KLM Flight 607-E

KLM Flight 607-E
The Hugo de Groot, the aircraft involved in the accident.
Accident
Date 14 August 1958
Summary Undetermined
Site Atlantic Ocean
(110 mi NNW of Ireland)
Aircraft
Aircraft type Lockheed L-1049H-01-06-162 Super Constellation
Aircraft name Hugo de Groot
Operator KLM
Registration PH-LKM
Flight origin Amsterdam
1st stopover Shannon Airport, Ireland
Last stopover Gander, Newfoundland
Destination New York City
Passengers 91
Crew 8
Fatalities 99
Injuries 0
Survivors 0

KLM Flight 607-E, a Lockheed Super Constellation named Hugo de Groot and registered PH-LKM,[1] was an international scheduled flight that crashed 180 kilometres (110 mi) west of Shannon, Ireland on 14 August 1958. All ninety-one passengers and eight crew died in the accident, including six members of the Egyptian fencing team (Osman Abdel Hafeez, Mohamed Ali Riad, Ahmed Sabry, et al.).[2] The "E" in the flight number stood for the designation of being an extra economy class flight to match the increased seasonal tourist demand.[3]

Flight 607-E departed Shannon at 3:05 UTC on the second leg of a transatlantic trip from Amsterdam to New York City with intermediate stops in Shannon and Gander, Newfoundland. Radio contact with the aircraft was lost at approximately 3:40 UTC; a rescue operation was launched which found light debris on the surface of the ocean approximately 180 kilometres (110 mi) west of Shannon. The remains of thirty-four of those on board were also recovered.

Due to the lack of evidence, Irish and Dutch investigators could not pinpoint a probable cause for the accident. They examined the possibility of a bomb, electrical failure, or pilot error, but believed that the most likely possibility was a catastrophic mechanical failure. The cause of the accident is believed to be a malfunctioning overspeeding outboard propeller caused by metal particles obstructing oil feed line regulator valves. The particles may have been formed by a gear that was damaged when the supercharger of the corresponding engine was accelerated (gear ratio shifted). The malfunctions of the propeller pitch might have provoked a flight disturbance and as a consequence the propeller may have sheared off.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Civil aircraft register (PH-LKM)". Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport.
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-10-19. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
  3. ↑ "Tragedy for Homeward-Bound Vacationers". Life. Time Inc. August 25, 1958. Volume 45, No. 8. Page 28. ISSN 0024-3019. Accessed on Google Books. Retrieved on 6 November 2009.

Coordinates: 53°12′30″N 11°53′00″W / 53.20833°N 11.88333°W / 53.20833; -11.88333

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