Boeing 707

The crew was completing a cargo flight from London to Lusaka with intermediate stops in Athens and Nairobi. Following an uneventful flight from Nairobi, a clearance was given to descend further down to FL70 in 1,000 feet steps. At 09:28 the copilot reported that the airfield was in sight. Lusaka then cleared the aircraft to descend to 6,000 feet (2,221 feet above runway elevation) and moments later a clearance was given to make a visual approach for runway 10. At 09:32 flaps were selected to 50°. Suddenly, at 09:33, the complete right-hand horizontal stabilizer and elevator assembly were seen to separate in flight. The aircraft pitched rapidly nose down and dived vertically into the ground from a height of about 800 feet. The main wreckage was located 3,660 meters from the runway threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

March 17, 1977 was the fourth day of a Boeing 707-436 conversion base training programme at Glasgow-Prestwick Airport (PIK). On the day of the accident the trainee first officer was in the right hand pilot's seat and was flying the first detail. The commander was in the left hand pilot's seat, and the captain under training was acting as flight engineer, being supervised by the fourth crew member, a supervisory first officer who was seated behind the commander. After completing all the necessary checks and the engine starting procedure the commander gave the trainee first officer a comprehensive briefing on cross wind takeoff techniques with reference to the local weather forecast, which gave a surface wind of 190° /18 knots gusting to 35 knots. In particular he emphasised the need for into-wind aileron, demonstrating the amount required, and for opposite rudder. At 08:42 the aircraft was cleared to taxi to runway 13. While taxiing, the 'taxiing checklist' was completed. At the light aircraft weights used for training, standardized takeoff airspeeds were used as follows: V1 - 125 knots, VR - 135 knots and V2 - 145 knots. Based on the prevailing conditions and actual aircraft takeoff weight of 94,580 kg, the true takeoff airspeeds were: V1 - 125 knots, VR - 125 knots and V2 - 142 knots; the VMCG and the VMCA were 125 knots and 119 knots respectively. After receiving ATC clearance, the aircraft entered the active runway from the fast turnoff for runway 31. From this position the takeoff run available was approximately 2,388 metres; the takeoff run required was 1,433 metres. On entering the runway the commander handed over control to the trainee first officer and the aircraft commenced its takeoff run, from a rolling start, shortly after 08:48. The Tower passed a surface wind of 220° /15 knots and the trainee applied about 15° to 20° of into-wind aileron (ie right wing down) and some left rudder. Full power was then applied and the V1 and VR airspeeds were called by the flight engineer. As the aircraft was being rotated to a pitch attitude of 4 1/2° the commander simulated a No. 1 engine failure by retarding the appropriate thrust lever, and calling out "number one engine's failed." After the aircraft became airborne it climbed away in a normal manner to a height of approximately 20 to 30 feet when suddenly the left wing dropped about 20° and the No. 1 engine nacelle struck the left edge of the runway. The aircraft then began to yaw and roll to the right and to sink to the ground. The yaw/roll continued until No. 4 nacelle struck the runway and the aircraft then tracked sideways down the runway, with the engines and other parts of the structure breaking away and the landing gear collapsing. It came to a stop almost at the intersection of runway 03/21. The distance from the start of the takeoff roll to this point was approximately 2,230 metres. A fire erupted. The external fire was rapidly dealt with but the internal fire was not extinguished for some 50 minutes.

Following an uneventful flight from Bombay, the crew started the descent to Bangkok-Don Mueang Airport by night. On approach, the pilot reported runway in sight and was cleared to land on runway 21L. On short final, he failed to realize his altitude was too low when the four engine airplane struck the roof of a building and crashed in flames on a spinning factory located 2 km short of runway. The aircraft and several buildings were killed. All 53 occupants on board the B707 were killed as well as 20 people working in the factory. At the time of the accident, the visibility was estimated to be 4 km.

After a long takeoff roll, the airplane took off from runway 32 but encountered serious difficulties to gain sufficient height. After liftoff, the airplane continued at a height of about six metres then struck successively trees, houses and power cables before crashing in a huge explosion on a soccer field located about 560 metres past the runway end. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and several houses and buildings were destroyed. All three crew members were killed as well as 110 people on the ground. 32 others were injured, most of them seriously. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were considered as marginal but did not contribute to the mishap.

After takeoff from runway 29 at Tehran-Mehrabad Airport, while climbing in limited visibility, the four engine airplane drifted to the right instead of making a left turn as mentioned in the Standard Instrument Procedures for OIII Airport Runway 29. At an altitude of 6,500 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain (2,020 metres high) located 17 km northwest of the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all five occupants have been killed.

The approach to Milan-Malpensa Airport was completed in limited visibility due to foggy conditions. During the last segment, the airplane struck the ground to the left of the main runway. On impact, all landing gears and all four engines were torn off. The aircraft slid for few hundred meters then came to rest in a grassy area with the fuselage bent and the cockpit that separated from the rest of the aircraft. All 122 occupants were evacuated, 26 of them were injured, among them the Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

On behalf of Royal Air Maroc, the aircraft was completing a charter flight from Paris-Le Bourget to Agadir, carrying 181 Moroccan workers and their family members back for holidays. Following an uneventful flight, the crew contacted ATC and was cleared to start the descent. At an altitude of 2,400 feet, the right wing struck a rocky peak. On impact, the engine n°4 was torn off. The crew increased engine power and the airplane flew for about 400 meters before it disintegrated in a small valley. The wreckage was found few hours later about 40 km north of Agadir-Inezgane Airport. None of the 188 occupants survived the crash.

The four engine airplane departed Athens-Ellinikon Airport at 1112LT on a flight to Rome, last leg before the transatlantic flight to New York. While cruising at an altitude of 28,000 feet, the airplane went out of control, entered a steep dive and crashed into the Ionian Sea bout 80 km west of Kefalonia Island, Greece. Some debris were found floating on water and no survivor was found among the 88 occupants.

Following an uneventful flight from Hong Kong-Kai Tak, the crew started the descent to Denpasa-Ngurah Rai Airport by night and limited visibility. While descending to runway 09 at an altitude of 4,000 feet, the airplane initiated a turn to 263° when it struck the slope of Mt Masehe located about 68 km from the airport. The wreckage was found few hours later. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and all 107 occupants have been killed.

On January 30, 1974, Pan Am Flight 806, Boeing 707-321B 'Clipper Radiant' operated as a scheduled flight from Auckland, New Zealand, to Los Angeles, California. En route stops included Pago Pago, American Samoa, and Honolulu, Hawaii. Flight 806 departed Auckland at 2014. It was cleared to Pago Pago on an IFR flight plan. At 2311, Flight 806 contacted Pago Pago Approach Control and reported its position 160 miles south of the Pago Pago airport. Approach control responded, "Clipper eight zero six, roger, and Pago weather, estimated ceiling one thousand six hundred broken, four thousand broken, the visibility - correction, one thousand overcast. The visibility one zero, light rain shower, temperature seven eight, wind three five zero degrees, one five, and altimeter's two nine eight five." At 2313, Pago Pago Approach Control cleared the flight to the Pago Pago VORTAC. Flight 806 reported leaving FL330 three minutes later and leaving FL200 at 2324. Pago Pago Approach Control cleared the flight at 2324: "Clipper eight zero six, you're cleared-for the ILS DME runway five approach - via the two zero mile arc south-southwest. Report the arc, and leaving five thousand." At 2333, the flight requested the direction and velocity of the Pago Pago winds and was told that they were 360 degrees variable from 020 degrees at 10 to 15 knots. At 2334, the flight reported out of 5,500 feet and that they had intercepted the 226 degree radial of the Pago Pago VOR. The approach controller responded, "Eight oh six, right. Understand inbound on the localizer. Report about three out. No other reported traffic. Winds zero one zero degrees at one five gusting two zero." At 2338, approach control said, "Clipper eight oh six, appears that we've had power failure at the airport. " The first officer replied, "Eight oh six, we're still getting your VOR, the ILS and the lights are showing." Approach control then asked, "See the runway lights?" The flight responded, "That's Charlie." The approach controller then said, " ...we have a bad rain shower here. I can't see them from my position here." "We're five DME now and they still look bright," the first officer responded. Approach Control replied, "´kay, no other reported traffic. The wind is zero three zero degrees at two zero, gusting two five. Advise clear of the runway." At 23:39:41, the flight replied, "Eight zero six, wilco." This was the last radio transmission from the flight. On the flight deck the windshield wipers were turned on and the flaps were set at the 50° position, which completed the checklists for landing. At 23:40:22, the first officer stated, "You're a little high." The radio altimeter warning tone then sounded twice and the first officer said "You're at minimums." He reported the field in sight and said that they were at 140 kts. At 23:40:42, the aircraft crashed into trees at an elevation of 113 feet, and about 3,865 feet short of the runway threshold. The first impact with the ground was about 236 feet farther along the crash path. The aircraft continued through the jungle vegetation, struck a 3-foot-high lava rock wall, and stopped about 3,090 feet from the runway threshold. Of the 101 occupants of the aircraft, 9 passengers and 1 crew member survived the crash and fire. One passenger died the next day; the crew member and three passengers died 3 days after the accident. One passenger died of his injuries 9 days after the accident. Thus only four passengers survived the crash.