The heat from burning magnesium parts caused the engine to fall from the aircraft, leaving it unable to maintain altitude.

Early in the morning of June 19, 1947 the plane crashed in the Syrian desert 4 miles (6.4 km) from the town of Mayadin.

The three surviving crew members were third officer Gene Roddenberry (who went on to create the original Star Trek television series), the chief purser, and one flight attendant.

After rescuing passengers from the burning wreckage, Roddenberry took control as the ranking flight officer and organized scout parties to find aid.

The majority returned to the United States quickly while Roddenberry remained in Syria for two weeks to answer questions about the crash from the local government.

The Royal Air Force field at Habbaniya suggested that the Eclipse should land there, but Hart was worried once again about repair facilities and decided to press on.

Hart sent Roddenberry back to the passenger compartment to ready them for a crash landing, knowing that the engine would quickly fall from the plane.

Hart wanted to take the plane to the airstrip at Deir ez-Zor, Syria, but it became apparent that he did not have sufficient time to make it there.

"[15] Equipment was gathered from the burning wreckage, including several first aid kits, a number of the passengers' coats and an inflatable life raft.

[18] Spotting telegraph lines in the distance, Roddenberry sent two teams of two men each to follow the wires in both directions and report their findings.

[18] The first public reports of the crash came from a message sent to Pan Am's office in Damascus, detailing who the surviving crew members were.

[19] Several survivors of the Eclipse arrived in the United States on June 23, at La Guardia Airport, New York City.

[22] Later in July, surviving crew were questioned at the Civil Aeronautics Board at the Lexington Hotel in New York City.

[23] In February 1948, the official report placed the blame for the crash on Pan Am for failing to replace the number two engine entirely when it developed repeated failures.

[24] Roddenberry resigned from Pan-Am following another flight incident;[25] after that, he became a police officer with the LAPD before becoming a television writer and producer, ultimately creating the Star Trek franchise.