[1]:14 The flight engineer was John R. Kantlehner of Long Island. Flight 1736, operated by Boeing 747-121 Clipper Victor, collided on the runway with KLM Flight 4805, also a Boeing 747, at Los Rodeos Airport due to errors of ATC and the KLM pilots, killing all 248 on board the KLM 747 and 335 of 396 on board the Pan Am 747 totaling out to 583 dead. Debris, pieces of the plane and oil were scattered through the field, in trees and on cars and houses. This briefing included a discussion of SIGMET No. On December 8, 1963, the Boeing 707 serving the flight crashed near Elkton, Maryland, while en route from Baltimore to Philadelphia, after being Then we went on and made the landing as though nothing had happened, said one passenger, D. E. Wilson, of Peekskill, N.Y., in the article. 3[4] relative to possible thunderstorm activity, and turbulence. Although the circumstances and facts of the accident were applied in the planning of the research program, its scope and intent was to provide information that could be applied industry-wide and thus was not aimed at any specific aircraft. Knuth landed his plane with the other plane still attached. One modification related specifically to volatile fuel vapors that can form inside of partly empty fuel tanks, which may be ignited by various potential ignition sources and cause an explosion. 896 interchange in Newark, Newark's spring concerts, beer gardens return next week, Residents protest proposal for 130 tiny homes near Robscott Manor, Newark's Hillside Park pond stocked with fish. The higher readings were obtained where bondings had been broken. I cant believe the possibility that a combination of circumstances caused a lightning bolt to break the airplane up, the scientist said. Seconds later, the first officer of National Airlines Flight 16, holding 1,000 feet (300m) higher in the same holding pattern, radioed, "Clipper 214 is going down in flames. The test conditions were: Fuel vent shutoff float valve removed from Nos. The ends of the fracture curled up and were moderately sooted. The Board participated in this program by providing a member on the Committee organized to advise in the program planning and execution as well as to evaluate the results. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. The aircraft was destroyed by explosion, impact and fire. Sincerely, Ron Heck. The Committee was informed currently on the investigative results and, conversely, persons responsible for the investigation were advised as information evolved from the research activities to the mutual benefit of all responsible parties. They also said that the plane would have had to dive a considerable distance before aerodynamic forces would have caused it to break up and explode, but the aircraft apparently had caught fire close to its cruising altitude of 5,000 feet. 32:15 minutes after takeoff abnormal excursions appear. The weather documentation and briefing furnished the crew at San Juan was satisfactory. Its certainly painful to relive some of it, but maybe its freeing at the same time, said Richard Sherman, who lost his father, Arnold, in the crash. In the days following, he slept at a relatives home on Delancy Road so he could stay close. Pan Am Flight 214 was a scheduled flight of Pan American World Airways from Isla Verde International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Friendship Airport in Baltimore and Philadelphia International Airport. Even more than 60 years later, the cause of that crash remains a mystery. Create a password that only you will remember. While searching for survivors about 1:30thatmorning he suddenly collapsed into the arms of Andrew Scarborough, another North East member, the News Journal reported. [22], Before this flight, lightning had not been known to cause a plane to crash, despite many instances of planes being struck. On December 8, 1963, the Boeing 707-121 serving the flight crashed near Elkton, Maryland, while flying from Baltimore to Philadelphia, after being hit by lightning. Pilot George F. Knuth, captain of Flight 214, in his Pan Am photo. The crew of this flight observed a lightning strike on their aircraft while in the holding pattern. 27,400 pounds of Type A were added at Baltimore resulting in the following quantities and mixtures: Nos. The recovered wing and tail components were laid out in their respective positions for study of fire damage and the left wing tip and outboard sections were examined for evidence of lightning damage. Crewlist of the PanAm Passengerlist of the PamAm Survivors that later died. I cannot describe the long suffering I had endured to this day. If anyone does know where I can find a crew list, I would greatly appreciate it. Magnetic strength surveys were made using a comparative Gaussmeter with a probe containing ferrous core coils, current amplifier, microammeter, and sensitivity adjustment. Although the initial impact of the plane created a great blaze, by the time first responders arrived at the scene, the force of the plane falling to earth had buried pockets of fire into the ground. Multiple lightning-strike marks were found on the left wing tips. In the days following the crash, area newspapers like the Delaware County Daily Times reported on the crash. I was 6 at the time and my great uncle Bob, my name sake was kidled along with his wife Florence. A meteorological message designed primarily for aircraft in flight warning of weather conditions potentially hazardous to transport category and other types of aircraft. [1]:14 Experts had still not concluded that lightning had caused the accident, but they were investigating how lightning could have triggered the explosion. His father a mixture of professional and thoughtful. In an area about 1,600 feet long, centered approximately 4,300 feet from the impact crater, the wreckage consisted mainly of more dense pieces, such as center section fuel cell bags and backing strips, horizontal tail leading edge deicer strips, etc. The guidance and assistance of recognized authorities in the field of lightning physics and research were available and used in this phase of the investigation. Even the video itself casts doubt, with the narrator noting after . The aircraft, with 73 passengers and a crew of eight, was on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) clearance. His sister, Carol, keeps flying, too. As I look back on it now, I have to say that maybe I receive some solace or comfort now in having assisted with the recovery of the crash victims bodies, as difficult as it was for me then, he said. As a branch of the stepped leader is approaching the ground, the intensified electric field causes an upward moving streamer to form at a ground projection and advance toward the stepped leader. If Christmas 1963 had been like any other year, Jeff Gilberts father would have covered the living room with sheets to keep the kids from peeking. A large portion of the left wing separated in flight and the aircraft crashed in flames approximately ten nautical miles southwest of the New Castle, Delaware VOR. For more information on this blog click here. To clarify the subject of lightning, a U. S. Weather Bureau witness was called to testify at the hearing and various technical reports were reviewed. It was the end of the flight, but the beginning of a hellacious series of days. [1]:4, The aircraft was a Boeing 707-121 registered with tail number N709PA. 2 and 3 engines and pods. The Boeing 747 had only just landed in Karachi, Pakistan, when members of Palestine's Abu Nidal Organization rushed the plane, armed with explosive belts, grenades, and AK-47s. Carol Knuth Sakoian is reminded of her father whenever she smells a cigar or hears classical music. The airline suffered a total of 95 incidents. March 27, 1977. [27] The investigators concluded that a lightning strike had ignited the fuel-air mixture in the number-one reserve fuel tank, which had caused an explosive disintegration of the left outer wing, leading to a loss of control. Fuel released into the trailing edge could be ignited and the cavities in the wing trailing edge would act as flame holders making continued burning likely. The aircraft involved in the crash, N709PA, before being delivered to Pan Am, In-flight explosion and break up caused by. The difference in electrical potential between a cloud and the ground may be in the order of ten to one hundred million volts and discharge current may exceed 100,000 amperes with 10,000 amperes per micro-second[13] rate of current rise. Use the 'Report' link on The then director of DuPonts engineering physics research laboratories told the paper he had once been on a plane struck by lightning and those inside the cabin hardly noticed; the metal skin of the airplane carried the lightnings current. To view our latest e-Edition, click the image on the left. The history of this aircraft reveals no item that stands in casual relationship with the accident. The lightning damage nearest the fuel tank vent outlet. It was piloted by Captain Leroy Petersen, 52, who had 17,414 hours of pilot time of which 7,416 hours were in the 707. Cecil County had experienced its own loss when Steward Godwin, of the North East Fire Company, collapsed at the scene about 1:30 a.m. on Monday. The fuel dump valves were determined to be in the "closed" position. These flaps were extended 11/2 to 21/2 degrees. However, these alloys could not be identified since the chemical composition of the deposits did not conform to any alloy used in the airplane. Before observing the aircraft, a glow or light was observed in near proximity to the location of the lightning discharge. Most. The crash site, centered in a field of the Berry Family Farm, covered a four-mile area. One of these was a straight path about 1,500 feet wide and two miles long. Eli, thanks for sharing this information about your family. [10] The closest example of such an instance occurred near Milan, Italy in June 1959, when a Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation crashed as a result of static electricity igniting fuel vapor emanating from the fuel vents. Accelerated studies have recently been completed into these hazards to provide technical data on their probably occurrence and control. Flight 214 crashed two miles east of Elkton, Maryland, at 2059. We cannot record everything. However, there were two distinct wreckage paths and three concentrations in this area. No maintenance discrepancies were reported by the crew at Baltimore. The most easterly piece of wreckage found along this path was approximately 17,400 feet from the crater. 1, a schematic of the B-707 fuel system. [3][6] It had been delivered to Pan Am on October 27, 1958, and had flown a total of 14,609 hours. There was no evidence of any powerplant or system malfunction that could have caused the inflight explosion. At this point, he had worked 14 hours at the crash site. The density of these pieces varied from low to high processing westerly along the 250-degree path. The weather in the holding pattern area as described by the first officer of Flight 16 was cloudy, with comparatively smooth air, and the ground lights were occasionally visible through breaks in the clouds. On this blog, you will find posts on the history of Cecil County, both old and modern, and the personal stories of the people, first and secondhand. Scott left the scene to report to his job as a mail worker at 5 a.m. on Monday. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. A darkened area was found on the end rib directly opposite one hole. 3 and 4 main tanks and float valves in the Nos. The aircraft crashed at 2059 in open country east of Elkton, Maryland. The No. Based on evidence furnished the Board, it is reasonable to conclude that the state of the art was fully exploited within the limits imposed by basic airplane structural and configuration requirements in the design of the fuel system, including the vent outlets. It is pertinent to note, however, that none of the damage was on wing skin that encompassed fuel tank or vent system space of the aircraft; consequently, a direct correlation of any of this damage with the tank explosion is not possible. The left outboard flap and spoiler skin were heavily sooted underneath caked mud. or anything. 1 main tank and fire damage to parts after thereof, including the still attached inner ends of the outer panel rear spar and outboard aileron, are quite apparent. Then the wing of the plane rotated in the sky as it was falling. websites will be deleted. It wasnt Elvis Presley, but she still has the records. The flight recorder tape of NAL 16[10] showed no major differences between the traces of the two aircraft while they were in the holding pattern, insofar as evidence of turbulence is concerned. Pan Am Flight 214 was a scheduled flight of Pan American World Airways from Isla Verde International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Friendship Airport in Baltimore and Philadelphia International Airport. Here we go." The CAB team was assisted by investigators from the Boeing Company, Pan Am, the Air Line Pilots Association, Pratt & Whitney, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA). He died of a heart attack. Some speculation arose that metal fatigue as a result of the aircraft's 1959 incident could be a factor, but the aircraft had undergone four separate maintenance overhauls since the accident without any issues having been detected. Here in Elkton, a number of those firefighters and police officers who met with families have passed away since then, but at least there was an opportunity for the two groups to meet and share experiences, emotions, and feelings. [1]:2[3], As the flight approached Philadelphia, the pilots made radio contact with air traffic control near Philadelphia at 8:42pm. By the same reasoning, in view of the known facts of this accident, there is no logical explanation for ignition of the flammable vapors other than some effect stemming directly from the lightning strike. On a terrible night in 1963 eighty-one people aboard a doomed aircraft, Pan American Airways Flight 214, perished when the plane exploded and plunged into a cornfield at the edge of Elkton. This wire bundle was located in the surge (illegible text) ducting area. A member of the local fire company, Scott raced to the firehouse, about a block away. This entire sequence is accomplished in approximately one millisecond. The detached engine fell into a field on a farm southwest of Paris, where the flight had originated, with no injuries. Also, the fire damage high on the left side of the vertical tail is wholly incompatible with fire emanating from the wing trailing edge under any normal flight conditions. It didnt resemble an airplane. [1]:5 Portions of the plane's right wing and fuselage, right main landing gear, horizontal and vertical tail surfaces, and two of the engines were found within 360 feet (110m) of the crater. On December 8, 1963, Pan American 214, operating as Clipper Tradewind, departed Isla Verde International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico at 4:10pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) for a flight to Baltimore's Friendship Airport (now Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, or BWI), where 69 passengers disembarked. In some cases, the team reconstructed the victims' faces to the extent possible using mannequins. [1]:1 Despite one of the most intensive research efforts in its history, the agency could not identify the exact mechanics of the fuel ignition, concluding that lightning had ignited vapors through an as-yet unknown pathway. At first, he thought the glow was from a distant barn fire. When the general alarm went out for all available ambulances, Steward W. Godwin, 56, responded on the North East Volunteer Fire Company unit. [5] Of the 140 witnesses interviewed, 99 reported seeing an aircraft or a flaming object in the sky. The record of the first 32 minutes of flight was normal and indicated no severe turbulence. Below the lower limit the mixture is too lean to burn and above the higher limit the mixture is too rich to burn. Early separation of the outboard engines in the sequence of events may have contributed, at least in part, to the large fires that were observed on the wings. It is the worst plane disaster ever attributed to lightening and subsequent investigations into the crash led to changes in airplane design that have since saved many lives from perishing in similar lightening accidents. [1]:14[5] Witnesses of the crash described hearing the explosion and seeing the plane in flames as it descended. The worst part of the night was the constant realization that is was true, Carol said. In response to the CAB's findings, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered lightning discharge wicks (or static dischargers) to be installed on all commercial jets flying inside US airspace. That year I took a Greyhound bus home to Chattanooga. [1]:14, The CAB assigned more than a dozen investigators within an hour of the crash. The results were generally similar except that the readings on the aft end screws on the fuel tank access plate of the left wing were higher on N709PA than on the two tested aircraft this work was an attempt to delineate the path of the lightning-induced current through the wing structure. [1]:56 Parts of the wreckage ripped a 40-foot wide (12m) hole in a country road, shattered windows in a nearby home, and spread burning jet fuel across a wide area. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. In memory of his father, Sherman will light a yahrzeit candle. racist or sexually-oriented language. [1]:1 All the passengers were residents of the United States. There was evidence of heat in the inlet of the ram air vent scoop. [14], The plane carried 73 passengers, who all died in the crash. Skidding at high speed,. Besides the requests for information on genealogy or old homes, local historians receive the most inquirers about Flight 214. As lightning periodically illuminated the cold, rainy night of December 8, 1963, five airliners flew in a holding pattern above Cecil County, awaiting clearance to land at Philadelphia International Airport. Pan Am Flight 214 was a scheduled flight of Pan American World Airways from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Baltimore, Maryland, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The flight crew of N709PA was properly certificated and qualified for this flight. Im glad I read the comments as Edwin has enlightened me to one more of them. Consequently, there is a direct correlation in time and location between the lightning discharge and start of events which culminated in the accident. 1 reserve tank prior to failure of the wing farther inboard. 1 and 4 main and reserve tanks 69 percent Type B; Nos. Top headlines sent to your inbox. The flight recorder tape was torn and crumpled but had little fire damage. Timenote.info, Biedrba, Abinfoserviss 2011-2020, Terms, Phone: +371 67 842135, E-mail: [emailprotected]. This portion of the recording is not entirely clear, but this represents the best interpretation possible due to the quality of the tape. No. See attachment No. At that time a faintly luminous stepped leader advances toward and area of opposite potential, the earth in the case of cloud to ground lightning. [3] The costs of the CAB's investigations rarely exceeded $10,000, but the agency would spend about $125,000 investigating this crash (equivalent to $1,100,000 in 2021), not including the money spent by Boeing, the FAA, Pratt & Whitney, and other aircraft-part suppliers during additional investigations. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. Seventy-two witnesses said that the ball of fire occurred at the same time as, or immediately after, the lightning strike. It was a cold night and snowing. [19] Other theories included sabotage or lightning, but by nightfall after the first day, investigators had not found evidence of either. They said that the order would create a false impression that the risk of lightning strikes had been resolved. We set up a perimeter, people were coming across muddy fields, a priest wanted to see the survivors (nothing larger than a foot, guts everywhere) no survivors. Edwin, were you able to make the remembrance program held in Elkton as the community and family members came together for a weekend to mark the passage of 50 years since this tragedy shattered so many lives? It is logically concluded that the main tanks which contained fuel and are adjacent to the reserve and center tanks were structurally disrupted when some or all of the aforementioned tanks exploded; fuel was spilled and ignited. my great uncle died in the crash. Metallographic examination of several areas of lightning damage showed characteristic deposits of porous fused metal on the damaged surfaces and a distinct boundary between the affected and unaffected metal. Particular attention was devoted to fuel quantity probes, discontinuities in the structure which form the fuel tanks bonding, fuel tank access plates, filler cap assemblies, fuel vent outlets and also tank wall surfaces. 1 and 4 reserve tanks an estimated 1.81 gallons of residual fuel, approximately 69 percent Type B; Nos. 1 engine and pylon assembly was approximately 1,925 feet on a bearing of 13 degrees from the impact crater. person will not be tolerated. 1 reserve tank; the left fuel vent surge tank, the HF antenna probe cover, a piece of top skin from the right side of the center fuel tank with float valve attached, and the float valve from the right wing reserve tank. Meherjee Kharas, a 28-year-old Pan Am mechanic on board, was forced to make radio contact with negotiators outside. The long axis of the deposits varied from 18 degrees inboard to 4 degrees outboard. Mt. On that night, Dec. 8, 1963, Flight 214, a Pan American Airways Boeing 707, was returning to the U.S. from from San Juan, Puerto Rico. He responded to a call he heard on the radio while working on his homework Sunday night. [1]:2 After 67 passengers disembarked in Baltimore,[3] the aircraft departed at 8:24pm with its remaining 73 passengers for the final leg to Philadelphia International Airport. Ms visi esam niecga sastvdaa cilvces vstur, kuru aicinm rakstt kop! By morning, gruesome details were visible in Elkton.