Los Angeles

Flight One was cleared for takeoff from Runway 31L on a regularly scheduled nonstop flight to Los Angeles, California, and became airborne at 1007 e.s.t. The takeoff and initial climb appeared to be normal and a gentle turn to the left was started about 8,000 feet down the runway near taxiway AA, at an altitude of about 100 feet. Straightening out from this turn the aircraft continued to climb for several seconds on a magnetic heading of 290 degrees, and started a second turn to the left, apparently in compliance with radar vector directions given by Departure Control. In the second turn the airplane continued to climb. After initiation of the second turn the angle of bank increased until the airplane rolled through 90 degrees of bank at a peak altitude of about 1,600 feet m.s.1. It then entered an inverted, nose-low attitude and plunged earthward in a nearly vertical dive. The airplane struck the shallow waters of Pumpkin Patch Channel of Jamaica Bay approximately three miles southwest of the Idlewild Control Tower at 1008:49 Floating debris and fuel ignited a few minutes later and burned fiercely. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and there were no survivors among the 95 occupants.

United Airlines Flight 736 departed Los Angeles International Airport at 0737 hours Pacific standard time with 42 passengers and 5 crew aboard. It was a scheduled passenger flight to New York, which was proceeding normally in accordance with an IFR flight plan along Victor Airway 16 to Ontario, California, and Victor Airway 8 to Denver. The aircraft was cleared to a cruising altitude of 21 000 ft msl and advised to climb in VFR weather conditions. At 0735 the flight reported to Aeronautical Radio that it was over Ontario at 12 000 ft and was climbing in VFR conditions. Then at 081 1 it reported over Daggett at its cruising altitude of 21 000 ft and estimated that it would reach Las Vegas (omni range station) at 0831, This was the last position report made by the flight. At approximately 0745 hours that morning F-100F, 56-3755, took off from Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nevada on an instrument training flight carrying an instructor and a trainee pilot. The flight was in accordance with a VFR local flight plan filed with Nellis Operations and the local traffic control tower. At approximately 0823, 755 called Nellis VFR Control and reported that it was "inbound on KRAM" ( a local commercial radio broadcast station). The flight requested an altitude assignment from which it would conduct a simulated ADF instrument jet penetration utilizing KRAM. The VFR controller assigned 755, 28 000 ft and advised it to report over the radio station. At approximately 0828, the flight reported that it was over KRAM requesting a penetration. The VFR controller cleared it for an immediate penetration and requested that it report the penetration turn. 755 then reported leaving 28 000 ft. There were no &her reports from the flight in connection with this procedure. At 0830 the offices of Aeronautical Radio at Los Angeles, Denver and Salt Lake City heard an emergency message from the United flight.. . . . " United 736, Mayday, midair collision, over Las Vegas. " At the same time, as nearly as can be determined, there was an unrecorded emergency transmission from the F-1 00F. This message was heard by the VFR controller and by the two pilots of another F-100F. All were agreed that the first portion of the emergency transmission was "Mayday, Mayday, this is 755. " The last part of the message was either, "We've had a flameout" or 'We're bailing out." The aircraft collided at 21 000 ft over a position later determined to be about 9 miles southwest of the Las Vegas VOR station, on Victor Airway 8, approximately 1-3/4 miles to the right (southeast) of the centerline. Both aircraft fell out of control and crashed killing the 47 persons on board the DC-7 and both pilots of the F-100F.

Trans World Airlines Flight 163 is a regularly scheduled domestic operation between Kansas City, Missouri, and Los Angeles, California, with intermediate stops at Topeka and Wichita, Kansas; Amarillo, Texas; Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Las Vegas, Nevada. A scheduled crew change is made at Albuquerque. There, on November 15, 1956. Captain Arthur G. deFabry, First Officer James P. Rapattoni, and Hostess Anne J. Zeman boarded Flight 163 as its crew to complete the remaining segments. The flight was routine to Las Vegas where it landed at 1440. During the short ground time at Las Vegas the aircraft was serviced and the crew performed routine duties for continuation of the flight to Los Angeles. There was no apparent need for maintenance on the aircraft and none was performed. An Instrument Flight Rules flight plan was prepared and filed because of instrument weather conditions over the latter portion of the flight segment to Los Angeles. Weather conditions at Las Vegas, however, were clear. At 1449 Captain deFabry, seated in the captain’s position, taxied N 40404 from the Las Vegas terminal to runup position beside runway 7 where the required pretakeoff checks were accomplished. The aircraft and equipment responded normally. The flight was issued an instrument clearance by Air Route Traffic Control. At this time, according to the company load manifest, the gross weight of the aircraft was 41.801 pounds, well under the maximum allowable for takeoff, 43,650 pounds. The load was properly distributed with respect to the center of gravity limitations of the aircraft. With Captain deFabry operating the aircraft, Flight 163 took off at 1456. The takeoff was routine and was followed by a climbing left turn to gain altitude and establish a southwesterly course toward Los Angeles. At 1501, when over the northern perimeter of the city, First Officer Rapattoni radioed the Las Vegas tower stating the flight was returning to the airport, engine out. The Las Vegas tower controllers immediately notified all other traffic to remain clear and alerted emergency equipment. Flight 163 was cleared to land, any runway, and informed that the wind was calm. Captain deFabry elected to use runway 7 and First Officer Rapattoni notified the tower. Emergency equipment was then dispatched into position on the taxiway parallel to that runway. N40404 was soon observed on a wide base leg for runway 7 and as it turned onto the final approach. Position and altitude of the flight seemed normal. As the aircraft drew closer its extended gear could be seen and its left propeller was clearly visible, stopped and feathered. As the aircraft passed over the runway threshold its alignment position, and altitude seemed good; however, to nearly all observers excessive speed was apparent. The aircraft floated a considerable distance down the runway before touching it. It then bounced several times, after which an application of power was heard, obviously :m an attempt to go around. The Martin climbed, veered to the left, and its left wing gradually lowered. It seemed to “struggle” to continue flight and its airspeed decreased visibly. Seconds later the aircraft struck the ground, left wing low, just inside the airport boundary. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were clear, visibility 65 miles, and the wind was calm. A large cloud of dust, raised by the accident, hung over the scene and gradually lifted nearly vertically in evidence of the calm wind.

United Air Lines Flight 718 was regularly scheduled from Los Angeles to Chicago, Illinois. On June 30, 1956, it took off from runway 25L (left) of the Los Angeles International Airport at 0904 (three minutes after TWA 2). Flight 718 was on an IFR flight plan to Chicago via Green Airway 5 Palm Springs inter-section, direct Needles, direct Painted Desert, direct Durango, direct Pueblo, direct St. Joseph. Victor Airway 116 Joliet, Victor Airway 84 Chicago Midway Airport. The flight plan proposed a .JPG"> airspeed of 288 knots., a cruising altitude of 21,000 feet, and a departure time of 0845. The flight crew consisted of Captain Robert F. Shirley, First Officer Robert W. Harms, Flight Engineer Gerard Flore, and Stewardesses Nancy L. Kemnitz and Margaret A. Shoudt. Flight preparations and dispatch of United 718 were routine and the aircraft departed with 3,850 gallons of fuel. The company load manifest showed the gross weight of the aircraft at takeoff to be 105,835 pounds, which was less than the maximum allowable of 114,060 pounds; the latter weight was restricted from a maximum of 122,200 pounds for the aircraft because of a landing limitation at Chicago. The load was properly distributed with respect to the center of gravity limitations of the aircraft. After takeoff the flight contacted the Los Angeles tower radar controller, who vectored it through the overcast over the same departure course as TWA 2. United 718 reported "on top" and changed to Los Angeles Center frequency for its en route clearance. This corresponded to the flight plan as filed; however, the controller specified that the climb to assigned altitude be in VER conditions. Flight 718 made position reports to Aeronautical Radio, Inc., which serves under contract as United company radio. It reported passing over Riverside and later over Palm Springs intersection. The latter report indicated that United 718 was still climbing to 21,000 and estimated it would reach Needles at 1000 and the Painted Desert at 1034. At approximately 0958 United 718 made a position report to the CAA communications station located at Needles. This report stated that the flight was over Needles at 0958, at 21,000 feet, and estimated the Painted Desert at 1031, with Durango next. At 1031 an unidentified radio transmission was heard by Aeronautical Radio communicators at Salt Lake City and San Francisco. They were not able to understand the message when it was received but it was later determined by playing back the recorded transmission that the message was from United 718. Context was interpreted as: "Salt Lake, United 718 . . . ah . . . we're going in."

On June 30, 1956, at 0901, Trans World Airlines Flight 2, a regularly scheduled passenger service, took off from runway 25 of the Los Angeles Inter-national Airport. Flight 2 was on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan from Los Angeles, California, to Kansas City, Missouri, via Green Airway 5, Amber Airway 2, Daggett direct Trinidad, direct Dodge City, Victor Airway 10 Kansas City. The flight plan also proposed a cruising altitude of 19,000 feet, a .JPG"> airspeed of 270 knots, and a departure time of 0830. The Trans World flight crew consisted of Captain Jack S. Gandy, Copilot James H. Ritner, Flight Engineer Forrest D. Breyfogle, night Engineer Harry H. Allen (aboard as an additional crew member), and Hostesses Tracine E. Armbruster and Beth E. Davis. Preparations for Flight 2 were routine except that departure was delayed a few minutes by minor maintenance on the aircraft. The flight was dispatched with 3,300 gallons of fuel and the load manifest showed the gross weight of the aircraft at takeoff was 108,115 pounds, well, under the maximum allowable of 113,200 pounds. The load was properly distributed with respect to center of gravity limitations of the aircraft. As requested. the flight, after takeoff, contacted the Los Angeles tower radar departure controller, and was vectored through an overcast which existed in the Los Angeles area. After reporting "on top" (2,400 feet) the flight switched to Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center (referred to as Los Angeles Center) frequency, 118.9 mcs., for its en route clearance. This clearance specified the routing as filed in the flight plan, however, the controller specified that the flight climb to 19,000 feet in VFR conditions. Immediately thereafter TWA 2 asked for a routing change to Daggett via Victor Airway 210. This was approved in a routine manner. At 0921, through company radio communications, Flight 2 reported that it was approaching Daggett and requested a change in flight plan altitude assignment from 19,000 to 21,000 feet. ARTC (Los Angeles Center) advised they were unable to approve the requested altitude because of traffic (United Air Lines Flight 718). Flight 2 requested a clearance of 1,000 feet on top. Ascertaining from the radio operator that the flight was then at least 1,000 on top, ARTC cleared the flight. At 0959 Trans World 2 reported its position through company radio at Las Vegas. It reported that it had passed Lake Mohave at 0955, was 1,000 on top at 21,000 feet, and estimated it would reach the 321-degree radial of the Winslow omni range station (Painted Desert) at 1031 with Farmington next. This was the last radio communication with the flight.

The airplane was cleared by the tower at 1723 for takeoff on Runway 25R, for a local VFR flight. On takeoff run at 1725, just when becoming airborne, and near the intersection of Runway 25R with Runway 22-4, it appeared that control of the aircraft had been lost. The right wing dropped and shortly struck the ground. The aircraft was then 15-20 feet high and the right wing remained down and the tail rose. It then veered to the right of the runway cartwheeled over its nose, and came to rest upside down. Fire broke out a few seconds later in the forward portion of the fuselage. Captain Johnson received minor injuries, Copilot Williams was seriously burned, and Company Chief Inspector Stromisky, sitting in the jump seat, was killed. Tower personnel had alerted emergency equipment when the aircraft first appeared to be in trouble, and fire apparatus arrived at the scene within a few minutes and extinguished the fire. The gross weight of the aircraft at the time of takeoff was 21,203 pounds, well below the prescribed maximum of 25,346 pounds, which was distributed within the approved C. G. limits. Weather at the time and place was good, with unlimited ceiling and visibility and a southwest wind at 10 mph.

On final approach to Mexico City Airport, the four engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the Texcoco Lagoon, few km short of runway. All 42 occupants were rescued but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The twin engine aircraft was en route from Los Angeles to Burbank with two pilots and one passenger. It was scheduled to make a stop in Burbank to pick up passengers before continuing to San Diego. As the crew did not receive the permission to start the descent to Burbank-Hollywood Airport, he stacked in a holding pattern southwest of Santa Clarita when the aircraft hit the Mt Rocky Peak. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed. The airplane was owned by the American Aviator Jacqueline Cochran who was not on board at the time of the accident.

The crew performed their “before takeoff check", found all components of the aircraft to operate normally, and then, at 0329, rolled onto the runway for takeoff. From the tower, the aircraft appeared to accelerate slowly and to take an excessively long period of time to become airborne. The pilots stated that the engines operated normally, developing 45-inch hg. of manifold pressure and 2700 RPH (revolutions per minute), but air speed increased slowly. Between 90 and 100 miles per hour, and just before the end of the runway was reached, the aircraft was pulled off the runway by Captain Robins as he applied back pressure on the control column. After take-off, the highest air speed attained was between 100 and 105 miles per hour. The landing gear, control was placed in the “up” position,when the flight became airborne, and a climb was made to about 100 feet. During the climb, the aircraft shuddered severely. Altitude was lost, and the aircraft struck an obstruction light on the top of a 40-foot electric light pole which was 1,910 feet south of the end of the runway. The aircraft struck three more pole, then touched ground and skidded for 350 feet. It came to a full stop 2,791 feet from the south end, and in line Runway 17. The crash landing was made in an alley way of a residential district located between Stapleton Air Field and the Lowry Air Force Base, which is located 1-1/4 miles south of Stapleton. In addition to striking the electric light poles, the aircraft knocked down several fences, a small tool shed, and collided into two parked automobiles. Crash and fire equipment which was dispatched from both the Stapleton and Lowry Airports and the city of Denver arrived promptly. Partly as a result of their precautionary action, no fire occurred.

After touchdown, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest in flames. There were no casualties but the aircraft was destroyed.