Date & Time:
Nov 23, 1962 at 1224 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viscount
Operator:
Registration:
N7430
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Newark – Washington DC
MSN:
128
YOM:
1956
Flight number:
UA297
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
13
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
17
Captain / Total hours on type:
5263
Aircraft flight hours:
18809
Circumstances:
United Air Lines Flight 297, a Vickers-Armstrong Viscount Model 745D, N7430, crashed in a wooded area six miles west-southwest of Ellicott City, Maryland, at approximately 1224 e.s.t., on November 23, 1962. All thirteen Passengers and a crew of four were fatally injured. Flight 297 was en route from Newark, New Jersey to Washington, D. C. The flight was operating at an assigned altitude of' 6,000 feet when it apparently penetrated a flock of Whistling Swans. At least two of these a were struck by the aircraft. One swan collided with the right horizontal stabilizer inflicting superficial damage only. The other bird punctured the left horizontal stabilizer, traveled through the structure, and dented the elevator as it egresses. The weakened structure failed in this area. rendered the aircraft uncontrollable, and resulted in, the aircraft striking the ground in a nose-low inverted attitude.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was a loss of control following separation of the left horizontal stabilizer which had been weakened by a collision with a Whistling Swan.
Final Report:
N7430.pdf1016.62 KB
