Douglas DC-7

The DC-7 was loaded with 27,484lb of cargo and was cleared to taxy to runway 01 at 21:45. After receiving IFR clearance for Wake Island, the crew reported ready for takeoff and requested the use of the paved runway overrun area. The request was approved. The aircraft failed to rotate at 121 knots (V2) and even accelerated through 128 knots without being able to rotate. The engines were stopped and maximum braking was applied, but the aircraft overran and ran through a fence. The landing gear failed and the aircraft slid to a stop 1700 feet from the runway end. All four crew members were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

The crew was completing a local training flight at Denver-Stapleton Airport. On touchdown, one of the nose wheel tire burst. The landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid on its nose for several yards before coming to rest. All four crew members were uninjured while the aircraft christened 'Mainliner Capt Ralph Jonston was considered as damaged beyond repair.

While taxiing at Miami-Intl Airport, the four engine aircraft went out of control and came to rest into a ditch. All four crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

On short final to Charlotte-Douglas Airport, the four engine aircraft was too low. The right main gear struck the ground short of runway threshold. Upon touchdown on the concrete runway, the right main gear was sheared off and the airplane slid for several yards before coming to rest in flames. While all 62 occupants were evacuated safely, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Eastern Air Lines, Flight EA 663 was a scheduled passenger flight originating at Boston, MA (BOS), and terminating at Atlanta, GA (ATL) with intermediate stops at New York (JFK), Richmond, VA (RIC), Charlotte, NC (CLT), and Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (GSP). The DC-7B took off from runway 31L at New York-JFK at 18:20 on an IFR clearance to the Richmond Airport. The crew flew a Dutch 7 Standard Instrument Departure. About 18:24 EAL 663 was further cleared to 8,000 feet and instructed to turn right to a heading of 150 degrees. The flight acknowledged this clearance and reported leaving 3,000 feet. Shortly thereafter the crew reported leaving 3,500 feet at which time the flight was instructed to turn left to a heading of 090 degrees. At 18:25, while climbing through 3700 feet Departure Control instructed the flight to "... turn right now, heading one seven zero to Victor one thirty nine, traffic 2 o'clock five miles northeast bound below you." The flight responded, "OK we have the traffic, turning one seven zero..." The other traffic was Pan American flight 212 arriving from San Juan. The Boeing 707 was being vectored to intercept the final approach course to runway 31R. At approximately 18:24 Approach Control had instructed the PA212 to turn right to a heading of 020 degrees and inquired if the flight had as yet, reached 3,000 feet. Approach Control then instructed the flight to report leaving each 500-foot level down to 3,000 feet and advised the flight of " ...Traffic at 11 O'clock, six miles southeast bound just climbing out of three (3,000 feet)." As the Eastern DC-7 was turning from 090 to 170 degrees, the airplane was in a 35-degree banked nearly level turn. With PA212 approx. 700 feet lower and four miles away at 3 o'clock, PA212 would not be visible to the captain of EA663 until he was nearly around the turn and on the rollout. Upon completion of the turn, they were on a nearly head-on, converging course with PA212. At that moment, PA212 started a left turn to the assigned heading of 360 degrees. The results of this turn would be to produce an illusion of an apparent collision track. Also, EA663 was turning away from the background lights of the Long Island shore into a black area, so there was no horizon available to assist in the determination of the relative altitude of the target airplane. Under these circumstances, it is likely that the Eastern pilot started a descent, initially as a precautionary measure, which would give him a longer time to observe the other aircraft, and provide him with a measure of vertical separation. Afraid of a collision, PA212 rolled rapidly to the right and also initiated a descent. The Eastern pilot also made a rapid roll to the right and/or a pull up. In this circumstance the DC-7 was placed in an unusual attitude, resulting in spatial disorientation of the crew. They were not able to recover from the vertical bank. The DC-7 struck the sea and disintegrated.

During the takeoff roll at Tenerife-Norte-Los Rodeos Airport, the crew inadvertently raised the landing gear while the aircraft did not liftoff already. Subsequently, the airplane sank on its belly and slid for several yards before coming to rest in flames. While all 91 occupants were evacuated (six of them were injured), the aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire.

Flight 355 took off from London for a flight to Singapore via Istanbul. The first approach to Istanbul runway 24 was abandoned because the pilot-in-command couldn't see the runway lights. Heavy rain continued as the pilot approached for the second time. VHF communications were lost during a short period of time because of a power failure in the tower transmitter and was restored when the plane was in the procedure turn. Lightning and heavy turbulence were reported during the descent and the runway was sighted when descending to 500 feet. The pilot made a slight correction to the right and ordered full flaps and power reduction to 20" boost. The plane sank quickly just short of the runway and more power was ordered, but the left main gear had struck the ground in line with the runway, 72 m short of the threshold. The plane bounced and touched down again 14 m further on. The left main gear as well as nose gear collapsed, causing the no. 1 and 2 engines to break off, followed by the entire left wing. The fuselage skidded 260 m down the runway and a fire developed.

The crew was completing a local test flight at Washington-Dulles Airport. Upon landing, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane slid for several yards before coming to rest. All eight occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

The DC-7 touched down on runway 05 following an ILS approach. Reverser were applied, but the no. 1 engine reverser didn't respond. The pilot moved the no. 4 throttle to idle. The plane had then reached a rough part of the runway (a 1000 feet area, beginning 2750 feet down the runway). The DC-7 was turning slightly right, but this was corrected with left brake and rudder and left nose wheel steering. Severe vibration then caused the plane to veer sharply right off the runway, causing the nose gear to collapse. It appeared that the nose wheel strut collar had failed from both the left and right sides.

On final approach to Richmond-Byrd Field Airport, the pilot was cleared to land on runway 15 but the airplane was slightly below the glide. This caused the right main gear to struck the ground 150 feet short of runway threshold and to be sheared off at impact. The aircraft slid on the runway for 4,752 feet before coming to rest. All 76 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.