Houston - Dallas - Memphis

On May 3, 1968 at 03:48 PM, Houston - Dallas - Memphis experienced a crash involving Lockheed L-188 Electra, operated by Braniff Airways, with the event recorded near Dawson Texas.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

85 people were known to be on board, 85 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 5, passengers on board: 80, passenger fatalities: 80, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is weather. Braniff Flight 352 departed Houston (HOU) at 16:11 for a flight to Dallas (DAL) and climbed to FL200. Some 25 minutes into the flight, the L-188A Electra was approaching an area of severe thunderstorm activity. The crew requested a descent to FL150 and a deviation to the west. ARTCC then advised the crew that other aircraft were deviating to the east. The Electra crew still thought it looked all right on the west and were cleared to descend to FL140 and deviate to the west. At 16:44 the flight was further cleared to descend to 5000 feet. At 16:47 the aircraft had apparently encountered an area of bad weather, including hail, and requested (and were cleared for) a 180° turn. Subsequent to the initiation of a right turn, the aircraft was upset. During the upset, N9707C rolled to the right to a bank angle in excess of 90° and pitched nose-down to approximately 40 degrees. A roll recovery maneuver was initiated and the aircraft experienced forces of 4,35 g. Part of the right wing failed and the aircraft broke up at an altitude of 6750 feet and crashed in flames a little later. There was no survivor among the 85 occupants.

Aircraft reference details include registration N9707C, MSN 1099, year of manufacture 1959.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 32.7411°, -101.9576°.