Accident description
languages:
| Status: | |
| Date: | 23 NOV 1962 |
| Time: | 12:24 |
| Type: | Vickers 745D Viscount |
| Operator: | United Air Lines |
| Registration: | N7430 |
| C/n / msn: | 128 |
| First flight: | 1956 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 18809 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 13 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 17 / Occupants: 17 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | near Ellicott City, MD (United States of America) |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Newark International Airport, NJ (EWR/KEWR), United States of America |
| Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA/KDCA), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 297 |
The Viscount was flying at 6000 feet, en route from Newark to Washington when it penetrated a flock of whistling swans. At least two of which were struck by the aircraft. One swan, which was struck penetrated the leading edge of the left horizontal stabilizer and egressed from the rear surface causing damage to the elevator as it did so.
This so weakened the structure that failure occurred which rendered the plane uncontrollable. The Viscount eventually struck the ground in a nose-low inverted attitude.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "A loss of control following separation of the left horizontal stabilizer which had been weakened by a collision with a whistling swan." Events:
Sources:
» ICAO Accident Digest No.14 Volume I, Circular 71-AN/63 (74-79)
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.
