1964 — Nov 23, TWA 800 takeoff engine malfunction, hits grader, fire, explosion, Rome Italy–28US of ~50

lornajarrettblanchard November 23, 1964

–50 Aviation Safety Network. Trans World Airlines 23 Nov 1964 Roma-Fiumicino Airport.
— 5 crew
–45 passengers
–49 Eckert. “Fatal commercial air transport crashes, 1924-1981.” AJ of FM&P, 3/1, Mar 1982, Table 1.
–48 (28 US) UPI. “48th Victim of Airliner Crash.” Daily Times, New Philadelphia, OH. 11-27-1964, p.22.
–46 UPI. “Pilot of Plane Blames Roller.” Western Kansas Press, Great Bend. 11-26-1964, p.1.
–45 (26 Americans) AP. “Jet Airliner’s…” Gazette Telegraph, Colorado Springs, CO. 11-26-1964, p. 3D.
–45 Pharos Tribune, Logansport, IN. “Death Toll in TWA Crash Climbs.” 11-25-1964, p. 20.)
–44 Amarillo Daily News, TX. “Top of the Day’s News.” 11-24-1964, p. 1.

Blanchard note: It is possible that there may have been one or two additional U.S. deaths. The last newspaper article we have seen (Nov 27, 1964) notes that twenty-eight Americans died out of a total of 48 deaths. We show two other sources which note 49 and 50 deaths. Thus, if accurate it is possible there was another U.S. death.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network:
“Date: Monday 23 November 1964
“Time: 14:09
“Type: Boeing 707-331
“Operator: Trans World Airlines (TWA)
“Registration: N769TW
“MSN: 17685/123
“First flight: 1960
….
“Crew: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 11
“Passengers: Fatalities: 45 / Occupants: 62
“Total Fatalities: 50 / Occupants: 73
“Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
“Location: Roma-Fiumicino Airport (FCO) Italy
“Phase: Takeoff
“Nature: International Scheduled Passenger
“Departure airport: Roma-Fiumicino Airport…Italy
“Destination airport: Athens-Ellinikon International Airport…Greece
“Flight number: TW800
“Narrative:

“The Boeing 707 started its takeoff run on runway 25 at 14:05. While accelerating through 80 knots, the no. 4 engine instruments indicated zero thrust followed by the no. 2 engine thrust reverser deployment light. The crew aborted the takeoff at a speed below V1 at 800-900 m down the runway. The plane decelerated slower than expected and veered to the right, until the no. 4 engine struck a pavement roller. The 707 caught fire and traveled another 260 m before coming to rest, engulfed in flames.

“Probable Cause: “Damage to reverse thrust system of No.2 engine, not discernible by means of cockpit instruments, and consisting in the disconnection of a duct with resulting lack of pressure in the pneumatic clamshell door actuating mechanism. This malfunction allowed in the develop-ment of considerable forward thrust by No.2 engine even though the four levers were in the “reverse” position.”” (ASN. Trans World Airlines 23 Nov 1964 Roma-Fiumicino Airport.)

Newspapers (chronological)

July 23: “ROME (UPI—A Trans World Airlines jetliner with 72 persons aboard exploded and burned today while taking off from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport. Witnesses said the pilot tried to halt the plane’s take-off. veered off the runway and crashed into a construction steamroller.

“Police said the death toll may be more than 50. At least 19 survivors were rushed to hospitals in the area. Some were in critical condition.

“The accident was the first fatal one involving a United States jet carrier on the transatlantic lines. It was the first disaster at Fiumicino Airport since its opening in 1960.

“The giant Boeing 707 jet flight began in Kansas City, Mo. It had stopped in Rome and was headed for Cairo when the disaster occurred at 2 p.m. (8 a.m. EST).

“A partial list of passengers issued by the airline in New York included four from the Far West. They were Stephen, Leslie and Elaine Darnall, all from Woodland, Calif., and James F. Lewis, La Puenta, Calif. A later report included Elisabeth Loretta Cartley, 39, Santa Monica, Calif., among those who survived the crash.

“An airlines spokesman said the plane was carrying 29 regular passengers, 26 dead-heading airline employes, and a double-crew of 17, including six French air hostesses going to Athens to pick up another flight.

“ Streaking Down Runway The big jetliner was already streaking down runway No. 3 for takeoff when the pilot reported to the control tower that he was trying to ‘abort” his takeoff, a TWA spokesman said. The pilot gave no reason for his desperate attempt to halt the aircraft’s takeoff. Witnesses said the pilot attempted to brake the plane. Brake markings showed the aircraft skidded about 1,500 feet as the pilot made an all-out attempt to bring the giant aircraft to a halt. But the plane skidded off the runway onto another runway being repaired, and its wing struck a steam-roller parked on the runway. A TWA official said the fuel in the right wing tank compartments burst into flames at the impact.

“The resulting explosion hurled great chunks of the plane’s fuselage into the clear, sunny skies. The first rescue workers on the spot were stopped by a solid wall of fire 100 yards from the plane.

“The airline spokesman said the survivors included the captain, identified as Vernon Lowell, and a TWA dispatcher. Two French hostesses also were reported among the survivors. TWA spokesmen said the plane was Flight TWA BM-22 which originated Sunday in Kansas City. It made stops at Chicago, New York, Paris and Milan en route to Rome. From Rome, it was to have gone on to Athens and Cairo….” (UPI. “50 Die as TWA Jet Crashes on Takeoff. Californians Die as Plane Burns in Rome.” The Desert Sun, Palm Springs, CA. 11-23-1964, p. 1.)

July 23: “Rome (AP-UPI) – a feet exploded at a Rome airport Monday [Nov 23], killing 43 of the 72 persons aboard, including the Roman Catholic bishop of Des Moines. The plane faltered on takeoff and hit a road grader. The Trans World Airlines plane was carrying 55 passengers and a crew of 17. Eight of the 29 survivors were reported in critical condition.

“The dead included Bishop Edward G. Daly, 70, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Msgr. Joseph Sontag, also of Des Moines.

“At least 20 of the passengers were TWA employes or their dependents.

“The flight originated in Kansas City and stopped in Chicago, New York, Paris and Milan before reaching Rome’s Fiumicino Airport. It was headed for Athens and Cairo.

“Dr. Giovani Perini, head of the airport police, said it appeared there had been engine failure before the giant jet hit the grader. He declined to say more….The big jetliner was already streaking down runway No. 2 for takeoff when the pilot reported to the control tower that he was trying to ‘abort’ his takeoff, a TWA spokesman said. The pilot gave no reason for his desperate attempt to halt the aircraft’s takeoff.” (AP/UPI. “Jetliner Crashes in Rome. 43 Killed in Explosion.” The Billings Gazette, MT. 11-23-1964, p. 1.)

July 24: “A Trans World airliner with 73 persons aboard faltered on takeoff at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport Monday [Nov 23] and exploded after hitting a parked grader. Forty-four persons died in the crash.” (Amarillo Daily News, TX. “Top of the Day’s News.” 11-24-1964, p. 1.)

July 25: “Rome (UPI) – The death toll in the fiery crash of a Trans World Airlines jet at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport climbed to 45 today when a French crewmember of the plane died in Santeugenio Hospital.

“TWA officials said a 300-foot long blazing trail of jet fuel apparently caused the explosion Monday after the big airliner faltered on takeoff and clipped a steamroller on the ground.

“There were 73 persons aboard the plane.

“The crewman who died of injuries this morning was identified as Edouard Lesniak, the purser aboard the craft.

“Many of the dead were Americans, including the Roman Catholic bishop of Des Moines, Iowa, Edward Celestine Daly, 70, and Msgr. Joseph J. Sondag, the former chancellor of the Des Moines diocese. They had attended the Ecumenical Council.

“A TWA spokesman said 37 passengers out of the 56 aboard and 8 crewmembers out of the 17 were killed. Nationalities of all the dead and the 28 survivors were not immediately known….

“The Boeing 707 jet had an apparent engine failure on takeoff. While braking to stop the takeoff, it swerved and struck a steamroller in an adjacent runway. The collision gashed the plane’s right wing fuel tank and it trailed fuel for 400 yards before stopping.

“Passengers were tumbling out of the plane in evacuation chutes when the fuel trail caught fire. The flames flashed along the ground until they reached the plane’s tanks. Then the aircraft exploded ‘in an enormous spurt of fire’ with a sound like a volcano, a witness said.

“Airport workers said all aboard probably would have been saved if it were not for the explosion and fire.

“It was the first fatal accident since TWA began jet passenger operations in 1959, and the victims were TWA’s first in 28 billion passenger miles. It was also the first disaster since Rome’s Fiumicino Airport opened four years ago.

“The pilot, Capt. Vern Lowell, 44, of Portland, Maine was among the survivors.

“TWA officials said that the plane began a normal takeoff on the mile and one-half long runway. Witnesses said it seemed to lose power in the starboard [right] engines, and TWA said preliminary crew reports showed that trouble was indicated in two engines. ‘Capt. Lowell immediately aborted the takeoff, using brakes, spoilers, and reverse thrust,’ a TWA spokesman said. ‘During the deceleration process, the aircraft veered to the right sufficiently for the wing, overhanging the runway edge, to strike a steamroller which was being operated at a distance of 24 feet from the edge of the runway.’ The runway being used for the takeoff was 200 feet wide.

“The airline officials said at the time he began stopping the plane, Lowell’s speed was 100 knots, 29 knots below the critical stopping speed.” (Pharos Tribune, Logansport, IN. “Death Toll in TWA Crash Climbs.” 11-25-1964, p. 20.)

Nov 26: “Rome (UPI) – The chief pilot of a Trans World Airlines jetliner which exploded in flames Monday at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport told investigators Wednesday the tragedy would not have happened if a steamroller had not been parked so close to the runway, sources reported. Forty-six persons died in the fire and explosion which swept through the plane after one of its wings clipped the steamroller in an aborted takeoff. The $5.5 million Boeing 707 was carrying 73 passengers and crewmembers.

“Capt. Vernol Lowell of Old Westbury, N.Y., both his hands wrapped in bandages, was questioned by state Prosecutor Pietro Manca and Italian air officials for almost six hours. Informed sources said Lowell told Manca he did everything possible to prevent the disaster. Lowell said when he started the takeoff all four engines were working smoothly and all instruments were functioning properly.” (UPI. “Pilot of Plane Blames Roller.” Western Kansas Press, Great Bend. 11-26-1964, p.1.)

Nov 26: “Rome (AP) – The Italian government appointed a five man commission Tuesday to investigate the crash of a Trans World Airlines jet that killed 45 persons. One of the investigators is a member of the U.S. Federal Aviation Agency….

“Twenty-six of the dead and 13 of the survivors were Americans. The plane carried 73 persons….” (AP. “Jet Airliner’s Crash Will Be Investigated.” Gazette Telegraph, Colorado Springs, CO. 11-26-1964, p. 3D.)

Nov 27: “Rome (UPI) – Flight engineer Howard W. Lowery died today of injuries suffered in the crash of the Trans World Airliner here Monday, boosting the death toll in the disaster to 48. The 46-year-old Lowery lived in Levittown, N.Y. The plane was carrying 73 passengers and crew members, including 42 Americans. Lowery’s death left only 14 American survivors.” (UPI. “48th Victim of Airliner Crash.” Daily Times, New Philadelphia, OH. 11-27-1964, p. 22.)

Sources

Amarillo Daily News, TX. “Top of the Day’s News.” 11-24-1964, p. 1. Accessed 7-7-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/amarillo-daily-news-nov-24-1964-p-1/

AP (Associated Press). “Jet Airliner’s Crash Will Be Investigated.” Gazette Telegraph, Colorado Springs, CO. 11-26-1964, p. 3D. Accessed 7-8-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/colorado-springs-gazette-nov-26-1964-p-35/

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. Trans World Airlines 23 Nov 1964 Roma-Fiumicino Airport. Accessed 7-8-2022 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19641123-0

Billings Gazette, MT (AP/UPI). “Jetliner Crashes in Rome. 43 Killed in Explosion.” 11-23-1964, p. 1. Accessed 7-8-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/billings-gazette-nov-23-1964-p-2/

Pharos Tribune, Logansport, IN. “Death Toll in TWA Crash Climbs.” 11-25-1964, p. 20. Accessed 7-8-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/logansport-pharos-tribune-nov-25-1964-p-20/

UPI (United Press International). “48th Victim of Airliner Crash.” Daily Times, New Philadelphia, OH. 11-27-1964, p. 22. Accessed 7-8-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/new-philadelphia-daily-times-nov-27-1964-p-22/

UPI (United Press International “50 Die as TWA Jet Crashes on Takeoff. Californians Die as Plane Burns in Rome.” The Desert Sun, Palm Springs, CA. 11-23-1964, p. 1.

UPI (United Press International). “Pilot of Plane Blames Roller.” Western Kansas Press, Great Bend. 11-26-1964, p.1. Accessed 7-8-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/great-bend-western-kansas-press-nov-26-1964-p-1/

Wikipedia. “Second Vatican Council.” 7-6-2022 “last edit.” Accessed 7-8-2022 at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Vatican_Council