Accident description
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| Status: | Final |
| Date: | 15 NOV 1966 |
| Time: | 02:42 |
| Type: | Boeing 727-21 |
| Operator: | Pan American World Airways |
| Registration: | N317PA |
| C/n / msn: | 18995/221 |
| First flight: | 1966-01-11 (10 months) |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1804 |
| Engines: | 3 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-7 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | near Dallgow (Germany)
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| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Frankfurt International Airport (FRA/EDDF), Germany |
| Berlin-Tegel Airport (TXL/EDDT), Germany | |
| Flightnumber: | 708 |
Pan Am's scheduled cargo flight 708 from Frankfurt to Berlin usually lands at Tempelhof Airport. However because of resurfacing of the runways at Tempelhof, Pan Am operated in and out of Tegel Airport since the evening of November 13th. Flight 708 departed Frankfurt at 02:04 and climbed to the cruising altitude of FL090. At 02:35 the flight reported leaving this altitude for FL030. Three minutes later Berlin Control cleared the flight to "turn left heading zero three zero, descend and maintain two thousand". When 6,5miles from the Outer Marker, the controller cleared the flight to "turn right heading zero six zero cleared ILS runway eight right approach". Immediately after the acknowledgment from the flight crew, the aircraft struck the ground and crashed about 10 miles from the airport in the Soviet occupation zone. Weather was poor with 2,6km visibility in snow; cloud coverage 3/8 at 500 feet and overcast a 600 feet with a temperature of -1deg C. The Soviet authorities returned about 50 percent of the wreckage. Some major components were not returned which included the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, flight control systems, navigation and communication equipment.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The descent of the flight below its altitude clearance limit, but the Board has been unable to determine the cause of such descent." Sources:
Official accident investigation report
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Statistics
5th loss of a Boeing 727
5th worst accident involving a Boeing 727 (at the time)
51st worst accident involving a Boeing 727 (currently)
27th worst accident in Germany (at the time)
49th worst accident in Germany (currently) » figures explained
5th worst accident involving a Boeing 727 (at the time)
51st worst accident involving a Boeing 727 (currently)
27th worst accident in Germany (at the time)
49th worst accident in Germany (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 Frankfurt International Airport (FRA/EDDF) to Berlin-Tegel Airport (TXL/EDDT) as the crow flies is 431 km (269 miles).
Distance from Frankfurt International Airport (FRA/EDDF) to Berlin-Tegel Airport (TXL/EDDT) as the crow flies is 431 km (269 miles).
