Accident description
languages:
| Status: | Final |
| Date: | 15 FEB 1961 |
| Time: | 09:05 UTC |
| Type: | Boeing 707-329 |
| Operator: | Sabena |
| Registration: | OO-SJB |
| C/n / msn: | 17624/92 |
| First flight: | 1959 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3038 |
| Engines: | 4 Pratt & Whitney JT4A |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 61 / Occupants: 61 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 72 / Occupants: 72 |
| Ground casualties: | Fatalities: 1 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 3 km (1.9 mls) NE of Brussel-Zaventem Airport (BRU) (Belgium)
 |
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY (IDL), United States of America |
| Brussel-Zaventem Airport (BRU/EBBR), Belgium | |
| Flightnumber: | 548 |
Sabena flight SN548 was a transatlantic service from New York to Brussels. The Boeing 707 was on a long approach to runway 20 when, near the runway threshold, power was increased and the gear retracted. The aircraft gained height and made several circles in a left turn. During these turns the bank angle increased more and more until finally the aircraft was in a near vertical bank. The 707 crashed and caught fire.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Having carried out all possible reasonable investigations, the Commission concluded that the cause of the accident had to be looked for in the material failure of the flying controls.
However, while it was possible to advance certain hypotheses regarding the possible causes, they could not be considered entirely satisfactory. Only the material failure of two systems could lead to a complete explanation, but left the way open to an arbitrary choice because there was not sufficient evidence to corroborate it."
The FAA commented that the most plausible hypothesis was a malfunction of the stabilizer adjusting mechanism permitting the stabilizer to run to the 10.5deg nose-up position. Events:
Sources:
» ICAO Circular 69-AN/61 (43-58)
Sample newspaper article from Newspaperarchive.com
Statistics
4th loss of a Boeing 707
The worst accident involving a Boeing 707 (at the time)
20th worst accident involving a Boeing 707 (currently)
The worst accident in Belgium (at the time)
The worst accident in Belgium (currently) » figures explained
The worst accident involving a Boeing 707 (at the time)
20th worst accident involving a Boeing 707 (currently)
The worst accident in Belgium (at the time)
The worst accident in Belgium (currently) » figures explained
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 (IDL) to Brussel-Zaventem Airport (BRU/EBBR) as the crow flies is 5845 km (3653 miles).
Distance from New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY (IDL) to Brussel-Zaventem Airport (BRU/EBBR) as the crow flies is 5845 km (3653 miles).
