Narrative:
An Eastern Air Lines Lockheed L-188A Electra, N5533, crashed into Winthrop Bay immediately following takeoff from runway 9 at Boston-Logan International Airport, Massachusetts.
Eastern Air Lines flight 375 was a domestic flight from Boston to Atlanta, Georgia with en route stops at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Greenville, South Carolina. The flight taxied to runway 9 where takeoff was commenced at approximately 17:39. A few seconds after taking off from runway 05, the Electra struck a flock of starlings. A number of these birds were ingested in engine no.1, 2 and 4.
The engine number 1 propeller was feathered by an autofeather system, as designed. Engine number 2 and 4 experienced substantial losses of power, but, by design, those propellers were prevented by the airplanes system from also feathering automatically, since only one propeller is permitted to autofeather when the autofeather system is armed. The abrupt and intermittent loss and recovery of power and associated thrust asymmetry caused the airplane to yaw to the left and decelerate below the speed at which directional control could be maintained. The left wing dropped, the nose pitched up, and the airplane rolled left and fell almost vertically into Winthrop Bay near the end of the runway.
Following the crash, the investigators recovered approximately 75 starling carcasses on/near the presumed area on the runway where the bird encounter occurred.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The unique and critical sequence of the loss and recovery of engine power following bird ingestion, resulting in loss of airspeed and control during takeoff. "
Loss of control
accident date: 04-10-1960
type: Lockheed L-188A Electra
registration: N5533
accident date: 04-10-1960
type: Lockheed L-188A Electra
registration: N5533
accident date: 04-10-1960
type: Lockheed L-188A Electra
registration: N5533
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Tuesday 4 October 1960 |
| Time: | 17:40 |
| Type: |  Lockheed L-188A Electra |
| Operator: | Eastern Air Lines |
| Registration: | N5533 |
| MSN: | 1062 |
| First flight: | 1959-05-23 (1 year 5 months) |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3526 |
| Engines: | 4 Allison 501-D13 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 5 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 59 / Occupants: 67 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 62 / Occupants: 72 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | ca 1 km E off Boston-Logan International Airport, MA (BOS) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Initial climb (ICL) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Boston-Logan International Airport, MA (BOS/KBOS), United States of America |
| Philadelphia International Airport, PA (PHL/KPHL), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | EA375 |
An Eastern Air Lines Lockheed L-188A Electra, N5533, crashed into Winthrop Bay immediately following takeoff from runway 9 at Boston-Logan International Airport, Massachusetts.
Eastern Air Lines flight 375 was a domestic flight from Boston to Atlanta, Georgia with en route stops at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Greenville, South Carolina. The flight taxied to runway 9 where takeoff was commenced at approximately 17:39. A few seconds after taking off from runway 05, the Electra struck a flock of starlings. A number of these birds were ingested in engine no.1, 2 and 4.
The engine number 1 propeller was feathered by an autofeather system, as designed. Engine number 2 and 4 experienced substantial losses of power, but, by design, those propellers were prevented by the airplanes system from also feathering automatically, since only one propeller is permitted to autofeather when the autofeather system is armed. The abrupt and intermittent loss and recovery of power and associated thrust asymmetry caused the airplane to yaw to the left and decelerate below the speed at which directional control could be maintained. The left wing dropped, the nose pitched up, and the airplane rolled left and fell almost vertically into Winthrop Bay near the end of the runway.
Following the crash, the investigators recovered approximately 75 starling carcasses on/near the presumed area on the runway where the bird encounter occurred.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The unique and critical sequence of the loss and recovery of engine power following bird ingestion, resulting in loss of airspeed and control during takeoff. "
Accident investigation:
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|
Classification:
Bird strike Loss of control
Follow-up / safety actions
The FAA started a research programme to improve tolerance of turbine engines to bird ingestion. FAA issued 1
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Photos
accident date: 04-10-1960
type: Lockheed L-188A Electra
registration: N5533
accident date: 04-10-1960
type: Lockheed L-188A Electra
registration: N5533
accident date: 04-10-1960
type: Lockheed L-188A Electra
registration: N5533
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 Boston-Logan International Airport, MA to Philadelphia International Airport, PA as the crow flies is 447 km (279 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Boston-Logan International Airport, MA to Philadelphia International Airport, PA as the crow flies is 447 km (279 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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Lockheed L-188
- 222 built
- 5th loss
- 4th fatal accident
- 3rd worst accident (at the time)
- 9th worst accident (currently)
United States of America- 7th worst accident (at the time)
- 47th worst accident (currently)
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