GILFORD — The Samoan Clipper, one of Pan American Airways' flying boats, exploded in flight near Pago Pago in 1938 following an emergency call for a suspected oil leak. Captain Edwin Musick, one of the airline’s most experienced pilots, his crew and his aircraft were lost in the Pacific Ocean at depths up to 6,000 feet.
WinnAero is offering the public a free opportunity to view the live satellite feed of the current search for the Clipper. Robert Ballard, Ph.D. of Titanic discovery fame commissioned his research vessel, the MV Nautilus, to pinpoint the wreckage of the Samoan Clipper and retrieve if possible artifacts and possible details of what led to the explosion on board. The search will be broadcast from the Pago Pago site to the WinnAero ACE Academy students at Laconia Airport on Thursday, July 18, starting at 10:45 a.m., for about 30 minutes.
The public is invited to the free, interactive satellite link-up taking place at the Viking Hangar, Laconia Airport, 50 Airport Road. “We have this rare opportunity to witness this search as it unfolds,” said Dan Caron, education director for WinnAero’s ACE Academies. “We felt the general public might enjoy sharing this time with our ACE students as they watch and speak with the search crew leaders while the search is in progress.”
The Viking Hangar is located on the west side of the Laconia Airport beyond Kitchen Cravings Restaurant. Look for the ACE Academy sign on the fence line.
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