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.
TWA impact site. (LostFlights Archive Photo)
One of four tire and wheel assemblies from the Lockheed Constellation's main landing gear. This one was located further down the ravine and escaped a majority of the fire after impact. (LostFlights Archive Photo)
UAL DC-7 IMPACT SITE - 1975
A park ranger in 1975 looks over the wreckage of the UAL DC-7 at the main impact site on Chuar Butte. (1975 NPS Photo)
This photo taken in 1975 was used by the park service to show United Air Lines the amount of wreckage remaining at the UAL DC-7 site. Similar photos were sent to TWA showing the remaining wreckage on Temple Butte.
After months of letters with attorneys from both airlines and the NPS, it was decided that the wreckage from both crash sites would be removed during October 1976. (1975 NPS Photo)
United Air Lines was the last airline to agree on the removal of wreckage. The delay by UAL was primarily due to the dangers involved with reaching the crash site atop the 1,000' ledge on Chuar Butte.
This photo shows the point of impact made by the DC-7 when it struck the ledge. (LostFlights Archive Photo)
This photo taken on Chuar Butte illustrates the danger of this particular crash site location.
The wreckage debris lies on a slope that gradually steepens to a vertical drop of several hundred feet. Needless to say, United Air Lines having 20 years prior risked lives to recover crash victims, did not want to continue to risk lives on a clean-up operation. (LostFlights Archive Photo)
The propeller and hub with parts of the reduction gearbox attached is all that remains of one of the DC-7's four turbo-compound engines on upper ledge of Chuar Butte. (LostFlights Archive Photo)
WRECKAGE RECOVERY OPERATION - 1976
Salvage crews dismantling wreckage on the east rim during the October 1976 clean-up operation. (1976 NPS Photo)
Wreckage was placed on the Navaho Indian Reservation. Parts were then cut into smaller pieces and loaded onto trucks for a salvage yard in Tucson.
Bell 206 Helicopters were used to sling wreckage from the impact sites and surrounding areas. Some parts were observed to fall back into the canyon as they were being lifted out of the canyon.
Wreckage lined this remote dirt road on the east rim during the wreckage removal operation of 1976. Gone to the scrap yard was the Lockheed Constellation's triple tail section and most of the wreckage from both main impact sites. (1976 NPS Photo)
An engine and tire are some of more recognizable parts laid out for removal and salvage. (1976 NPS Photo)
Another engine section and what appears to be a flap section awaits removal from the east rim by salvage crews.
Weeks after the salvage operation was completed, it was discovered that salvage crews left a large amount of wreckage behind that was not recyclable. The Navaho Indians complained and more wreckage was removed from their lands.
LOSTFLIGHTS SITE EXAMINATION VISITS 1990-2006
Topographic map showing the crash site area as well as the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers. A portion of the Beamer Trail follows the Colorado River and is marked by the red dashed line.
The beginning of my hikes to the crash site area starts here at Lipan Point on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The Tanner Trail originates here.
Two days and 18 miles to go. Morning on top of the Red Wall. Tanner Trail to the left of the tent. (2006 Examination Trip)
Stopping for a photo on the Tanner Trail below the red wall formation. The pack in the photo weighs about 90 pounds. (2002 Examination Trip)
Twilight in Grand Canyon. I took this photo in October 1990 on my first night camping in the canyon. The point of light visible on the canyon rim is the Desert View Watchtower. The constellation of stars is Scorpio (1990 Examination Trip)
March 2006. Day 2 on the lower Beamer Trail near a small river tributary. From the way im standing you can tell the pack is still heavy at about 80 pounds.
At this point I have about 6 miles to hike before I reach the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado Rivers.
The south spire of Temple Butte as seen from the Upper-Beamer Trail. The trail generally follows the contour of the Tapeats layer at about 400-500 feet above the Colorado River.
On the Upper-Beamer Trail looking south. This is one of the more exposed sections of the trail. The width of the trail is about 10" wide and slopes toward a vertical drop of about 400'.
This photo was taken from the Upper-Beamer Trail looking up river towards Chuar Butte. This is about mid-point on the trail. (2006 LostFlights)
Very little room for error on this section of the Upper-Beamer Trail. Gusty winds and an unbalanced backpack could spell disaster here.
I found this fragment on a hill reflecting sunlight as I hiked the Upper Beamer Trail in 2006.
The fragment measures about three feet long and based on the stamped part number came from the Lockheed Constellation. One of many fragments that fell into the canyon after the collision.
Aside from manufacture part numbers and inspection stamps to identify this fragment as coming from the Constellation, this piece of wreckage also was inscribed "Ship 4017". Unusual since N6902C was Ship 4016.
This interior structure part was probably made for the sistership aircraft and was swapped at the factory during construction. (2006 LOSTFLIGHTS)
Another exposed section of the Upper- Beamer Trail. The trail is not well marked as it follows the contour of the terrain towards the confluence.
The trail in this photo is pictured in the center and is about a foot in width.
Discovered near the Upper-Beamer Trail one-quarter mile across from the TWA main impact site and across the Colorado River, this backlit passenger cabin advisory sign would have been located in the aft lavatory or lounge of the TWA Constellation.
This sign was one of many passenger cabin items pulled from the aircraft during the collision and resultant cabin decompression.
Just off the trail near where the passenger advisory sign was located, I discovered this 1950s era vinyl case for sun glasses. The wording was barely readable but with some very light dusting I could make out the words "Deluxe Sun Glasses". The inner canyon's dry sonoran desert climate helps preserve many different types of materials.
A view of the TWA crash site on the northeast slope of Temple Butte (Circled) as seen from across the river on the Upper-Beamer Trail. (2006 LostFlights)
Close-up photo of the TWA crash site as seen from the Upper-Beamer Trail. Today, no wreckage is visible from across the river. (2006 LostFlights)
On the West/Chuar Butte side of the river after a successful crossing during my October 1990 trip.
Crossing the Colorado River is without question the most dangerous part of the journey. The water temperture maintains a constant of 45-49 degrees year round. The currents are very strong and deadly whirlpools are common. In the four hike/raft trips I have made, operating on the river has been very challenging.
The main impact point of UAL Flight 718 occurred just 12 feet from the top of this vertical cliff (circled).
Remaining wreckage is still visible on the ledges and in the crevasses of this 1,000 foot cliff. More accessible wreckage can be found on the talus slope below the cliff face.
Looking up at the 1,000 foot cliff in which United Flight 718 struck during it's uncontrolled decent from 21,000 feet.
Wreckage of United Flight 718 lodged in a 300 foot crevasse on Chuar Butte.
The original ropes used by the 1956 recovery efforts still hang from the cliffs and ledges of Chuar Butte after a half century. (2002 Trip)
This DC-7 main landing gear tire sits in a dry wash near the river's edge. Over time, the tire will eventually be washed away in the Colorado River.
The B.F. Goodrich Silvertown was a popular tire not only for the Douglas DC-7, but for other popular 1950s era prop-liners. (2006 LostFlights)
Douglas DC-7 aft passenger lounge exit door fragment. Incredibly this door, originally located near the tail section was torn in half on impact. Only the top half of this exit door remains.
The interior (Top) and exterior (Bottom) mechanism handles identify this door as an emergency exit. In this case, The door was used near the aft passenger lounge on the Douglas DC-7.
At the base of the cliff on Chuar Butte I found the remains of a passenger seat armrest from the DC-7. (2006 LostFlights)
Bendix pressure switch with attached UAL inventory tag from one of the DC-7s four Pratt & Whitney R-3350 turbo-compound engines.
Fragment of UAL Flight 718 fuselage structure on Chuar Butte.
In the background about 1.5 miles away is Temple Butte and the main impact site of TWA Flight 2.
A fragment with partial painted lettering "UNITED AIR LINES". The location of this panel on the aircraft would have placed it near the tail section.
The sheer destruction of this panel in regards to it's original location on the aircraft provides mute testimony to the severity of the aircraft's impact with the ledge of Chuar Butte.
Cylinder and head from one of the DC-7's four R-3350 Turbo-Compound Engines. Located during the 2002 trip on the north talus slope below the point of impact.
A passenger serving tray from the United DC-7.
DC-7 flight control pulley assembly with attached cable on the south talus slope of Chuar Butte. (2002 Trip)
On the South slope of Chuar Butte looking towards the Little Colorado River (LCR) and the LCR Gorge. (2002 Trip)
Some of the many smaller parts from the DC-7 can still be found on the talus slopes of Chuar Butte. (2002 Trip)
Remains of an audio speaker sits amid other wreckage from the UAL DC-7 on Chuar Butte. (2002 Trip)