Accident Lockheed L-188C Electra N121US, Thursday 17 March 1960
- ️Harro Ranter
| Date: | Thursday 17 March 1960 |
| Time: | 15:25 |
| Type: |  Lockheed L-188C Electra |
| Owner/operator: | Northwest Orient Airlines |
| Registration: | N121US |
| MSN: | 1057 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1959 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1786 hours |
| Engine model: | Allison 501-D13 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 63 / Occupants: 63 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 9 km NE of Cannelton, IN -
 United States of America
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| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Chicago-Midway Airport, IL (MDW/KMDW) |
| Destination airport: | Miami International Airport, FL (MIA/KMIA) |
| Investigating agency: | CAB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:
Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 710, was a scheduled service from Minneapolis (MSP) to Chicago (MDW) and Miami (MIA).
The Lockheed L-188C Electra departed Minneapolis at 12:51 and arrived at Chicago-Midway Airport at 13:55. During the short time the aircraft was on the ground at Chicago, approximately 30 minutes, it was refueled and prepared for continuation of the flight to Miami. The flight took off from Midway Airport at 14:38.
At 15:13, Flight 710 reported over Scotland, Indiana, maintaining 18000 feet and estimating Bowling Green, Kentucky, at 15:35. This was the last radio contact with the flight.
At 15:25 the outboard engines and engine support structures, the complete right wing, and the outer portions of the left wing and ailerons separated in flight. The aircraft crashed out of control.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the separation of the right wing in flight due to flutter induced by oscillations of the outboard nacelles. Contributing factors were a reduced stiffness of the structure and the entry of the aircraft into an area of severe clear air turbulence. "
Accident investigation:
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Sources:
Location
Images:
photo (c) Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB); NE of Cannelton, IN; March 1960; (publicdomain)
photo (c) Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB); near Cannelton, IN; March 1960; (publicdomain)
photo (c) Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB); near Cannelton, IN; March 1960; (publicdomain)
photo (c) Mel Lawrence; Seattle/Tacoma International Airport, WA (SEA); November 1959
Revision history:
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