
Descripción:
National Airlines flight 601 was scheduled nonstop Boeing 707 jet flight from New York-Idlewild to Miami. The 707, which was leased from PanAm, suffered a maintenance issue and was substituted by a Lockheed L-188 Electra and a Douglas DC-6.
The DC-6 was re-designated flight 2511 and departed Idlewild at 23:34 hours. The flight proceeded routinely in accordance with its flight plan until shortly after passing Wilmington, North Carolina.
At 02:31 the crew contacted the company radio station at Wilmington while over Carolina Beach at 18000 feet, and transmitted a routine progress report. Shortly after the completion of this radio contact a dynamite explosion occurred in the passenger cabin. This explosion severely impaired the structural integrity of the aircraft and after making a wide descending right turn, it experienced in flight disintegration and crashed 1,5 miles northwest of Bolivia at 02:38 some 16 miles west of its intended flight path.
An investigation showed that the dynamite was detonated by means of dry cell batteries and that the device was placed at a point beneath the extreme right seat of seat row 7. Part of the fuselage broke away, striking the no.3 propeller.
Mr. Julian A. Frank (32) was in close proximity to the dynamite charge when the detonation occurred. He had lost several hundred thousand dollars in bad investments in 1959 and was under investigation on charges of defrauding his clients. In the six months before his death he bought nearly $900,000 in life insurance, with his wife and children as beneficiaries.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was caused by the detonation of dynamite within the passenger cabin."
» Bomber's deed stings 50 years after crash (newsobserver.com)
| Estado: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Fecha: | miércoles 6 enero 1960 |
| Hora: | 02:38 |
| Tipo: |  Douglas DC-6B |
| Operador: | National Airlines |
| Registración: | N8225H |
| Numéro de série: | 43742/300 |
| Año de Construcción: | 1952 |
| Horas Totales de la Célula: | 24836 |
| Motores: | 4 Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CB16 |
| Tripulación: | Fatalidades: 5 / Ocupantes: 5 |
| Pasajeros: | Fatalidades: 29 / Ocupantes: 29 |
| Total: | Fatalidades: 34 / Ocupantes: 34 |
| Daños en la Aeronave: | Destruido |
| Consecuencias: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Ubicación: | 2,4 km (1.5 milles) NW of Bolivia, NC ( Estados Unidos de América)
|
| Fase: | En ruta (ENR) |
| Naturaleza: | Vuelo Doméstico Programado |
| Aeropuerto de Salida: | New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY (IDL/KIDL), Estados Unidos de América |
| Miami International Airport, FL (MIA/KMIA), Estados Unidos de América | |
| Número de Vuelo: | 2511 |
National Airlines flight 601 was scheduled nonstop Boeing 707 jet flight from New York-Idlewild to Miami. The 707, which was leased from PanAm, suffered a maintenance issue and was substituted by a Lockheed L-188 Electra and a Douglas DC-6.
The DC-6 was re-designated flight 2511 and departed Idlewild at 23:34 hours. The flight proceeded routinely in accordance with its flight plan until shortly after passing Wilmington, North Carolina.
At 02:31 the crew contacted the company radio station at Wilmington while over Carolina Beach at 18000 feet, and transmitted a routine progress report. Shortly after the completion of this radio contact a dynamite explosion occurred in the passenger cabin. This explosion severely impaired the structural integrity of the aircraft and after making a wide descending right turn, it experienced in flight disintegration and crashed 1,5 miles northwest of Bolivia at 02:38 some 16 miles west of its intended flight path.
An investigation showed that the dynamite was detonated by means of dry cell batteries and that the device was placed at a point beneath the extreme right seat of seat row 7. Part of the fuselage broke away, striking the no.3 propeller.
Mr. Julian A. Frank (32) was in close proximity to the dynamite charge when the detonation occurred. He had lost several hundred thousand dollars in bad investments in 1959 and was under investigation on charges of defrauding his clients. In the six months before his death he bought nearly $900,000 in life insurance, with his wife and children as beneficiaries.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The accident was caused by the detonation of dynamite within the passenger cabin."
Accident investigation:

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Fuentes:
» ICAO Circular 64-AN/58 (96-99)» Bomber's deed stings 50 years after crash (newsobserver.com)
Fotos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY to Miami International Airport, FL as the crow flies is 1745 km (1091 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY to Miami International Airport, FL as the crow flies is 1745 km (1091 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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Douglas DC-6
- 704 built
- 42nd loss
- 30th accidente fatal
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