Date:	Friday 23 November 1962
Time:	12:24
Type:	Vickers 745D Viscount
Owner/operator:	United Airlines
Registration:	N7430
MSN:	128
Year of manufacture:	1956
Total airframe hrs:	18809 hours
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 17 / Occupants: 17
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	10 km WSW of Ellicott City, MD -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Newark International Airport, NJ (EWR/KEWR)
Destination airport:	Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA/KDCA)
Investigating agency:	CAB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
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."

ICAO Accident Digest No.14 Volume I, Circular 71-AN/63 (74-79)

photo (c) CAB; near Ellicott City, MD; 23 November 1962

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