ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed L-1049C Super Constellation N6218C North Salem, NY
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Saturday 4 December 1965
Time:16:19
Type:Silhouette image of generic CONI model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Lockheed L-1049C Super Constellation
Operator:Eastern Air Lines
Registration: N6218C
MSN: 4526
First flight: 1953
Total airframe hrs:32884
Engines: 4 Wright R-3350 (972TC18DA)
Crew:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 5
Passengers:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 49
Total:Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 54
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:North Salem, NY (   United States of America)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Boston-Logan International Airport, MA (BOS/KBOS), United States of America
Destination airport:Newark International Airport, NJ (EWR/KEWR), United States of America
Flightnumber:EA853
Narrative:
TWA Boeing 707 N748TW and Eastern Constellation N6218C approached Carmel VORTAC at FL110 resp. FL100. Due to an optical illusion caused by the up-slope effect of cloud tops, the Eastern 1st officer thought they were on collision course with the TWA jet. He pulled up the Constellation. The reaction of the TWA crew was to roll to the right, followed by a left roll down. Both aircraft collided. The Boeing made a safe landing.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Misjudgement of altitude separation by the crew of EA853 because of an optical illusion created by the up-slope effect of cloud tops resulting in an evasive manoeuvre by the EA853 crew and a reactionary evasive manoeuvre by the TW42 crew."

Accident investigation:

Investigating agency: CAB
Status: Investigation completed
Accident number: final report
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Mid air collision
Forced landing outside airport

Sources:
» ICAO Circular 88-AN/74 Volume III (123-136)


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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 Newark International Airport, NJ as the crow flies is 320 km (200 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of 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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