
    @claudemaassen2963 5 років тому +2

    Quick action from ground personnel

  • @ayanami808
    @ayanami808 5 років тому +17

    I’m over here looking for a tracking knob on my phone. How old are you to know what a tracking adjustment is?

    • @gantmj
      @gantmj 5 років тому +2

      I've only known automatic tracking on VHS players.

    • @alexcrawford6162
      @alexcrawford6162 5 років тому +1

      Now there’s something I’d totally forgotten about!

    • @jesseturner9865
      @jesseturner9865 5 років тому +1

      or in my case, I'd think the 4th head was dirty and the unit needed a thorough tuning. Then maybe tracking wouldn't be so bad.

    • @misterribal
      @misterribal 5 років тому

      I’d like to know, what is it?

    • @louishunter5135
      @louishunter5135 5 років тому

      I was thinking the exact same thing as I watched this

  • @CB-RADIO-UK
    @CB-RADIO-UK 11 років тому

    Interesting thanks for posting.

  • @DrAnne-mc8er
    @DrAnne-mc8er 5 років тому +1

    _"I say old boy, we seem to be in a bit of a pickle here. Chocks away Ginger, tally ho!"_ What a terribly quaint BBC accent. Excellent video. Original commentary by Alexander Graham Bell 😊.

  • @mdamad1318
    @mdamad1318 8 років тому +5

    wow engineers couldn't calculate possibilities like this no way !!!

  • @jaychandran2402
    @jaychandran2402 7 років тому

    hats off dutchy i like ur comments

  • @stereopolice
    @stereopolice 7 років тому +17

    Now that was a cluster foxtrot.

  • @jpsheffer
    @jpsheffer 11 років тому +1

    I think it's worth noting though - few of the serious accidents involving 747s were due to design flaws, most were pilot/operator error, bad maintenance/repairs (Japan Airlines Flight 123 for example), or terrorism. There's also incidents like this one and China Airlines 006 which just go to show how tough and resilient they are.