Crash of a Boeing 707-123 off Montauk Point: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1961 at 1220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 707
Operator:
Registration:
N7502A
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
New York - New York
MSN:
17629
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
AA1502
Location:
Montauk Point
New York
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft departed Idlewild Airport at 1157LT with a crew of six and climbed along the shore of Long Island on a training mission. 23 minutes later, the airplane christened 'Flagship Oklahoma' banked left, entered a dive and eventually crashed into the ocean five miles off shore. Few debris were found off Montauk Point and all six crew members have been killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that the loss of control occurred while the crew was preparing to shut down an engine to simulate a failure or was initiating a particular flying configuration requiring the deployment of the flaps at an angle of 30 ° which was the case when the aircraft struck the water surface. The assumption that two of the four engines were inoperative at the time of impact is not ruled out.

Crash of a Boeing 707-227 near Arlington: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 1959 at 1620 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 707
Operator:
Registration:
N7071
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Seattle - Seattle
MSN:
17691
YOM:
1959
Location:
Arlington
Washington
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
5015
Captain / Total hours on type:
369.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
23563
Aircraft flight hours:
173
Circumstances:
A Boeing Airplane Company test pilot was acting as an instructor-pilot on a demonstration and acceptance flight prior to the aircraft being delivered to the customer. The company was also utilizing this flight time for flight instruction purposes in qualifying airline personnel in the aircraft. The instructor-pilot demonstrated several maneuvers, including Dutch Rolls, to a pilot-trainee, an airline captain who was making his first training flight training flight prior to checkout on the Boeing 707. The instructor-pilot initiated a Dutch Roll in which the roll-park angle of the aircraft reached 40 to 60 degrees. This bank angle is in excess of limitation set by the company for demonstration of his maneuver. The pilot-trainee, who was to make the recovery, rolled full right aileron control while the right rank was still increasing. The instructor-pilot immediately rolled in full opposite aileron. The airplane stopped its right roll at a point well past a vertical bank and then rolled to the left even more violently. Several gyrations followed and after control of the aircraft was regained, it was determined that three of the four engines had separated from the aircraft and it was on fire. The fire rapidly reduced controllability of the aircraft and an emergency landing was attempted, however, the aircraft struck trees and crashed short of the intended landing area because power on the engine remaining had to be shut down to keep the aircraft wings level. The aircraft was destroyed and four crew members were killed while four others were injured.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the structural failures induced during an improper recovery attempt from a Dutch Roll which exceeded the angle-of-bank limits prescribed by the company.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 707-123 in Calverton: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1959 at 1642 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 707
Operator:
Registration:
N7514A
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Calverton - Calverton
MSN:
17641
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
AA514
Location:
Calverton
New York
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
18000
Captain / Total hours on type:
210.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
22498
Copilot / Total hours on type:
9
Aircraft flight hours:
736
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Calverton-Peconic River Airport, Long Island, New York. While approaching runway 23 at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the airplane yawed to the right, stalled and crashed in a field located three miles from the airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all five crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The Board determines the probable cause of this accident was the crew's failure to recognize and correct the development of excessive yaw which caused an unintentional rolling maneuver at an altitude too low to permit complete recovery.
Final Report:
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