Douglas DC-7 - Accidents and Incidents

Accidents and Incidents

• June 30, 1956: A United Airlines DC-7 and a TWA L-1049 Super Constellation collided over the Grand Canyon in Arizona, resulting in the deaths of 128 people on both aircraft.
• January 31, 1957: A DC-7 crashed into a school yard in the Pacoima area of Los Angeles, California, following a midair collision with a two-man Northrop F-89J Scorpion jet fighter, resulting in the deaths of the four crewmembers aboard the DC-7, the pilot of the Scorpion jet, and three students on the ground.
• March 25, 1958: A Braniff Airlines DC-7C crashed shortly after takoff from Miami while attempting to return after an engine caught fire. Nine passengers out of 24 people aboard died in the accident.
• April 21, 1958: A United Airlines DC-7 en route from Los Angeles to Denver collided with a USAF North American F-100 Super Sabre fighter near Las Vegas. Both aircraft crashed out of control resulting in the deaths of 49 people.
• May 18, 1958: A Sabena DC-7 crashed near Casablanca Airport during an emergency landing. All nine crewmembers and 52 of the 56 passengers were killed.
• September 24, 1959: A Transports Aériens Intercontinentaux (TAI) DC-7 crashed at Bordeaux airport with the loss of 54 lives. After takeoff, the aircraft failed to gain altitude and collided with trees three km from the start of the takeoff.
• November 16, 1959: National Airlines Flight 967 on a flight from Tampa, Florida to New Orleans crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. All 42 occupants perished. Although sabotage was suspected, no definite cause of the crash was determined.
• February 26, 1960: An Alitalia DC-7C crashed at Shannon Airport, Ireland, shortly after takeoff with 34 fatalities out of 52 passengers and crew. No cause was established for this accident.
• November 1, 1961: A Panair do Brasil DC-7C flying from Sal to Recife crashed into a hill about 2.7 km short of the runway at Recife. Forty-five passengers and crew out of the 88 persons aboard lost their lives. The accident was attributed to pilot error.
• March 6, 1962: Caledonian Airways Flight 153 crashed into a swamp shortly after takeoff from Douala International Airport, killing all 111 people on board. It is the worst single-aircraft accident of a DC-7.
• November 30, 1962: An Eastern Airlines DC-7B on a flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, to New York-Idlewild crashed after a missed approach due to fog. This accident, which cost 25 lives (out of 51 onboard), was attributed to improper crew procedures.
• June 3, 1963: Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 293, a Military Air Transport Service flight from McChord Air Force Base in Washington state to Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Annette Island, Alaska, with the loss of all 101 people aboard. No cause was established for this accident.
• February 8, 1965: Eastern Air Lines Flight 663 crashed a few minutes after takeoff from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York after taking evasive action to avoid a possible collision with another airliner. All 84 passengers and crew died.
• December 31, 1972: Major League baseball player Roberto Clemente, traveling to Nicaragua for an earthquake relief effort, died after the DC-7 aircraft he was aboard crashed after takeoff off the coast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. All five people on the plane were killed in the crash.
• June 21, 1973: About six minutes after takeoff from Miami International Airport, a Skyways International DC-7C crashed, apparently caused by an onboard fire and/or severe turbulence. Three crew members, the sole occupants, were killed.
• September 14, 1979: A Butler Aircraft Inc. DC-7 transporting company employees to Medford, Oregon crashed on the crest of Surveyor Mountain near Klamath Falls, Oregon. The cause of the accident which claimed the 12 occupants aboard, was attributed to the crew's decision to undertake a night flight at low altitude.