June 30, 1956: Trans World Airlines / United Air Lines, Lockheed L-1049 (N6902C) / Douglas DC-7 (N6324C) Mid-Air Collision, Grand Canyon, AZ
June 30, 1956. Two transcontinental airliners departed three minutes apart from Los Angeles International Airport in California. Trans World Airlines Flight 2, (N6902C), a Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation en-route to Kansas City, MO and then continuing to Baltimore/Washington D.C. TWA Flight 2 carried 70 passengers and crew, many of which were TWA employees and families traveling on company passes. United Air Lines Flight 718 was a Douglas DC-7, (N6324C) bound for Chicago, IL with 58 passengers and crew.
Based on their destinations and routes, both aircraft would be flying converging courses to their destinations; however a request for altitude change by TWA Flight 2 due to weather brought both aircraft to fly at a cruising altitude of 21,000 feet.
At 1030 AM (PST), both aircraft collided over eastern the Grand Canyon in Northern Arizona. There were no warnings, no alerts, and no survivors among the 128 persons. Only a garbled distress call received from United flight 718 would give any hint of a problem.
After an hour of repeated calls from air traffic control, the two flights were officially reported as missing and overdue. A search for the airliners was initiated by several military and state agencies, but it was Palen Hudgin and his brother flying an air tour with Grand Canyon Airlines that would later recall seeing smoke near Temple Butte earlier in the day. The two returned before dark and confirmed the impact site of the TWA Constellation on the northeast slope of Temple Butte. Not far from the burning wreckage was the Constellation's distinctive triple tail smashed against the boulders.
Authorities acted quickly on the Hudgin's report of the downed aircraft and the following morning a military helicopter would not only confirm the brother's sighting, but also discovered the smoldering impact site of the DC-7 atop a 1,000 foot ledge of Chuar Butte. At the time it was the worst air disaster in the history of civil aviation.
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HISTORICAL SUMMARY:
The following photos depict this historical but tragic event in aviation history. As a result of this accident many improvements were made to the national airspace system such as nationwide radar coverage and ATC transponder requirements. After a series of congressional hearings, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was also created as a result of this tragedy.
Since 1990, I have made five trips into the Grand Canyon to map and document the impact sites and remaining wreckage. Each examination visit required a 6-7 day backpacking trip (40+ miles) as well as a solo crossing by raft of the Colorado River to reach the sites.
Douglas Aircraft Company part plate on passenger seat frame. (2006 Trip)
Remains of a shoe located on the south talus slope. Even though I saw no human remains at the DC-7 site, small personal items such as this reminded me of the human toll brought by this event. (2006 Trip)
DC-7 wheel fragment partially buried amid boulders on the talus slope of Chuar Butte. (2006 LostFlights)
Each of the four Wright R-3350 engines on the DC-7 were equipped with three of these Power Recovery Turbines (PRT). The PRTs enhanced engine performance at high altitudes giving the DC-7 greater speed and range.
The L-1049 Super Constellation also had four Wright R-3350 engines, but they were not equipped with PRTs. (2006 LostFlights)
This photo was taken at Chuar Butte on the August 2006 commercial river trip. The Wilderness River Adventure guides set camp below the impact point of United 718.
Douglas DC-7 wing fragment located during the August 2006 commercial river trip.
This fragment was discovered on the opposite side of the ledge from the initial impact point.
The wing fragment was complete with the exception that someone had removed the data plates that would have allowed for positive identification of the part. Today, vandalism on wreckage fragments such as this is a federal offence.
This fragment was located on the north talus slope below the impact site of UAL Flight 718. Although crushed, I could still make out the painted white letters "ai" from the word "Mainliner" and portions of the black painted lettering that would have spelled out the name "Vancouver".
Even more pronounced was the compressed accordion-like crushing of the metal on the left edge of the fragment and the tearing of rivets from the right side. In all probability the fragment came from the forward left side of the DC-7 as seen in the photo. (2002 LostFlights)
The views from within the canyon can be spectacular such as this shot from Chuar Butte looking south down the river from the UAL DC-7 site.
Crossing the river in a small 2-man raft is never easy and most rough water and rapids have to be portaged.
My campsite at Temple Butte was near the river which allowed easy access to the river. The trees provided shade and protection from the wind. (2002 Trip)
Camping at Temple Butte during my trip in 2002.
Preparing the fresh water basin at the Temple Butte campsite. Once the dirt/mud settles in the basin, there is enough drinking water for 2-3 days.
Dusk at the Temple Butte camp during the 2002 trip. This is about as remote as you can get within the canyon.
TWA FLIGHT 2 IMPACT SITE
Looking down into the ravine from the north slope. This was the point of impact for TWA Flight 2.
Many of the rocks and boulders were displaced in this location and also displayed evidence of impact scarring.
From this location the aircraft continued to disintegrate only a short distance to the bottom of the ravine.
Burn area at TWA main impact site. The bottom of ravine contained the majority of burned wreckage. March 2006 visit.
As I hiked up a dry drainage above the TWA impact site, I came across this pile of wreckage from the Lockheed Constellation.
Further examination revealed an interior cabin bulkhead amid other interior parts that were pulled from the aircraft during separation of the Connie's tail section. (2006 Trip)
Cabin interior bulkhead from the TWA Lockheed Constellation.
Located on the upper slopes of Temple Butte, this fragment contained the flight attendant's (Hostess) aircraft cabin switches and controls for lighting, audible chimes, and passenger announcements.
This bulkhead was pulled from the Constellation's cabin during the tail separation and cabin decompression.
Closeup of the cabin bulkhead switch panel. Contains the flight attendant's (Hostess) aircraft cabin switches and controls for lighting, audible chimes, and cabin announcements.
This bulkhead was located to the right of the main cabin entrance door.
The upper portion of the Constellation's aft cabin bulkhead still contained the placement and support for the Cabin Announcement Handset and Control Box. (2006 LostFlights)
Remnants of the aft Hostess "Jump-Seat" consisted of a piece of seat frame discovered on a ledge high above the Colorado River.
This seat was originally attached to the aft cabin bulkhead that was discovered in a ravine above the TWA main impact site.
Upon close examination, the aft Hostess Jump-seat frame contained the part number and a Lockheed Aircraft Company inspection stamp.
This information helps to identify the aircraft manufacturer and location of the part on the aircraft. (2006 LostFlights)
Discovered during the 2002 examination trip, the overhead passenger cabin light/air vent panel from the aft lounge was found several hundred feet from the TWA impact site.
This fragment was one of many pieces of cabin interior pulled from the aircraft during the tail separation and free-fell to this location.
This photo illustrates the location of the aft lounge passenger light/air vent panel positioned above the rearward lounge seats.
A propeller fragment at the TWA impact site. (1991 LostFlights)
A passenger cabin overhead reading light from TWA Flight 2. Located at the main impact site.
TWA FLIGHT 2 TAIL SECTION IMPACT SITE:
During the March 2006 examination trip, I hiked to the southeast slope of Chuar Butte and the impact site for the Constellation's tail section.
It was not surprising to find small fragments at the site, many of which were cut by saws during the NPS wreckage concealement project of 1957. (2006 LostFlights)
Fragment of the Constellation's tail section and De-Ice boot located at the site where the tail freefell and came to rest. (2006 LostFlights)
Additional fragments from the Constellation's tail section. (2006 LostFlights)
Tail section fragments amid rocks and cactus. (2006 LostFlights)
1956-57 RECOVERY TEAM ARTIFACTS:
A small collection of empty ration containers left behind by recovery teams during the 1956 efforts on Temple Butte. A beer can?? During July 1956 it was pushing 105-110 degrees in the canyon!
This material is no longer considered "trash" by the National Park Service and is protected by historical preservation laws. (2006 LostFlights)
This photo illustrates the type of terrain at the Grand Canyon crash sites. (2002 LostFlights)
I found this supercharger impeller on Temple Butte and quite a distance above the impact site of TWA Flight 2. It was thrown to this location during the impact explosion. The TWA Constellation had a supercharger on each engine.(2006 LostFlights)
The reverse side of the supercharger impeller. (2006 LostFlights)
The lid of a beverage container located at the TWA main impact site on Temple Butte.
The beverage containers were located in the aircraft galley and contained various beverages for the passengers.
The bottom of a melted plastic serving tray with a "TWA" logo. Located at the TWA main impact site on Temple Butte. (2006 LostFlights)
Propeller fragment at the TWA main impact site. (2002 LostFlights)
TWA Constellation aft lounge or Hostess "Jump-Seat" frame. The seat frame was pulled from the passenger cabin shortly after the collision.
This photo was taken on the Chuar Butte side of Crash/Connie Canyon during the March 2006 visit.
Years ago, I heard of the Constellation's aft lounge seat cushions being found on Cape Solitude.
Discovering seat frames had also been pulled from the aircraft during the tail separation leads to the probability that some of the victims may have also been thrown from the aircraft during the collision and cabin decompression. Since no remains were located outside of the impact area, this theory is based off pure speculation. (2006 LostFlights)
The seat frame still had the seatbelt mount attachments in place, but the belts and buckles were missing. (2006 LostFlights)
This photo taken during the 2002 examination trip at the TWA impact site, shows a lower wing fragment along with a red painted fragment from either the wing or fuselage. (2002 LostFlights)
Portions of a planetary reduction gear from one the TWA Constellation's four Wright-Cyclone engines. (2006 LostFlights)
A propeller fragment from the TWA plane amid burned and melted debris at bottom of ravine. (2002 LostFlights)
REMAINING WRECKAGE TODAY - NAVAJO TRIBAL LAND:
Not all of the wreckage from the two airliners was removed from the Navajo Indian Reservation during the clean-up operation of 1976.
Partially buried is a tire and wheel assembly from the DC-7's main landing gear photographed on the east rim during a 2006 visit to the salvage site.
During the Fall of 1976, wreckage from both impact sites were brought out of the canyon and deposited here on the Navajo Indian Reservation.
(LostFlights)
