January 30th 1974 was such a long time ago. Thirty-one years to be exact. But that day is as clear as if it were yesterday for those who lost loved ones in the Pan Am Flight 806 crash in American Samoa.

January has become a month when Samoans mourn the loss of lives taken so tragically in aircraft disasters.

January 7th 1979, three lives were claimed when a Polynesian Airlines Twin Otter D Havilland slammed into Mt Vaea, Apia.

January 13th 1970, thirty-two people were killed when a Polynesian Airlines Douglas DC3 crashed moments after taking off from Faleolo Airport.

January 30th 1974, Pan Am Boeing 707, Flight 806 from Auckland, 97 passengers and crew perished while on final approach to landing in American Samoa. The jet crashed 3000 feet short of the Pago Pago International Airport runway.

Reports advise that “there was a failure of the crew to correct an excessive rate of descent causing the aircraft to fly into trees short of the runway. Most aboard the aircraft were not injured by the crash but succumbed to fire and panic afterwards.” Only 4 survived, 3 Americans and 1 New Zealander.

According to Samoa Times, ( Feb 1 1974, vol. xi) the dead were burnt beyond recognition. “I saw bodies carried in white sacks ... there it was ... the bare bulk of what was a multimillion dollar aeroplane only hours before carrying one hundred and one living people. Only bits remained. Very little else survived the intense heat. Trees were scorched black. Bits of the plane and its load were everywhere. Burnt clothing. Burnt timber. Burnt everything.

Pan Am Director at the time told reporters “to tell everyone in Apia it was pointless to try and come here to identify relatives. It is absolutely hopeless. Hopeless.”

All remains were taken to Honolulu for identification purposes, a process that took 2 months to complete. Of those who died 18 were Samoans. Others were of New Zealand, American and European nationality enroute to Hawaii or Apia, Samoa.

The events that unfolded after the tragedy of Pan American Flight 806 seem unbelievable, even today. Two crucial investigative reports that would incriminate Pan Am were kept under solemn judicial seal for several years.
 

William Norris, an English author in his book “Willful Misconduct” about the Pan Am crash said, “I only knew the crash at Pago Pago, so small …by later standards of disaster had spawned the longest, most complex and most expensive legal case in aviation history. I was not to know that before the day was out I would hold in my hands an unexploded bomb; a document so explosive that lawyers and judges had spent years making sure that it would never reach the public. It was called the Hudson Report. There has probably never been such a frightening report on the safety record of any international carrier…”

Many questions remain unanswered. Many answers ask more questions.

Most can barely remember the Pan Am tragedy let alone those who perished 31 years ago on 30th January. However, amidst the controversy lie the memories of a promising architect and father of 6, a young woman returning home to get married, a mother and child visiting parents ... a few of the lives snuffed out on that ill-fated flight.

Always but in particular 30th January, they will be remembered.
 

Copyright Event Polynesia Ltd. 2004