Narrative:
En route from Chicago to Washington an explosive device detonated in the baggage compartment. A safe landing was carried out at Washington-Dulles.
The bomb was probably planted by the Unabomber, a man who has been accused of several attacks on universities and airlines over an 18-year period. He was arrested in April 1996.
Forced landing on runway
» Aircraft hijackings and other criminal acts against civil aviation : statistics and narrative reports / FAA
» Independent 22.12.94(15)
| Status: | |
| Date: | Thursday 15 November 1979 |
| Time: | ca 12:00 |
| Type: | Boeing 727 |
| Operator: | American Airlines |
| Registration: | registration unknown |
| MSN: | |
| First flight: | |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 72 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 78 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | near Washington-Dulles International Airport, DC (IAD) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL (ORD/KORD), United States of America |
| Washington-National Airport, DC (DCA/KDCA), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | AA444 |
En route from Chicago to Washington an explosive device detonated in the baggage compartment. A safe landing was carried out at Washington-Dulles.
The bomb was probably planted by the Unabomber, a man who has been accused of several attacks on universities and airlines over an 18-year period. He was arrested in April 1996.
Classification:
SabotageForced landing on runway
Sources:
» Chicago Tribune, Nov. 16, 1979» Aircraft hijackings and other criminal acts against civil aviation : statistics and narrative reports / FAA
» Independent 22.12.94(15)
Photos
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 Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL to Washington-National Airport, DC as the crow flies is 976 km (610 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
Distance from Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL to Washington-National Airport, DC as the crow flies is 976 km (610 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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