Date:	Thursday 1 March 1962
Time:	10:08
Type:	Boeing 707-123B
Owner/operator:	American Airlines
Registration:	N7506A
MSN:	17633/12
Year of manufacture:	1959
Total airframe hrs:	8147 hours
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney JT3D-1-MC6
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 95 / Occupants: 95
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	Jamaica Bay, NY -   United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY (IDL/KIDL)
Destination airport:	Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX)
Investigating agency:	CAB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The American Airlines Boeing 707, named "Flagship District of Columbia", was cleared for takeoff at 10:05 on a scheduled domestic non-stop IFR flight to Los Angeles, California. The aircraft carried out what appeared to be a normal takeoff, and lift-off was at 10:07 hours about 5000 ft down runway 31L. At 10:07:37 the aircraft started a gentle turn to the left approximately 8000 ft down the runway, at an altitude of 100 ft, and was established on a heading of 290° at 10:07:42. Straightening out from the turn, the aircraft continued to climb for several seconds on a heading of 290° and started a second turn to the left as instructed by Departure Control. These manoeuvres were in accordance with the noise abatement procedures then in effect for taking-off from runway 31L. Having started the second turn, the angle of bank increased until the aircraft rolled through 90° of bank at a peak altitude of about 1600 ft msl . It then entered an inverted, nose-low attitude and plunged earthward in a nearly vertical dive. It struck the earth in the shallow waters of Pumpkin Patch Channel of Jamaica Bay during low tide. Impact was at an angle of approximately 78° nose down on a magnetic heading of 300°. Fire broke out a few minutes later.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "A rudder control system malfunction, producing yaw, sideslip, and roll leading to a loss of control from which recovery action was not effective."

ICAO Accident Digest No.14 Volume II, Circular 71-AN/63 (22-35)

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