The Boeing Stratocruiser was a double-decked luxury airliner that offered lounges and cocktails to its passengers. Pan Am Flight 202/28 had completed the first leg of its El Presidente tour before taking off in the early morning hours of April 29, 1952. Having already flown to Rio De Janeiro from Buenos Aires, Argentina, the airliner was on its way to New York with its next stop in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Pilot Albert Grossarth transmitted an "all is well" communication some 900 miles from Rio. This was the final message sent by him. The aircraft missed a scheduled check in in Carolina, Brazil before it became overdue in Trinidad around 10 a.m. (EST).