Date & Time:
Sep 8, 1974 at 1140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 707
Operator:
Registration:
N8734
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Tel Aviv - Athens - Rome - New York
MSN:
20063/789
YOM:
1969
Flight number:
TW841
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
9
Pax on board:
79
Pax fatalities:
79
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
88
Captain / Total hours on type:
7280
Copilot / Total hours on type:
5311
Aircraft flight hours:
21733
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane departed Athens-Ellinikon Airport at 1112LT on a flight to Rome, last leg before the transatlantic flight to New York. While cruising at an altitude of 28,000 feet, the airplane went out of control, entered a steep dive and crashed into the Ionian Sea bout 80 km west of Kefalonia Island, Greece. Some debris were found floating on water and no survivor was found among the 88 occupants.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the detonation of an explosive device in the aft cargo compartment buckled and damaged the cabin floor in such a manner that one or more of the elevator and rudder system control cables was stretched and, perhaps, broken. The resultant displacement of control surfaces caused a violent pitch up and yaw and made the aircraft uncontrollable.
Final Report:
N8734.pdf1.56 MB
