Incident Overview
Date: Monday 16 August 1965
Aircraft Type: Boeing 727-22
Owner/operator: United Airlines
Registration Number: N7036U
Location: Lake Michigan, MI –
ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Take off
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 30 / Occupants: 30
Component Affected: Aircraft AltitudeAircraft Altitude
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
A Boeing 3-month-old aircraft, departing New York-LaGuardia at 19:52 for Chicago-O’Hare, crashed into Lake Michigan after climbing to cruising altitude FL350. The flight was cleared to FL240 and then to FL140, and subsequently descended to 6000 feet. Communication ceased at 21:19 with instructions to maintain 6000 feet and to initiate ILS approaches on runway 14R. The aircraft subsequently crashed into the lake.A Boeing 3-month-old aircraft, departing New York-LaGuardia at 19:52 for Chicago-O’Hare, crashed into Lake Michigan after climbing to cruising altitude FL350. The flight was cleared to FL240 and then to FL140, and subsequently descended to 6000 feet. Communication ceased at 21:19 with instructions to maintain 6000 feet and to initiate ILS approaches on runway 14R. The aircraft subsequently crashed into the lake.
Description
The Boeing, just 3 months old, departed New York-LaGuardia at 19:52 for a flight to Chicago-O’Hare. The aircraft climbed to cruising altitude FL350, which was reached at 20:11. At 21:03 the flight was cleared to FL240 and further down to FL140 three minutes later. At 21:11 the crew were cleared to descend to 6000 feet. Last radio communications with the flight were at 21:19 when the crew were told to maintain 6000 feet and that ILS approaches were in progress on runway 14R. Shortly after this the aircraft crashed into Lake Michigan in 250 feet of water, 30 miles ENE of O’Hare Airport. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The Board is not able to determine the reason for the aircraft not being leveled off at its assigned altitude of 6000ft.”
Primary Cause
Unleveling of the aircraft altitude to 6000 feet.Unleveling of the aircraft altitude to 6000 feet.Share on:
