| Date: | Tuesday 12 December 1972 |
| Time: | 22:56 |
| Type: |  Boeing 707-331C |
| Owner/operator: | Trans World Airlines - TWA |
| Registration: | N788TW |
| MSN: | 18713/378 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1964 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 29715 hours |
| Engine model: | P&W JT3D-3B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial, repaired |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK) -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Baltimore/Washington International Airport, MD (BWI/KBWI) |
| New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK/KJFK) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A TWA 707-331C, N788TW, operating as Flight 669, crashed during an ILS approach in IFR conditions at John F. Kennedy International Airport, at 22:56 on 12 December 1972. The three crewmembers escaped without injury; there were no passengers on board. The airplane was on a Cat II autoland approach when the flight crew allowed the airplane to descend below the glideslope, and the aircraft struck approach light bars mounted on a wooden pier. The airplane continued on to the runway, but departed to the right, traveling approximately 2,600 feet before coming to a stop, facing the opposite direction. Both main landing gear and all four engines separated from the aircraft during the accident.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The captain did not maintain a safe descent path by visual external reference during an instrument landing system approach."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Images:
photo (c) Abe White; New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK); 1972
photo (c) Abe White; New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK); 1972
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Jan-2025 15:26 | ASN | Updated [Source, Accident report, ] |
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation