Status:
Date:	03 MAR 1953
Time:	03:35
Type:	de Havilland DH-106 Comet 1A
Operator:	Canadian Pacific Air Lines - CPAL
Registration:	CF-CUN
C/n / msn:	06014
First flight:	1952
Crew:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Passengers:	Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6
Total:	Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11
Airplane damage:	Written off
Airplane fate:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	Karachi International Airport (KHI) (Pakistan)
Phase:	Takeoff (TOF)
Nature:	Delivery
Departure airport:	Karachi International Airport (KHI/OPKC), Pakistan
Destination airport:	?

Narrative:
The Comet aircraft, named "Empress of Hawaii" and on a delivery flight to Canadian Pacific, did not become airborne on takeoff and crashed into the dry bed of a river. CF-CUN was the first passenger jetliner involved in a fatal accident.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was caused by the fact that the nose of the aircraft was lifted too high during the takeoff run, resulting in a partially stalled condition and excessive drag. This did not permit normal acceleration and prevented the aircraft from becoming airborne within the prescribed distance. The pilot appears to have realised that the nose was excessively high and took corrective action, but this was done too late to prevent the aircraft striking an obstruction immediately beyond the perimeter fence before it became airborne.
Contributory cause: The pilot, who had only limited experience in the Comet aircraft, elected to takeoff at night at the maximum permissible takeoff for the prevailing conditions. The circumstances required strict adherence to the prescribed takeoff technique, which was not complied with."

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