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.
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 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)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.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.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.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)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)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)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)