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Boeing 707-120B accident report

crash-site of the 707-123(B) N7506A

On March 1, 1962, American Airlines 707-123(B) N7506A c/n 17633 crashed shortly after take-off from Idlewild near New York. All 87 passengers and 8 crew members are killed. The weather was nice with 25km visibility.

Flight 1 from Idlewild (IDL) New York City to Los Angeles (LAX) for a distance of 3983km as the crow flies. Started from RW31L NY Int'l apt. Rolled upside down and crashed 2min after TO in Jamaica Bay, Pumpkin Patch Channel from 500m altitude. Creating a 3m deep crater in the bottom under the shallow water. First flight 1959, 8147 hrs, JT3D-1-MC6 of 7700 ks (MC6 = modified JT3C-6) (apparently to first flight and engine type this is a -120 that was later equipped with JT3D turbofans)> correct : www.boeing-jets.ch later converted to -123(B) Cause of the disaster was a rudder control system malfunction. Location : +-50m 40°37'02.95"N 73°50'12.05"W

On September 17, 1965, PanAm 707-121(B) N708PA "Clipper Constitution" c/n 17586 flies against Chances Peak, Montserrat at 2760ft altitude, 242ft below the summit. All occupants are killed. At the time of the accident there was thunderstorm with heavy rain.

The aircraft was the first 707 of the production line and had made its first flight on December 20, 1957 and was delivered on Nov. 30, 1958. It had made 19127 flight hours (>2732 hours/year = 7.5 hours per day). Flight 292 from Fort-de-France, Martinique (FDF) to Antigua (ANU) with 21 passengers and 9 crew members. According to www.aviation-safety.net this is a -121B with JT3D engines, but given the delivery date this is a -120 where later the JT3C turbojets were replaced by JT3D-3B turbofans. according to www.boeing-jets.ch it was indeed later converted to -121B.

Location : +-1km 16°42'40"N 62°"10'33"W

Wednesday 7 February 1968 Canadian Pacific airlines Boeing 707-138B N791SA s/n 17698

Flight 322 from Honolulu (HNL) to Vancouver (YVR), Canada with 9 crew and 52 passengers. Landing in fog with strong winds, with very limited visibility, overran the runway and collided with parked vehicles and a terminal building.

First flight : 08 June 1959 engines : JT3D. The co-pilot and one person in the terminal building died in the crash and 17 injured. location : +- 150m 49°11’43”N 123°10’10”W

The 707-123B 3D-ADK c/n 19335 before it was sold to New Gomair and received the registration 9XR-IS.

It was not until July 4, 2002 that another serious accident occurred with a 707-120. On that day the New Gomair 707-123B 9XR-IS c/n 19335 crashed from near Bangui, Central African Republic. The plane had taken off from N'Djamena (NDJ) for a flight to Brazzaville (BOD) with 21 passengers and 9 crew members. The landing gear did not want to retract and it was decided to move to Bangui. But unfortunately, the jetliner crashed 3 km in front of the runway in a suburb of Bangui. There are 28 deaths. The aircraft had been delivered to American Airlines in 1967. It had JT3D-1-MC6 engines (?) carrying passengers, garlic and onions. Possible Cause : Before the precautionary landing, the crew had dumped fuel, but perhaps just a little too much that caused the plane to run out.

Location: +-50m 4°21'49.17"N 18°31'55.32"E

4 fatal accidents with 154 fatalities between 1962 and 2002

safe flight hours till fatality : 20099 [hr] (7 service years)