Estado:	Final
Fecha:	17 MAR 1960
Hora:	15:25
Tipo:	Lockheed L-188C Electra
Operador:	Northwest Orient Airlines
Registración:	N121US
Numéro de série:	1057
Año de Construcción:	1959
Horas Totales de la Célula:	1786
Motores:	4 Allison 501-D13
Tripulación:	Fatalidades: 6 / Ocupantes: 6
Pasajeros:	Fatalidades: 57 / Ocupantes: 57
Total:	Fatalidades: 63 / Ocupantes: 63
Daños en la Aeronave:	Anulado
Consecuencias:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Ubicación:	9 km (5.6 milles) NE of Cannelton, IN (Estados Unidos de América)
Fase:	En ruta (ENR)
Naturaleza:	Vuelo Doméstico Programado
Aeropuerto de Salida:	Chicago-Midway Airport, IL (MDW/KMDW), Estados Unidos de América
Aeropuerto de Llegada:	Miami International Airport, FL (MIA/KMIA), Estados Unidos de América
Número de Vuelo:	710

Descripción:
Electra N121US was operating on Northwest Flight 710 from Minneapolis (MSP) to Chicago (MDW) and Miami (MIA). The flight departed Minneapolis at 12:51 and arrived at Midway 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 departed Chicago at 14:38. At 14:45, the flight reported to the Indianapolis, Indiana, ARTC Center over Milford at 18,000 feet and estimating Scotland, Indiana, at 15:12. At 15:13, Flight 710 reported over Scotland maintaining 18,000 feet and estimating Bowling Green, Kentucky, at 15:35. This was the last radio contact with the flight.
At 15:25 the 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 tho 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. "

Fuentes:
Sample newspaper article from Newspaperarchive.com