Continental Airlines - Incidents and Accidents

Incidents and Accidents

The following were major incidents and accidents that have occurred on Continental Airlines mainline aircraft.

• March 16, 1954
  • Flight 46, on a flight from Midland, Texas to Kansas City, Missouri suffers vibration just after takeoff and goes into a dive; the flight crew managed to make a wheels-up landing in an open field.
• May 22, 1962
  • A passenger intent on claiming money from life insurance planted a bomb on the aircraft which departed Chicago-O’Hare, destined for Kansas City Municipal Airport. The bomb exploded, breaking off the aircraft's tail, and the plane crashed on a farm near Unionville, Missouri. All 45 on board died. This aircraft had previously been subject to an attempted hijacking to Cuba, although the hijackers were captured in El Paso, Texas.
• July 8, 1962
  • Damaged beyond economic repair when the propellers struck the runway shortly after take-off. A wheels-up landing was made in a wheat field.
• January 29, 1963
  • Flight 290 en route from Midland, Texas to Kansas City crashed on approach, near the south end of the runway and burst into flames.
• April 13, 1973
  • After bringing Bob and Audrey Six to their Colorado ranch, the Sabreliner crew departed MTJ, for the return flight to Los Angeles (LAX). The thrust reverser of the aircraft was deployed in flight shortly after takeoff. The Sabreliner descended from 1,000 feet (300 m), struck the ground, and was destroyed.
• August 15, 1975
  • Flight 426, bound for Wichita, Kansas, crashed near the departure end of runway shortly after takeoff. The aircraft encountered severe windshear at an altitude and airspeed which precluded recovery to level flight. The aircraft descended at a rate which could not be overcome even though the aircraft was flown at or near its maximum lift capability throughout the encounter. The windshear was generated by the outflow from a thunderstorm which was over the aircraft's departure path. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated. The aircraft was a total loss.
• March 1, 1978
  • Flight 603 was scheduled to Honolulu, HI from Los Angeles. At takeoff, the DC-10 overran the runway at Los Angeles (LAX) when the takeoff was aborted as a result of a tire explosion; the resulting overrun resulted in a fire that engulfed the aircraft. The aircraft was a total loss; two passengers died when they evacuated the aircraft directly into the fire.
• July 8, 1987
  • Near collision with a Delta Air Lines Lockheed L-1011. Both the Delta (London-Cincinnati) and Continental (London-Newark) were heading to the U.S. with nearly 600 people total on both aircraft. The Delta flight strayed 60 miles (97 km) off course during its flight and came within 30 feet (9.1 m) of colliding with the 747 as the L-1011 flew under it in Canadian airspace. It was nearly the deadliest aviation accident in history.
• November 15, 1987
  • Flight 1713 bound for Boise, Idaho crashed on take-off during a snowstorm at Stapleton International Airport in Denver, Colorado.
• February 19, 1996
  • Flight 1943 landed wheels up on runway 27 at the Houston Intercontinental Airport, Houston, Texas.
• July 25, 2000
  • The official investigation found Flight 55 caused the crash of Air France Concorde Flight 4590 in Paris. The Continental jet dropped a strip of titanium alloy from its thrust reverser on the runway during takeoff. When AF4590 subsequently departed, Concorde's left main landing gear tires struck the strip of metal and were punctured. The tires then exploded and tire rubber fragments penetrated Concorde's wing fuel tanks, starting fires in engines 1 and 2, leading to the crash which killed all aboard and four people on the ground. According to the official report on the accident, the strip of metal installed on the Continental jet was made from a different alloy than had been approved by the US Federal Aviation Administration or the engine manufacturer. This led French authorities to undertake a criminal investigation into Continental Airlines, which ended in Continental being fined 200,000 euros and ordered to pay 1 million euros to Air France.
• January 16, 2006
  • The mechanic's failure to maintain proper clearance with the engine intake during a jet engine run, and the failure of contract maintenance personnel to follow written procedures and directives contained in the airline's general maintenance manual. Factors contributing to the accident were the insufficient training provided to the contract mechanics by the airline, and the failure of the airport to disseminate a policy prohibiting ground engine runs above idle power in the terminal area.
• December 20, 2008
  • Flight 1404 bound for Houston, pulled left and ran off of the runway during its takeoff roll at Denver International Airport. The cause of the incident is unknown, however the right side of aircraft caught fire once coming to a stop. Of the 115 people on board, 38 sustained injuries, with 2 seriously injured, including the pilot.