Kansas City – Chicago – New York – Paris – Milan – Rome – Athens – Cairo

On November 23, 1964 at 02:09 PM, Kansas City – Chicago – New York – Paris – Milan – Rome – Athens – Cairo experienced a crash involving Boeing 707, operated by Trans World Airlines - TWA, with the event recorded near Rome-Fiumicino-Leonardo da Vinci Lazio.

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.

73 people were known to be on board, 49 fatalities were recorded, 24 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 67.1%.

Crew on board: 11, crew fatalities: 5, passengers on board: 62, passenger fatalities: 44, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. Flight 800 was a scheduled international flight from Rome, Italy to Athens, Greece. It departed the parking area at 1300 hours GMT with the copilot at the controls and the take-off run on runway 25 started at 1307 hours. The aircraft bad reached a speed above 80 kt when the pilot-in-command noticed that the No. 4 engine pressure ratio gauge was reading 1 (zero thrust) and, immediately thereafter, the amber light indicating thrust reversal of No. 2 engine came on. Since the speed was still below V1 for the weights and runway conditions, he decided to abort take-off and took over the controls to carry out the required manoeuvre. The tower was advised of this decision when the aircraft had reached a point 800 to 900 m after the threshold. The aircraft started to decelerate but at a much slower rate than expected, and at the same time veered strongly to the right with the result that the right landing gear was grazing the runway edge. Reverse thrust on the two right engines was reduced in an attempt to bring the aircraft back to the centre Line. The aircraft continued travelling beyond the declared runway limit and struck with No. 4 engine a pavement roller which was being used for maintenance work on taxiway 16/34 in an authorized area. After travelling a further 260 m, the aircraft came to a stop with fire on board. After a series of explosions, it was engulfed in flames and completely destroyed. The accident occurred at 1309 hours GMT. Five crew members and 44 passengers were killed, 24 others occupants were injured, some of them seriously.

Aircraft reference details include registration N769TW, MSN 17685/123, year of manufacture 1960.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 41.8154°, 12.2265°.