Flying Tiger Line Flight 282
Encyclopedia
Flying Tiger Flight 282 refers to the crash of a Lockheed Constellation
aircraft, N6915C, shortly after take-off from San Francisco International Airport
in the early morning hours of Thursday, December 24, 1964.
On Wednesday, December 23, 1964, Flying Tiger Line
Flight 282 arrived at San Francisco International Airport from Japan
. Filled with a cargo of electronic equipment, bolts of fabric, women's scarves, bandannas, purses, and costume jewelry for the Christmas holiday, the craft was refueled and departed just after midnight with a crew of three, 41000 pounds (18,597.3 kg) of cargo, 136 pounds (61.7 kg) of mail, and 5,000 gallons of high-octane aviation fuel.
The weather was that of heavy fog and rain. A large cold frontal system
was moving onshore, and on the north coast of California heavy flooding was destroying homes. A Coast Guard
helicopter had already been lost in these conditions.
Leaving just after midnight on December 24 from Runway 28, going northwest from the bay, flight 282 planned to head out over the ocean to circle and gain altitude, then travel east toward its destination of JFK International Airport in New York
. Shortly after takeoff, however, the plane veered to the left of its planned course. The pilot, Jabez A. Richards, 49, of Bayhead, New Jersey, asked the tower for permission to change his radio setting from takeoff to departure frequency. With him were Daniel W. Hennessy, 33, of Hillsborough, California, as co-pilot, and Paul M. Entz, 37, of North Hollywood, California, as flight engineer. Seconds later, the plane vanished from the tower's radar scope.
The "Super Connie" crashed near the top of Sweeney Ridge in San Bruno
, very close to the site of a Coast Guard radio station. All three crew members aboard were killed. No one on the ground was killed or injured.
The Civil Aeronautics Board determined that the probable cause of the accident was that the pilot, for undetermined reasons, deviated from departure course into an area of rising terrain, where downdraft activity and turbulence affected the ability of the craft to climb.
Lockheed Constellation
The Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
aircraft, N6915C, shortly after take-off from San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
in the early morning hours of Thursday, December 24, 1964.
On Wednesday, December 23, 1964, Flying Tiger Line
Flying Tiger Line
Flying Tiger Line, also known as Flying Tigers, was the first scheduled cargo airline in the United States and a major military charter operator during the Cold War era for both cargo and personnel .- History :...
Flight 282 arrived at San Francisco International Airport from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Filled with a cargo of electronic equipment, bolts of fabric, women's scarves, bandannas, purses, and costume jewelry for the Christmas holiday, the craft was refueled and departed just after midnight with a crew of three, 41000 pounds (18,597.3 kg) of cargo, 136 pounds (61.7 kg) of mail, and 5,000 gallons of high-octane aviation fuel.
The weather was that of heavy fog and rain. A large cold frontal system
Cold front
A cold front is defined as the leading edge of a cooler mass of air, replacing a warmer mass of air.-Development of cold front:The cooler and denser air wedges under the less-dense warmer air, lifting it...
was moving onshore, and on the north coast of California heavy flooding was destroying homes. A Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
helicopter had already been lost in these conditions.
Leaving just after midnight on December 24 from Runway 28, going northwest from the bay, flight 282 planned to head out over the ocean to circle and gain altitude, then travel east toward its destination of JFK International Airport in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Shortly after takeoff, however, the plane veered to the left of its planned course. The pilot, Jabez A. Richards, 49, of Bayhead, New Jersey, asked the tower for permission to change his radio setting from takeoff to departure frequency. With him were Daniel W. Hennessy, 33, of Hillsborough, California, as co-pilot, and Paul M. Entz, 37, of North Hollywood, California, as flight engineer. Seconds later, the plane vanished from the tower's radar scope.
The "Super Connie" crashed near the top of Sweeney Ridge in San Bruno
San Bruno, California
San Bruno is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. The population was 41,114 at the 2010 census.The city is adjacent to San Francisco International Airport and Golden Gate National Cemetery.-Geography:San Bruno is located at...
, very close to the site of a Coast Guard radio station. All three crew members aboard were killed. No one on the ground was killed or injured.
The Civil Aeronautics Board determined that the probable cause of the accident was that the pilot, for undetermined reasons, deviated from departure course into an area of rising terrain, where downdraft activity and turbulence affected the ability of the craft to climb.
External links
- CAB Aircraft Accident Report, File No. 1-0064 - from Department of Transportation Special Collections Library
(if link above fails to load report, visit http://dotlibrary.specialcollection.net and select "Historical Aircraft Accident Reports (1934-1965)", then retry report link) - Transcription of the CAB Aircraft Accident Report, released June 8, 1966
- Check-Six.com - The Crash of Flying Tiger Line Flight 282 - including period and recent photographs of the crash site