New York – Los Angeles

On March 1, 1962 at 10:08 AM, New York – Los Angeles experienced a crash involving Boeing 707, operated by American Airlines, with the event recorded near New York-Idlewild New York.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

95 people were known to be on board, 95 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 8, crew fatalities: 8, passengers on board: 87, passenger fatalities: 87, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is other causes. Flight One was cleared for takeoff from Runway 31L on a regularly scheduled nonstop flight to Los Angeles, California, and became airborne at 1007 e.s.t. The takeoff and initial climb appeared to be normal and a gentle turn to the left was started about 8,000 feet down the runway near taxiway AA, at an altitude of about 100 feet. Straightening out from this turn the aircraft continued to climb for several seconds on a magnetic heading of 290 degrees, and started a second turn to the left, apparently in compliance with radar vector directions given by Departure Control. In the second turn the airplane continued to climb. After initiation of the second turn the angle of bank increased until the airplane rolled through 90 degrees of bank at a peak altitude of about 1,600 feet m.s.1. It then entered an inverted, nose-low attitude and plunged earthward in a nearly vertical dive. The airplane struck the shallow waters of Pumpkin Patch Channel of Jamaica Bay approximately three miles southwest of the Idlewild Control Tower at 1008:49 Floating debris and fuel ignited a few minutes later and burned fiercely. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and there were no survivors among the 95 occupants.

Aircraft reference details include registration N7506A, MSN 17633, year of manufacture 1959.