Douglas DC-4 crash, Apr 11, 1952 (52 killed), San Juan
Douglas DC-4 accident on April 11, 1952 near San Juan, Puerto Rico with 52 fatalities. Cause: Inadequate maintenance: engine No. 3 was not replaced...
- Date: April 11, 1952
- Aircraft: Douglas DC-4
- Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Fatalities: 52
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: Inadequate maintenance: engine No. 3 was not replaced after metal shavings were found in its oil, and it failed after takeoff, followed by loss of engine No. 4.
Pan American Flight 526A, a DC-4 bound for New York, lost power from its No. 3 engine shortly after takeoff from San Juan. The crew turned back, but the No. 4 engine then ran roughly and the aircraft could not hold altitude, so it ditched about 11 miles northwest of San Juan. The aircraft sank within minutes and 52 of the 69 people aboard died.