United States of America

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.

The four engine aircraft left Dover AFB runway 32 at 0828LT on a local training flight. Fifteen minutes later, while cruising at a relative low altitude of 2,000 feet, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in flames in a dense wooded area located near Ellendale. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Raymond R. Bern, pilot,
1st Lt Herbert T. Palisch, copilot,
T/Sgts Marvin A. Aust, flight engineer,
T/Sgt Edward L. McKinley Jr., flight engineer.

Crashed in unknown circumstances at McChord AFB while completing touch-and-go maneuvers. All three crew members were killed, among them T/Sgt Roy Edwin Craft.

At 2306, four minutes after takeoff, the flight, pursuant to clearance instructions, reported to Flight tower that it was at 3,600 feet and was departing the Flint outer marker. At this time the tower requested the estimated time of arrive at Tri-City and was advised that it was 2315. Flight 67 was then given the following clearance: "ARTC (Air Route Traffic Control) clears Capital 67 to hold north of the Saginaw omni range, one minute pattern, right turn, maintain 3,600 feet. Expect further clearance 2320, change to company frequency for this clearance." This clearance was acknowledged and, as per instructions, the frequency was changed to that of the company at Detroit. At 2310, Capital at Detroit relayed the following clearance to the flight: "ARTC clears Flight 67 for approach at Saginaw (Tri-City) Airport. Report time on the ground to Saginaw radio." These instructions were verified. The flight then called Saginaw ATCS (Air Traffic Communication Station) and was given the local 2300 weather observation and the runway in use, No. 5. The Tri-City Airport does not have a traffic control tower. The 2300 Saginaw weather was reported as: Measured ceiling 900 feet, overcast, visibility 3 miles, light snow showers, temperature 34; dewpoint 33; wind north-northeast 18, peak gusts to 27 knots; altimeter 29.48, comments--drizzle ended and snow showers began at 2225. At 2316 Trip 67 advised Saginaw radio that it was over the airport. A short time later, ground witnesses observed the lights of the aircraft when it was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. The aircraft was seen to make a left turn onto base leg and at this time the landing lights of the aircraft were observed to come on. During this portion of the approach the aircraft was flying beneath the overcast, estimated to be 900 feet, and appeared to be descending. When turning on final, Trip 67 flew a short distance beyond the extended centerline of the runway and the turf was seen to steepen for realignment with the runway. Soon after this the aircraft was observed to level off and then to descend steeply and strike the ground. A large fire immediately erupted. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 47 occupants have been killed.

En route from Sheppard AFB to Carswell AFB, while cruising at an altitude of 6,000 feet in poor weather conditions, the aircraft collided with a USAF Douglas C-124 Globemaster II. Registered 52-0981, the C-124 was en route from Kelly AFB to Tinker AFB with 15 people on board. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field located near Bridgeport. All 18 occupants on both aircraft were killed.

En route from Kelly AFB to Tinker AFB, while cruising at an altitude of 6,000 feet in poor weather conditions, the four engine aircraft collided with a USAF Fairchild C-119C-17-FA Flying Boxcar. Registered 49-0195, the Flying Boxcar was en route from Sheppard AFB to Carswell AFB with a crew of three on board. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field located near Bridgeport. All 18 occupants on both aircraft were killed.

Braniff International Flight 971 was originally scheduled to depart New York, New York, for Miami, Florida, on March 23, 1958, at 2355 but this leg of the flight was not made owing to shortage of equipment and scheduling difficulties on that date. N 5904 was ferried from Dallas, Texas, to Miami, arriving at 1915 on March 24 for use as Flight 971. The aircraft was serviced and made reedy for the trip to Panama City, Panama, the first scheduled stop on the route to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The crew consisted of Captain Thomas D. George, First Officer John C. Winthrop, Jr., Second Officer Charles F. Fink, Steward Alberto Zapatero, and Stewardess Madelon Campion. The flight departed the Miami terminal at 2356, taxied to runway 27R where engine runup was made, after which a normal takeoff was accomplished. Shortly after takeoff, and in accordance with tower clearance, a climbing right turn was started. During the turn the No. 3 engine malfunctioned and a fire developed in that area. The airplane, still in a right turn, started to lose altitude rapidly. While traveling in a north-northeasterly direction it struck in an open marsh containing scattered trees and underbrush. Rescue operations were immediately initiated but were seriously hampered by heavy ground traffic of sightseers attracted to the area. Several of the passengers and crew members were airlifted by U. S. Coast Guard helicopters direct to hospital grounds in Miami and the others were removed to nearby ambulances and taken to hospitals.

The crew departed McClellan AFB on a topographic and geographical mission off the Californian coast. Shortly after takeoff from runway 16, while climbing to an altitude of 500 feet, the engine number two caught fire. The crew obtained the authorization to return for an emergency landing and the captain completed a 180 turn to intercept the glide. Doing so, the airplane lost 200 feet while flying over a populated area and the speed dropped to 120 knots. On final, the captain told his colleagues he was unable to reach the airport so he attempted an emergency landing in an open field located 1,5 mile short of runway 16. On touchdown, the airplane slid for several yards, lost its right wing and came to rest in flames. All 18 occupants were injured, five of them seriously, and the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

The flight had made routine position reports from its assigned altitude of 11,000 feet until passing over Winslow, Arizona. Shortly after the last routine report at 11,000 feet a higher altitude was requested of Air Traffic Control because of encountering icing conditions. The request was granted and the aircraft reported, five minutes later, being at 13,000 feet between cloud layers. The last report was over Zuni, New Mexico, estimating Grants at 0249, 19 minutes later. Ten minutes after this report a ground explosion at an elevation of 7,200 feet m. s. 1. was observed by another flight and by ground witnesses. The wreckage of N300E was found in the area of the witnessed explosion. The right engine master rod bearing had failed in flight and the right propeller was feathered; however, complete loss of control followed and the aircraft struck the ground in a very steep angle of descent. As far as can be determined, there was no failure of the aircraft structure or controls prior to ground impact. The aircraft had anti-icing equipment installed and the pilots were experienced in Lodestar operation. There is evidence of the aircraft being considerably over its maximum allowable weight at departure and it is believed that the comparatively sudden failure of an engine at 13,000 feet created a situation, made more critical by virtue of the then existing weight, in which the pilot was unable to maintain control of the aircraft. All four occupants were killed, among them the American film producer Mike Todd, husband of Elizabeth Taylor, who was flying with his scenarist Art Cohn. The twin engine airplane was christened 'The Liz'.

On final approach to Melbourne Airport, the aircraft was too low, causing an undercarriage to struck a gravel pile located short of runway threshold. The crew continued the approach and at touchdown, the undercarriage collapsed. The airplane sank on its belly and slid for several yards before coming to rest in flames. All ten occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.