Accident
Last updated: 19 June 2013
| Estado: | Final |
| Fecha: | 25 FEB 1964 |
| Hora: | 02:05 CST |
| Tipo: | Douglas DC-8-21 |
| Operador: | Eastern Air Lines |
| Registración: | N8607 |
| Numéro de série: | 45428/61 |
| Año de Construcción: | 1960 |
| Horas Totales de la Célula: | 11340 |
| Motores: | 4 Pratt & Whitney JT4A-9 |
| Tripulación: | Fatalidades: 7 / Ocupantes: 7 |
| Pasajeros: | Fatalidades: 51 / Ocupantes: 51 |
| Total: | Fatalidades: 58 / Ocupantes: 58 |
| Daños en la Aeronave: | Anulado |
| Consecuencias: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Ubicación: | 30,5 km (19.1 milles) NE de la costa de New Orleans International Airport, LA (MSY) (Estados Unidos de América)
 |
| Fase: | En ruta (ENR) |
| Naturaleza: | Vuelo Doméstico Programado |
| Aeropuerto de Salida: | New Orleans International Airport, LA (MSY/KMSY), Estados Unidos de América |
| Washington-Dulles International Airport, DC (IAD/KIAD), Estados Unidos de América | |
| Número de Vuelo: | 304 |
Eastern Air Lines (EAL) Flight 304 originated in Mexico City and had intermediate stops scheduled at New Orleans, Atlanta, and Washington prior to the destination of New York City. The DC-8 arrived at Mexico City at 22:12 on February 24, 1964. The captain of the inbound crew reported that "...the only exception to normality was that the PTC (pitch trim compensator) was inoperative, with a fix scheduled for the next morning at Kennedy Airport." An IFR flight plan for New Orleans was filed with a reduced airspeed, in accordance with company procedures for dispatch under these conditions. The airplane landed at New Orleans at 00:51. Takeoff from New Orleans was commenced at 01:59. The airplane appeared to climb normally and the crew contacted the departure contoller who instruced them to contact New Orleans Center. At 02:03:15 the crew replied, "OK", this was the last transmission from the flight. During the climb the elevator moved to 2 degrees AND (airplane nose down), which is an abnormal flight condition. Climbing in clouds through 4,000 feet, the DC-8 encountered moderate and probably severe wind shear turbulence. In order to control the airplane under these conditions, the input of the controls probably introduced pilot induced oscillations (PIO) from which the pilot could not recover. Control was lost and the airplane struck the surface of Lake Pontchartrain at a dive angle in excess of 20-degrees. A possible factor was the attitude indicator, which was small with a solid black background and difficult to interpret
at night. Also, the pitch indication of the attitude indicator was "geared-down" but not indexed as to degrees, making it more difficult to assess the exact attitude of the airplane.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The Board determines the probable cause of this accident was the degradation of aircraft stability characteristics in turbulence, because of abnormal longitudinal trim component positions." (CAB report File No. 1-0006) Fuentes:
» ICAO Aircraft Accident Digest No.16, Circular 82-AN/69 (39-60)
Fotos
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 Orleans International Airport, LA to Washington-Dulles International Airport, DC as the crow flies is 1526 km (954 miles).
Distance from New Orleans International Airport, LA to Washington-Dulles International Airport, DC as the crow flies is 1526 km (954 miles).
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Estados Unidos de América
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Estados Unidos de América- 13th worst accident (a la hora)
- 48th worst accident (actualmente)