New York-JFK

During the takeoff roll on runway 01R at San Francisco Airport, after the V1 speed was reach, the crew noticed vibrations while the aircraft started to slow down. The captain decided to abort the takeoff but unable to stop within the remaining runway, the airplane overran, lost its nose gear and engine n°2 before coming to rest in the San Francisco Bay, broken in two. All three crew members were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

While cruising by night on a mail flight from Syracuse to New York, the crew encountered technical problems with an engine. It was decided to jettison the cargo as the crew was unable to maintain a safe altitude. Eventually, the airplane struck trees then crashed in Milford, New York. Both crew were injured, one seriously, and the aircraft was destroyed.

Alitalia Flight 618 departed Rome at 10:22 local time for a non-stop flight to New York. The en route and descent were normal. After having descended to 6000 feet, the crew listed to the ATIS: "The seventeen hundred zulu weather Kennedy six hundred scattered measured ceiling eight hundred overcast four miles fog the winds are two one zero degrees at three and the altimeter three zero one five temperature seventy three expect ILS four right approach landing runway four right. Notice to Airmen glide slope out of service.". About this point in the flight, the first officer, at the request of the captain, took over the flight controls. He disengaged the autopilot and proceeded to comply with the various vectors provided by the approach controller. At 13:07 the controller instructed the flight to increase airspeed from 210 knots to 250 knots. Five minutes later the flight was instructed to reduce the speed to 200 knots. At 13:18:05, the flight was advised, "Alitalia six eighteen you’re three and a half from the marker, turn right zero two zero, cleared ILS four right approach." The DC-8 broke through the clouds at about 600 feet. The runway was in sight, but the plane appeared to be high and slightly on the right. The captain decided to perform a steep approach and took over the controls. He put the four engines at idle-reverse, then selected reverse thrust on Nos. 2 and 3 engines, deciding to select forward thrust when on the proper slope. too busy in rotating the aircraft, the captain could not leave the controls to regain forward thrust. The plane touched down very hard started to yaw to the left. It ground looped and came to rest with the fuselage split open aft of the wing and three out of four engines separated.

Approximately 1,500 feet from the initiation of the takeoff roll, the aircraft was observed rotating to an excessively nose-high attitude. The aircraft became airborne about 2,800 feet down the runway after which it continued to rotate slowly upward to an attitude estimated to be between 60° and 90° above the horizontal, at an altitude estimated to be between 300 and 500 feet above the ground. The aircraft rolled about 20° to the right, rolled back to the left until it reached approximately a vertical angle of bank, and then fell to the ground in that attitude. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post impact fire. All 11 crew members, the only occupants of the aircraft, died in the accident.

At approximately 10:48 a.m. eastern daylight time on July 2, 1970, Short Brothers & Harland, Ltd., Skyvan Series 3, N21CK, operated by Jetco Aviation, Inc., Washington, D. C., as air taxi cargo flight, Flight 106, crashed during an approach to Washington National Airport. The aircraft was demolished but did not burn. Both cremnembers received fatal injuries. There were no passengers. According to witnesses, the aircraft was first visible to them, through fog and haze, when it was 700 to 800 feet above and about one-half mile out from the threshold of Runway 15. Shortly after the aircraft came into view of the witnesses, it nosed down and rolled left until the wings were nearly vertical. The nose-down angle steepened progressively until it reached 45° or more. The aircraft struck the water of Roaches Run in this attitude, cartwheeled onto the right wingtip and sank in water 12 to 15 feet deep about 1,800 feet north of the threshold of Runway 15. Both pilots were killed.

Pilgrim Flight 203 departed from Groton about 16:21, approximately 15 minutes behind schedule primarily because of ground delays encountered on previous flights which used the aircraft. Shortly after takeoff, Flight 203 reported on course and was instructed to contact the New York Center. Communications were established at 16:27 and the Center cleared the flight to Deer Park via its flight plan route to cross Saybrook at 4,000 feet, and then to climb and maintain 6,000 feet. At 16:33, the New York Center controller recleared the flight to Deer Park, to climb to 9,000 feet, and issued it holding instructions at Deer Park. About 2 minutes later, the controller advised that 7,000 feet was open for the flight, with the possibility of no holding, and he cleared it back to 7,000 feet. The flight reported at 7,000 immediately thereafter. About 16:36, the controller told Pilgrim 203 that if holding were necessary, its expected approach clearance time was 17.06. At 16:47 the crew contacted Kennedy Approach Control and they reported holding at Deer Park at 7,000 feet. About this time, the weather conditions at the Kennedy Airport deteriorated, and some flights which were then making instrument approaches to runway 13L began missing their approaches. Because of this, instrument approaches were changed to runway 22R, which had a better RVR. At 16:55, in connection with the runway change, Pilgrim 203 was recleared to hold in the Medford holding pattern. At 1709, Pilgrim 203 was given an expected approach clearance time of 17:46, which the flight acknowledged. At 17:39, the Kennedy approach controller cleared Pilgrim Flight 203 to descend to 6,000 feet. At 17:42, the crew of Pilgrim 203 radioed: "Pilgrim 203 request New Haven if we can get there, expedite." At 17:48, the flight was cleared to descend to 4,000 feet, and at 1750, it was cleared to Pond Point, which is the final approach fix from which VOR instrument approaches are made to New Haven-Tweed Airport. During the next minute, Pilgrim Flight 203 contacted Westchester Approach Control and asked for the latest Tweed weather. It was advised that the weather was: Scattered clouds 200 feet, estimated ceiling 500 feet broken, 700 feet overcast; visibility 2 miles, rain and fog; altimeter 29.46: wind variable 120° to 040° at 15 knots with gusts to 25 knots. At 17:53, the Westchester approach controller instructed Flight 203, "Upon reaching Pond Point hold southwest on the 205 radial, right turns, EAC 1815." Two minutes later the controller checked the position of the flight and, finding it was suitable for descent, cleared the flight to descend to 3,000 feet. At 17:57, the flight reported at Pond Point and asked if holding were still necessary. The controller advised that it was and repeated the holding instruction. At 18:12, the Westchester approach controller called Flight 203 and advised that, based on a report from the Cessna pilot who just landed, the airport was below minimums. He advised the weather was: Aircraft ceiling 200 feet broken, 500 feet, overcast: visibility 2 miles. He then asked the pilot his intentions. About 18:13, after asking for and being given the Bridgeport weather, which was lower than New Haven, the flight advised it would make the approach. The flight was cleared for the approach and instructed to contact New Haven Tower. This was done, and, at 1814, the flight advised New Haven it was inbound from Pond Point. The controller acknowledged, cleared the flight to land, and repeated the surface wind as variable 120° to 060°, 15 knots with gusts to 25 knots. Shortly before 18:17, Flight 203 reported to New Haven it had missed its approach. The tower controller immediately cleared the flight to the Madison VOR at 2,000 feet and instructed it to contact Westchester Approach Control. At 18:17, the flight asked for the Groton weather. The controller then gave the flight the Groton weather as: Measured ceiling 300 feet overcast; visibility 1-1/2 miles, moderate rain and fog; wind 100° at 15 knots, with gusts to 25 knots; altimeter 29.50. At 18:19, the crew told the controller, "Westchester, we’d like to ah get direct Groton right now." Within the same minute, the controller advised he was getting the clearance. The flight repeated that it had to get direct to Groton and the controller replied he had to coordinate (with New York Center). At 18:20, Flight 203 advised the Westchester controller, "Ah Westchester, 203 ah we got minimum fuel now, we gotta get to Groton." About 18:21, the controller cleared the flight to the Groton VOR via Victor Airway 126 and climb and maintain 3,000 feet. The flight reported it was level at 3,000 feet and asked to be cleared for an approach to Groton direct from Saybrook. The controller advised the flight to contact Quonset Approach Control. At 18:22, Flight 203 called Bradley FSS and advised it could not contact Quonset Approach Control, it was low on fuel, and wanted clearance for an instrument approach direct to Groton from Saybrook. On request, Quonset Approach Control gave this clearance to Bradley FSS and, at 18:23, the latter delivered it to the flight. About 18:24, the captain of Flight 203 called his company radio and said, "We’re coming home with this... pile of junk. We ain’t got any equipment working." He then asked to talk to the chief pilot. The captain asked initially for the Groton weather which was ceiling 300 feet, overcast; visibility 1-1/2 miles, rain and fog Later, he was advised that the ceiling had lowered to 200 feet. The captain said that Kennedy would not accept him because the aircraft transponder was not working. He said he was inbound to Groton on the 270 degree radial of the Groton VOR, flying about 100 feet above the water, and he could see the shoreline. Asked how much fuel he had remaining, the captain answered "none," and added, in essence, that fuel exhaustion could occur at anytime. Shortly thereafter, he radioed that he had lost one engine and was going to try to reach the shore. He then said he had just lost the other engine, could not make the shore, and was going into the water off Harkness Point. This was the last transmission from the aircraft.

As the crew was 12 minutes behind the schedule, he decided to start the takeoff procedure from an intersection and the departure was precipitated despite ATC warned the crew about the recent takeoff of a Boeing 707 from the same runway. Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the airplane became unstable then stalled and crashed. Both pilots and a passenger were killed while 11 other occupants were injured, some of them seriously.

Just after a night liftoff at New York-JFK Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed. The pilot was slightly injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Shortly after takeoff from Red Bank-Schrewsbury Airport, while climbing in foggy conditions, the left engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed in a field. All nine occupants were killed. They were on their way to New York-John Fitzgerald Kennedy Airport in this early morning flight.

The approach to Mexico City-Benito Juárez Airport was completed by night. In poor visibility, the pilot-in-command failed to realize his altitude was too low and led the aircraft pass below the glide until it struck the ground. At impact, the undercarriage were torn off and the airplane broke in two before coming to rest in the Texcoco dry lake. All 109 occupants were rescued, 28 of them were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.