national airlines flight 967 national airlines flight 967

Don't have an account? Compare airfares and book tickets with lowest price on different airlines in real time 24 hours. She received a court order to open his post office box. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The FBI's FOIA Library contains many files of public interest and historical value. Spears disappeared after the accident but was arrested in Phoenix, Arizona, with Taylor's car in January, 1960. 02:55. Investigation disproved the possibility of collision with another aircraft, either civil or military, and there were no missiles or rockets in flight at the time and place. (These bearings could be duplicated at low altitude; the VOR bearings could not be, due to line-of-sight limitations.). None of this disclosed conclusive evidence as to the genesis of the accident. Who hatched the plot--Spears? Subsequent investigation has failed to reveal the use of any marine signal flash or pyrotechnic, which might have had a somewhat similar appearance, at the time and place. Current weather reports and forecasts showed both destination and alternates to be and to remain above the approved minimums. The Coast Guard favored the former explanation, while the Air Force favored the latter. Pensacola replied by delivering a clearance to Flight967, which stipulated that it was cleared from NL1 direct to the MSY (New Orleans) omni via the 116-degree radial, and to descend and maintain 6,000feet at the pilot's discretion. Then he abruptly told her was headed to Atlanta the next day, to look for a job there. On October 5, 1945 National Airlines Flight 16, a Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar (registered NC18199) crashed into a lake near Lakeland, . The personal effects consisted of shoes, clothing, parts of leather suitcases and other traveling paraphernalia. This is also unexplained. Or was it all a freak accident? He was charged with three felony accounts and was set to stand trial in Los Angeles on December 3, 1959. According to Junior, Taylor was carrying over $600 in cash--a lot of money at the time, especially for a man in serious debt. At the time of his disappearance, Al Taylor lived in Tampa and worked as a salesman for the Pioneer Tire Company. In compliance with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements, some of these records are no longer in the physical possession of the FBI, eliminating the FBI's capability to re-review and/or re-process this material. While circling and observing, the National Convair called Coast Guard aircraft with continuous transmission, allowing the latter to home on the area. Intensive sea and air searches resulted in finding nine floating bodies and a small amount of floating debris the following morning. As for the insurance policy taken out by Taylor, Spears said: Taylor was sort of a nut on insurance. ", Alan C. Logans book also cites a vague remark by Mr Turska that Spears was not alone when he showed up in Arizona after the crash. This is the story Spears gave after his arrest: He said he had been in Tampa and was planning on heading back to Dallas on November 16. All times herein are Central Standard based on the 24-hour clock. 8839'W. Geo resource failed to load. There were no apparent problems with the plane's operating equipment, no apparent discrepancies in the maintenance records, nothing mechanical which could "reasonably be linked to this accident". A mystery woman told a local Tampa newspaper that she had had a relationship with Taylor shortly before his disappearance, and did not believe he was dead. Charts used during the several searches, with search areas well delineated, were coordinated within the various agencies to preclude duplicative and omissive effort. And that they happened to know a seedy lawyer who (allegedly) blew himself up a month later? It was a starlit night, and good weather conditions were reported all along the route. This position is about 108miles east-southeast of New Orleans, about 30miles east of Pilottown, near the mouth of the Mississippi River, and very nearly on the planned course. Forty-two people were on board, and less than 1% of the wreckage was recovered. 46 people perished. 2918.5'N, Long. Throughout this observation the radar scope indicated no other object. His testimony indicates that the light was red or dark red, appearing suddenly, lasting a "couple of seconds," and then producing a vertical, white light which fell with a white trail. I think the plane crashing was more or less a red herring in this case. One part of the investigation focused on the passengers. 2910'N, and Long. Mrs Spears replied that she had not. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. All 42 on board were presumed killed in the incident. It turned out Mr Taylor was not just a gullible friend of Dr Spears--he was a criminal himself, Spears partner in crime for many years. Turska claimed that once he found out about the plane crash fiasco, he immediately told Spears to leave, and then went straight to see his attorney. Capt. These were determined, the aircraft were spiralled down to the same site, and the bearings were radioed to the Coast Guard and plotted on their charts as 2907'N and 8833'W. Flight 967 Hardcover - January 1, 1963. Save your money with discount and promotions and find the best deals on Trip.com! Clearly, Dr Spears had not been on that plane. Lieut. At Miami, National Airlines prepared one of its Convair aircraft, which left for the area at 0545 under the command of the company's chief pilot. The flight release Tampa-New Orleans was in accordance with the Civil Air Regulations and NAL procedures. Investigators determined that the flight crew was competent and experienced. Logan says Taylors ex-wife was media-savvy--and points out that she had a potential financial motive to portray Taylor as an unwitting passenger on that flight. The aircraft was a DC-7, N4891C, owned by Delta Air Lines and operated by National under an equipment interchange agreement. She called Spearss wife (who was still grieving at that time) and asked if she had seen or heard from Taylor. It was then observed to turn right approximately 70 degrees and disappear from the scope at 0051 at Lat. The Coastguardsman on duty saw an unusual light in the sky at an angle which he estimated as about 15 degrees above the horizontal and in the general direction of where N4891C was lost and at about the time it was lost. Seven minutes later, National Airlines flight 2511, which had been carrying 29 passengers and 5 crew members, crashed into a field in Brunswick County. Length approx. A rival airline company? [4], Spears died in Dallas, Texas on May 2, 1969, of coronary thrombosis. There was nothing immediately remarkable about Dr Spears. Frank E. Todd of Miami, the pilot, radioed his last message at 12:44a.m. He needed to get the dynamite from Tulsa to Dallas. Comprehensive flight tracking to enhance your FBO operations and increase sales. - May 1, 1961, Antulio Ramirez Ortiz hijacks a National Airlines flight from Miami International Airport to Cuba. National Airlines Flight 967, registration N4891C, was a Douglas DC-7B aircraft which disappeared over the Gulf of Mexico en route from Tampa, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on November 16, 1959. The 9 they found were likely ejected from the plane through a large opening during the deconpression, while the rest were blown to bits. Boeing 747-400BCF National Airlines N702CA Scale 1/400 XX4975. When she read that Dr Robert Spears had been a victim of the air disaster, she became even more curious. The main section of the wreckage has never been found despite the efforts of Navy and Coast Guard divers. The flight's next radio contact was with FAA Pensacola radio at 0031 requesting clearance to New Orleans and reestimating NL1 at 0035. In that interview, he said he knew about the plane crash, admitted taking Spears to see his wife, and said that Spears had confided in him that he wanted to start a new life: He wanted to change his character, Turska said, change his fingerprints, change everything.. and then hurry away, accidentally forgetting your luggage. The freezing level along the route was at about 14,000feet and the winds at that altitude were generally from the northwest at 10-20knots. All 42occupants, 36passengers and 6crew members, were killed. I was kind of expecting to hear Spears was somehow involved in JFK's assassination. No operational or maintenance item was found which can reasonably be linked to this accident. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Flight 967 (1959) Flight 2511 (1960) Flight 27 (1973) Flight 193 (1978) Category. The flight was estimated to be at the Crab Intersection, a customary reporting point, at 0004. In the investigation of the January 6 crash of a National Airlines DC-6B, agents are inquiring into indications that a lawyer, Mr. Julian Frank, might have blown up the plane killing himself and 33 . This position is six miles south and about five miles east of the radar-observed descent. There was no radio message of impending trouble. This website uses cookies. Cheapest ticket price on Dubai to Toronto Skycraft Air Transport flight air ticket at MakeMyTrip UAE. We work hard to keep our advertising relevant and unobtrusive to create a great experience. If the plane had any larger parts recoverable, they might have been able to tell if dynamite was the cause by examining residues or scorch marks. At Tampa, some passengers deplaned and others boarded. This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The other plane crash remains unexplained despite the apparent presence of dynamite and that it happened over land where, presumably, most or all of the wreckage was recovered. -, Press J to jump to the feed. In this case, the plane likely suffered the same fate. News Stories American Airlines to start hiring pilots again Southwest To Recall Pilots And Flight . The theory of a Svengalian puppet master was convenient not just for the former Mrs Taylor. 2004. National Airlines Flight 967, registration N4891C, was a Douglas DC-7B aircraft that disappeared over the Gulf of Mexico en route from Tampa, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on November 16, 1959. This all changed two months after the crash, on January 20, 1960, when Robert Vernon Spears was arrested in Phoenix, Arizona, in possession of a stolen car--a salmon-pink Plymouth. To me it just doesnt add up that Spears is going to tell his best friend of many decades, a man with essentially no history of violence, to take on this package like its Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.. If there was, did it come before or after the crash? Did you know that FlightAware flight tracking is supported by advertising? According to Alan C. Logans book, Taylor had also met with Frank in New York (though Logan does not explain why). He heard about the Flight 967 disaster along the way, and although he was devastated to think his old pal had perished, Spears simply decided it was an opportunity for a fresh start.". 432 in 1951, 905 in 1955, 1041 in 1960, 2663 in 1965, 2643 in 1970, 3865 in 1975. [Note: this post is largely based on information from Self-Styled: Chasing Dr Robert Vernon Spears by Alan C. Logan. Track N967WN flight from Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport to Reagan National Join to view profile. . According to the Nov. 17, 1959, edition of the New York Times, I. W. Dymond, vice president of operations for the airline, said the weather "was anticipated, but it was not a factor" in the crash. He had "an uncanny ability to move on at a moment's notice". None of these nine persons had been subjected to fire or smoke before death, as demonstrated by low carboxyhemoglobin levels in blood and tissue. And who was he? National Airlines Flight 2511, registration N8225H, was a Douglas DC-6B aircraft which exploded over Bolivia, North Carolina en route from New York International (Idlewild) Airport, New York City, New York, to Miami, Florida on January 6, 1960.All 34 on board were killed in the accident. 8837.3'W. Spears disagreed with the characterization of himself as a sinister hypnotic puppetmaster. As Logan points out, in the first three weeks of 1960 alone there had been four major airline crashes. Recently, she said, Al Taylor had been strangely depressed and withdrawn, but his mood only lifted when he talked to Spears. A strong sharp contact, definitely bottom and metallic, was made at position 2911.6'N, 8838.2'W at a depth of 245feet. National Airlines Flight 967, registration N4891C, was a Douglas DC-7B aircraft that disappeared over the Gulf of Mexico en route from Tampa, Florida, to New Orleans, Louisiana, on November 16, 1959. Investigators were divided on whether the aircraft broke apart on impact with the water, or exploded in the air before it went down. The last radio contact with the flight was at 12:44 AM, when the flight contacted company radio in New Orleans. A Delta Airlines DC-7, similar to the accident aircraft, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, introducing citations to additional sources, Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft, Robert Spears, 1959 bomb suspect, dies in Dallas, Civil Aeronautics Board Aircraft Accident Report on Flight 967, Clear Lake crash ("The Day the Music Died"), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=National_Airlines_Flight_967&oldid=1123344434, Accidents and incidents involving the Douglas DC-7, Airliner accidents and incidents in the United States, Aviation accidents and incidents in the Atlantic Ocean, Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States in 1959, National Airlines (19341980) accidents and incidents, Unsolved mass murders in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from September 2021, All articles needing additional references, Articles lacking in-text citations from September 2021, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, In-flight explosion (Bombing suspected, but not proven), This page was last edited on 23 November 2022, at 06:57.