TWA800 - Rome Airport Disaster
Jetliner Explodes On Tarmac
November 23, 1964
On a clear autumn afternoon, Trans World Airlines Flight 800 prepared for takeoff at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport, embarking on the next leg of its journey to Athens. Moments later, a sequence of mechanical failures and unfortunate circumstances culminated in a catastrophic accident that claimed 49 lives.
In this article, we delve into the events surrounding the 1964 crash of TWA Flight 800 — the sequence of events, the technical details, the human stories, and the enduring legacy of a tragedy that, while overshadowed by later events, remains a significant chapter in aviation history.
The Flight
TWA Flight 800 was an international scheduled passenger service originating from Kansas City, Missouri, with planned stops in Chicago, New York, Paris, Milan, Rome, Athens, and a final destination in Cairo, Egypt. On November 23, 1964, the Boeing 707-331, registered as N769TW, was set to depart Rome for Athens.
The aircraft was four and a half years old and had accumulated significant flight hours. On board were 62 passengers and 11 crew members, including Captain Vernon W. Lowell, an experienced pilot with over 17,000 flight hours.
The Crash
At approximately 2:09 PM, Flight 800 commenced its takeoff roll on Runway 25 at Fiumicino Airport. As the aircraft reached 80 knots, the crew observed that Engine No. 4 was producing zero thrust. Shortly thereafter, a warning light indicated a potential issue with Engine No. 2's thrust reverser. Given that the aircraft was still below V₁ speed—the decision speed beyond which takeoff should not be aborted—the crew initiated a rejected takeoff procedure.
Despite deploying all thrust reversers and applying maximum braking, the aircraft did not decelerate as expected and veered to the right. It overran the runway and collided with a construction vehicle — a steamroller—located beyond the runway's end. The impact damaged Engine No. 4 and ruptured fuel lines, igniting a fire on the right wing.
The aircraft came to a stop approximately 260 meters beyond the runway. As the crew initiated evacuation procedures, a series of explosions occurred, starting with the center fuel tank. The ensuing inferno engulfed the aircraft, severely hampering evacuation efforts. Of the 73 people on board, 49 perished, including Bishop Edward Celestin Daly of Des Moines, Iowa, who had been attending the Second Vatican Council.
The Investigation
Investigators determined that the primary cause of the accident was a malfunction in the No. 2 engine's thrust reverser system. Although cockpit indicators showed that the reverser had deployed, a disconnected duct prevented pneumatic pressure from actuating the clamshell doors. As a result, Engine No. 2 continued to produce forward thrust, contributing to the aircraft's inability to stop within the available runway length and causing it to veer off course.
The collision with the construction vehicle ruptured fuel lines, leading to a fire that spread rapidly due to the presence of volatile fuel vapors in partially empty tanks. The subsequent explosions severely compromised the aircraft's structure and hindered evacuation.
Legacy
The 1964 crash of TWA Flight 800 remains a significant, though often overlooked, tragedy in aviation history. It underscored the critical importance of reliable thrust reverser systems and the need for stringent safety protocols during takeoff and landing phases.
The flight number "TWA 800" would gain further notoriety in 1996 when a Boeing 747 operating under the same designation exploded mid-air shortly after departing New York's JFK Airport, resulting in the deaths of all 230 passengers and crew. The coincidence of two catastrophic accidents involving the same flight number, decades apart, with more or less the same explosive cause, has led some to view "TWA 800" as a cursed designation. In both cases, the total destruction of the aircraft was triggered by jet fuel vapors igniting inside a fuel tank — a highly flammable scenario. When such vapors ignite within the confined space of a tank, they can cause a powerful explosion capable of ripping an aircraft apart within seconds.
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