United Airlines Flight 696

United Airlines Flight 696 was a flight from San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, California, to Seattle, Washington, with 75 people in board. After takeoff from San Francisco, Clay Thomas, claiming to have a bomb, hijacked the Boeing 727-222, demanding the plane land in Oakland, California, and fuel up for a flight to Cuba. The crew negotiated the release of all the passengers and cabin crew while on the ground in Oakland waiting for fuel. Panicked by the sight of police vehicles, Thomas cut the fueling short and demanded an immediate departure to Cuba. Once the plane was airborne, the pilot explained that the aircraft still did not have enough fuel to reach Cuba, and Thomas agreed to land in Denver, Colorado, for more fuel. About 90 minutes after landing, the three members of the cockpit crew all jumped to safety from the open cockpit windows, all suffering injuries in the 18-foot (5.5-meter) jump. Within five minutes of the escape and without hostages, Thomas meekly surrendered to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.[1] In 1978, Thomas was incarcerated for life in a mental Institution in Colorado.

United Airlines Flight 696
A United Airlines Boeing 727 similar to the incident aircraft
Hijack
DateMarch 13, 1978
SummaryAircraft hijacking
SiteOakland, California; Denver, Colorado
Aircraft
Aircraft typeBoeing 727
OperatorUnited Airlines
Flight originSan Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, California
1st stopoverOakland, California
Last stopoverDenver, Colorado
DestinationSeattle/Tacoma International Airport, Seattle, Washington
Fatalities0
Injuries3
Survivors75

References

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