Faulty Door

Probable Cause

Of Samoan Crash

Swirling currents and deep

water led to the abandonment at the end of Msv nf thp fnr me end or May or tne search tor

Polynesian Airlines DC-3, which

crashed into the sea near the island of Savaii, Western Samoa, with a Prow nf thrpp nn iUo,, i i witn a crew ot three on May 11. f OWEVER, from eyewitness re ports and from flight records, two New Zealand Civil Aviation in vestigators, Messrs. O. J. O’Brien and E. F. Harvie, were able to arrive at the likely cause of the tragedy.

The investigators learned that about 25 minutes after the plane took off about 6 p.m. on a training

flight from Faleolo, witnesses in Savaii heard a marked increase in engine noise and saw the aircraft make a sudden turn to port.

At the same time a loud bang was heard, and a large panel separated from the structure and flew upwards and rearwards. The plane then dived steeply into the sea with the engines off * 1116 investigators found that the accident was prob ably caused by a specially fitted air stair door falling open, breaking loose and hitting the tail structure. . lhe do °r had consistently given trouble before> being difficult t 0 close, and had in fact once before fallen ope n as a result of engine vibration before taking off.

It had not then fallen completely open, being held in place with a safety chain that presumably had not been fastened on the fatal flight.

The report found that the responsi bility for the accident was attribut able to no one.