61 Years ago today: On 1 March 1962 an American Airlines Boeing 707 lost control and crashed into Jamaica Bay off New York, killing all 95 occupants.
| Date: | Thursday 1 March 1962 |
| Time: | 10:08:49 |
| Type: | Boeing 707-123B |
| Operator: | American Airlines |
| Registration: | N7506A |
| MSN: | 17633/12 |
| First flight: | 1959 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 8147 |
| Engines: | 4 Pratt & Whitney JT3D-1-MC6 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 87 / Occupants: 87 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 95 / Occupants: 95 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Jamaica Bay, NY ( |
| Phase: | Initial climb (ICL) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY (IDL/KIDL), United States of America |
| Destination airport: | Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX), United States of America |
| Flightnumber: | AA1 |
Narrative:
The American Airlines Boeing 707, named “Flagship District of Columbia”, was cleared for takeoff at 10:05 on a scheduled domestic non-stop IFR flight to Los Angeles, California. The aircraft carried out what appeared to be a normal takeoff, and lift-off was at 10:07 hours about 5000 ft down runway 31L. At 10:07:37 the aircraft started a gentle turn to the left approximately 8000 ft down the runway, at an altitude of 100 ft, and was established on a heading of 290° at 10:07:42. Straightening out from the turn, the aircraft continued to climb for several seconds on a heading of 290° and started a second turn to the left as instructed by Departure Control. These manoeuvres were in accordance with the noise abatement procedures then in effect for taking-off from runway 31L. Having started the second turn, the angle of bank increased until the aircraft rolled through 90° of bank at a peak altitude of about 1600 ft msl . It then entered an inverted, nose-low attitude and plunged earthward in a nearly vertical dive. It struck the earth in the shallow waters of Pumpkin Patch Channel of Jamaica Bay during low tide. Impact was at an angle of approximately 78° nose down on a magnetic heading of 300°. Fire broke out a few minutes later.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: “A rudder control system malfunction, producing yaw, sideslip, and roll leading to a loss of control from which recovery action was not effective.”
