ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 727-21 N317PA Dallgow
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Tuesday 15 November 1966
Time:02:42
Type:Silhouette image of generic B721 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Boeing 727-21
Operator:Pan American World Airways (Pan Am)
Registration: N317PA
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
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:near Dallgow (   Germany)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Cargo
Departure airport:Frankfurt International Airport (FRA/EDDF), Germany
Destination airport:Berlin-Tegel Airport (TXL/EDDT), Germany
Flightnumber:PA708
Narrative:
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 FL90. At 02:35 the flight reported leaving this altitude for FL30. Three minutes later Berlin Control cleared the flight to "turn left heading zero three zero, descend and maintain two thousand". When 6,5 miles 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 2,6 km 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:

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."

Accident investigation:

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Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 7 months
Accident number: NTSB File 1-0073
Download report: Final report


Photos

photo of Boeing-727-21-N317PA
accident date: 15-11-1966
type: Boeing 727-21
registration: N317PA
 

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 to Berlin-Tegel Airport as the crow flies is 431 km (269 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few 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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Boeing 727

  • 1832 built
  • 5th loss
  • 5th fatal accident
  • 5th worst accident (at the time)
  • 55th worst accident (currently)
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