 Lockheed L-049 Constellation in PAN AM livery, similar to the crash aircraft. | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | June 19, 1947 |
| Summary | Engine fire due to bird strike |
| Site | Syrian Desert, 4 miles (6.4 km) from Mayadin, Syria |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Lockheed L-049 Constellation |
| Aircraft name | Clipper Eclipse |
| Operator | Pan American World Airways |
| Registration | NC88845 |
| Flight origin | Karachi Civil Airport, Karachi, British Raj |
| Destination | Istanbul, Turkey |
| Occupants | 36 |
| Passengers | 26 |
| Crew | 10 |
| Fatalities | 15 |
| Survivors | 21 |
Pan Am Flight 121 was a scheduled Pan American World Airways flight from Karachi to Istanbul. On the evening of June 18, 1947, the Lockheed L-049 Constellation serving the flight, known as the Clipper Eclipse (previously Clipper Dublin), suffered an engine failure. This led to the overheating of the remaining engines until one caught fire, which spread to the aircraft. The heat from burning magnesium parts caused the engine to fall from the aircraft, leaving it unable to maintain altitude. Early in the morning of June 19, 1947 the plane crashed in the Syrian desert 4 miles (6.4 km) from the town of Mayadin. Fifteen people were killed, including 7 crew and 8 passengers. The three surviving crew members were third officer Gene Roddenberry (who went on to create the original Star Trek television series), the chief purser, and one flight attendant. After rescuing passengers from the burning wreckage, Roddenberry took control as the ranking flight officer and organized scout parties to find aid. By midday, the Syrian Army took the survivors to the hospital at Deir ez-Zor. The majority returned to the United States quickly while Roddenberry remained in Syria for two weeks to answer questions about the crash from the local government.