Among thousands of airplane tragedies over the decades, the tragic crash of Pan Am Flight 7 remains one of the most baffling incidents. The Boeing 377 Stratocruiser 10-29 aircraft, known as the Clipper Romance of the Skies, crashed into the Pacific Ocean on the fateful day of November 8, 1957. The flight was headed to Honolulu International Airport from San Francisco, carrying 36 passengers and eight crew members. Unfortunately, there were no survivors.
The aircraft was known for its size and luxury. However, it had also built an infamous reputation due to its troubled history as its predecessor, Pan Am 6, ditched in the Pacific Ocean in 1956 after the failure of two of its four engines.
Pan Am Flight 7’s flight duration was approximately ten hours and fifteen minutes and it was reported that it had enough fuel for about thirteen hours. The aircraft was loaded to its maximum takeoff weight of about 67,000 kg.
On the day of the fateful incident, the captain made a routine position report at around 5 pm and the next position report was due at 6 pm. However, there was no communication. At approximately 6:42 pm Pan Am notified US Coast Guard that they hadn’t heard from the plane in 90 minutes. The Coast Guard waited for another 90 minutes before dispatching first search planes.
A massive search operation was carried out in the Pacific, including four surface vessels, submarines, and some aircrafts from Honolulu. Military authorities were also approached to prepare additional planes and ships to help with the search operation. Thus far, they were unable to locate the missing flight but they were hoping that the flight’s radio was malfunctioning.
At around 3 am on November 9, when all of the fuel of the flight was assumed to have been exhausted, the airline declared that the plane was presumed to be “down” somewhere over the Pacific Ocean.
For several days, there was no success in search. However, on November 14, Navy search plane’s crew observed some wreckage and bodies in the water. 19 bodies was recovered and 14 of them were wearing life jackets. It was also noted that the victims weren’t wearing shoes. It was thus concluded that the passengers had prior warning of the crash. Three of the victims had wrist watches which stopped at 5:27 pm which helped the authorities conclude the time of the crash.
The search and rescue operation which lasted for a week turned out to be the largest search and rescue operation in the Pacific Ocean up to that date. A full investigation was launched by U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board to know the cause of the accident. Even after a year, they couldn’t find an explanation. The board stated that there were “insufficient tangible evidence at this time to determine the cause of the accident.”
While the grieving families waited for answers, the mystery kept growing. Different theories surfaced henceforth. Some believed that the plane was victim of sabotage, and others believed poor maintenance to be the reason. Meanwhile, two individuals embarked on individual investigations to uncover the truth.
As per Smithsonian Magazine, journalist Ken Fortenberry and Gregg Herken, history professor and ex-curator at the National Air and Space Museum, crossed paths during their separate probes that lasted decades. The tragedy had affected both these men, which drove them to find the answers.
Fortenberry’s father was the second officer on Pan Am 7, whose body was never found.
Meanwhile, Herken was the student of Marie McGrath, a Pan Am stewardess who also worked as a substitute teacher. Herken was quite impressed by Marie, who used to share tales of her adventures and bring food from the Clipper. He was in class when the school principal announced that Marie was missing. He said, “At the time, I just imagined it flying into a cloud and not coming out again. I’ve always felt grateful to Marie for what she did, for helping me adjust to my new life as a kid in California.”
During their research, details about two passengers attracted their attention. Eugene Crosthwaite allegedly was in cross-hairs with the airline over his employment conditions and their treatment towards him. A few days prior to the accident, he had altered his will and left a duplicate in the glove compartment of his car at the airport lot.
Meanwhile, an insurance firm identified another individual named William Harrison Payne whom they believed was liable for the disaster. The ex-Navy frogman was infamous for his disruptive antics. He reportedly had used dynamite to blast a hole in the road going through his property to deter logging trucks taking shortcuts. He even bragged to the locals about his knowledge of crafting explosives with just two flashlight batteries and a length of wire. His body was also not recovered during the search operation.
There are not many photos of Pan Am’s Clipper Victor that was involved in the worst aviation accident in history but here is one of them. pic.twitter.com/d3eeIerEUz
— Pan Am (@FlyPanAm) March 27, 2025
The airline company stated that it’s possible that he never boarded the plane. With ever evolving revelations, Fortenberry confessed that his views kept changing. He said, “One minute, I’d think it was an accident. Next thing, I’d think Payne blew it up and then next thing, Crosthwaite blew it up.”
In search of more details, he reached out to Crosthwaite’s stepdaughter, Tania. However, she ignored him for decades until one day she texted him out of the blue, “I think it’s about time we talk.”
During their meeting, Tania revealed that her stepdad was “suicidal and out of his mind. Fortenberry said, “The information she gave me helped me paint more of a picture and I had a forensic psychologist weigh in on it. And he pretty much concluded what I did as well.”
Meanwhile, Herken stated, “I think it was a catastrophic mechanical failure. Drawing similarity with previous tragedy involving same aircraft model, he said, “There was a similar incident a few years before with the same type of plane where the propeller spun out. They almost lost control of the plane but were able to make an emergency landing on an island. I think that something very similar could have happened in this case,” as reported by Irish Star.
Despite having polarized conclusions, both men respect each other’s findings and views about the crash. Both the men, however, felt the loss of not having a burial site for their loved ones. In order to pay homage to his father and other victims of the crash, Fortenberry founded the Pan Am Flight 7 Memorial Committee. It aimed at establishing a lasting memorial for all the victims.
After raising fund, they earned approval from the Millbrae city council and secured a spot for a commemorative plaque. He also launched the Pan Am Flight 7 Memorial Committee with the sole aim of setting up a permanent memorial for victims. In April 2023, a granite plaque was revealed at the Millbrae History Museum, respectfully bears the names of all 44 passengers and crew members who died in the crash. It is situated at 420 Poplar Avenue.
