2011 – A Central Intelligence Agency RQ-170 Sentinel unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on a reconnaissance mission malfunctions, veers out of control, and flies deep into Iran, where it runs out of fuel and crashes.
2001 – TWA ceases operations after a takeover by American Airlines. TWA CEO Captain Bill Compton pilots Flight 220, an MD-83 (registered N948TW) into St. Louis International Airport bringing to an end 76 years of TWA service.
1981 – Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 1308, an MD-81 registered YU-ANA, crashes on Corsica’s Mt. San Pietro, killing all 180 people on-board. Air traffic controllers thought the aircraft was over water, when it reality it was over mountains, and its wing clipped a summit as it descended, causing an uncontrolled dive to the ground.
1974 – Northwest Orient Flight 6231, a Boeing 727-251 registered N274US operating a ferry flight from JFK to Buffalo, crashes in Stony Point, NY, just north of New York City, killing all 3 crewmembers. The aircraft’s pitot tubes had become blocked by ice, causing erroneous speed readings which led to a stall.
1974 – TWA Flight 514, a Boeing 727-231 registered N54328, crashes into Mount Weather, Virginia. The aircraft was flying from Columbus, Ohio to Washington National Airport, but was diverting to Washington Dulles due to high winds at their destination airport. While on approach, descending through 1,670ft, the plane struck the mountain, killing all 92 people on-board.
1969 – Federal Air Regulation Part 36 is introduced, becoming the first legislation to limit aircraft noise at airports in the United States.
1941 – The Civil Air Patrol is created by Fiorello La Guardia, Mayor of New York City and Director of the Office of Civilian Defense, with the signing of Administrative Order 9.
1934 – The first airway traffic control center is opened at Newark Airport, operated by staff of Eastern Air Lines, United Air Lines, American Airlines and TWA.
1933 – Indian National Airways commences the first daily service in India, between Calcutta and Dacca.
1921 – Anniversary of the first flight of a helium airship, the US Navy blimp C-7.
1783 – J. A. C. Charles and another man make the first trip in a hydrogen balloon, flying 27 miles from Paris to Nesle, France. After landing, Charles goes up again by himself, achieving the first solo balloon flight.
