On This Day in Aviation History

2009-12-29

On This Day in Aviation History: December 29th

More articles by »
Written by: Phil Derner Jr.
The flightpath of Eastern flight 401 after its go-around to the crash site, showing their gradually descending altitude into the Everglades.

The flightpath of Eastern flight 401 after its go-around to the crash site, showing their gradually descending altitude into the Everglades.

1994 – Turkish Airlines Flight 278, a 737-4Y0 registered TC-JES, crashes on approach to Van Ferit Melen Airport in Turkey, killing 57 of the 78 people on-board.

1974 – A Tarom Antonov AN-24 (registered YR-AMD) flying from Bucharest to Sibiu, crashes into the side of the Lotrului Mountains, killing all 28 passengers and 5 crew members. The crash is blamed on the crew incorrectly executing the approach, which led to the aircraft drifting off course by 20 km in turbulent conditions.

1972 – Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashes into the Florida Everglades, killing 101 of the 176 on-board. After the Lockheed L-1011 (registered N310EA) had experienced a landing gear issue on approach, the flight was put into a hold while the crew engaged the auto-pilot to investigate. At some point, the auto-pilot was accidentally disengaged, and the aircraft slowly lost altitude until it was too late to recover. Parts from the ill-fated aircraft were placed on other Eastern planes, and it is rumored that ghosts from flight 401 haunted the other Tristars. It was also the first widebody aircraft crash in the US.

1939 – The Consolidated B-24 Liberator makes its first flight.

1921 – Pilots Edward Stinson and Lloyd Bertaud set a world endurance record when flying their BMW-engined Junkers-Larsen for 26 hours, 18 minutes and 35 seconds while flying a over Roosevelt Field, NY.



About the Author

Phil Derner Jr.
Phil Derner founded NYCAviation in 2003. A lifetime aviation enthusiast that grew up across the water from La Guardia Airport, Phil has aviation experience as a Loadmaster, Operations Controller and Flight Dispatcher. He owns and operates NYCAviation and performs duties as an aviation expert through writing, consulting, public speaking and media appearances. You can reach him by email or follow him on Twitter.




 
 

 

Today in Aviation History: January 6

Happy birthday to Lufthansa! United Grounds Ted, the US Marines take delivery of their first AV-8 Harrier and more...
by NYCAviation Staff

 
 
President Richard M. Nixon and Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administrator, discuss the proposed Space Shuttle vehicle in San Clemente, California, on January 5, 1972. (Photo by NASA)

Today in Aviation History: January 5th

The Space Shuttle program is launched, Amelia Earhart is declared legally dead, Independence Air ceases operations, and more...
by NYCAviation Staff

 

 
The Apollo 17 spacecraft, containing astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Harrison H. Schmitt, glided to a safe splashdown at 2:25 p.m. EST on Dec. 19, 1972, 648 kilometers (350 nautical miles) southeast of American Samoa. The astronauts were flown by recovery helicopter to the U.S.S. Ticonderoga slightly less than an hour after the completion of NASA's sixth and last manned lunar landing in the Apollo program. (Photo by NASA)

Today in Aviation History: December 19th

The world's first airport opens near Paris, the last moon mission returns to earth, a Chalk's Ocean Airways crash is captured on video, and more...
by NYCAviation Staff

 
 

Today in Aviation History: December 16th

The midair collision of a United DC-8 and TWA Constellation over New York City, Concorde makes the first sub-3-hour Atlantic crossing, an Air Canada CRJ crashes, and more...
by NYCAviation Staff
726

 
 

Today in Aviation History: December 15th

In a near disaster, KLM Flight 867 loses all engines temporarily after flying through a cloud of volcanic ash, McDonnell Douglas and Boeing merge, the Boeing 787 makes its first flight, and more..
by NYCAviation Staff