Date & Time:
Jan 6, 1960 at 0238 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-6
Operator:
Registration:
N8225H
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
New York – Miami
MSN:
43742
YOM:
1952
Flight number:
NA2511
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
29
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
34
Captain / Total hours on type:
8234
Copilot / Total hours on type:
723
Aircraft flight hours:
24836
Circumstances:
Flight 2511 departed New York International (Idlewild) Airport at 2334LT on January 5 on an IFR clearance scheduled as a nonstop flight to Miami, Florida. The flight proceeded routinely in accordance with its flight plan until shortly after passing Wilmington, North Carolina. At 0231 Flight 2511 contacted the company radio station at Wilmington while over Carolina Beach at 18,000 feet, and transmitted a routine progress report. Shortly after the completion of this radio contact a dynamite explosion occurred in the passenger cabin. Following this explosion the aircraft entered a wide descending right turn and crashed 1-1/2 miles north-west of Bolivia at 0238 some 16 miles west of its intended flight path. All 29 passengers and the crew of five were killed. It is believed that Julian Frank was the author of this act of sabotage after he contracted a life-insurance for one million US$. But this assumption was not confirmed as he was himself seating in the aircraft when the explosion occurred.
No reference is made in this report concerning the placing of the dynamite aboard the aircraft or of the person or persons responsible for its detonation. The malicious destruction of an aircraft is a Federal crime. After the Board's determination that such was involved, the criminal aspects of this accident were referred to the Department of Justice through its Federal Bureau of Investigation
No reference is made in this report concerning the placing of the dynamite aboard the aircraft or of the person or persons responsible for its detonation. The malicious destruction of an aircraft is a Federal crime. After the Board's determination that such was involved, the criminal aspects of this accident were referred to the Department of Justice through its Federal Bureau of Investigation
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the detonation dynamite within the passenger cabin.
Final Report:
N8225H.pdf949.05 KB
