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N0KFQ > TODAY 18.06.16 17:06l 38 Lines 1530 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 97028_N0KFQ
Read: GUEST
Subj: Today in History - Jun 18
Path: IW8PGT<HB9CSR<IK2XDE<DB0RES<DB0OVN<DB0GOS<ON0AR<GB7CIP<GB7YEW<N9PMO<
N0KFQ
Sent: 160618/1446Z 97028@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA BPQ1.4.65
1972
Mysterious crash at Heathrow
On this day in 1972, a Trident jetliner crashes after takeoff
from Heathrow Airport in London, killing 118 people. The official
cause of this accident remains unknown, but it may have happened
simply because the plane was carrying too much weight.
As the summer of 1972 approached, there were serious problems
facing the air-travel industry. Pilots were threatening to strike
any day due to lack of security. Hijackings were becoming more
common and pilots were feeling particularly vulnerable since they
most often bore the brunt of the violence.
However, on June 18 at Heathrow Airport outside of London, all
appeared to be running smoothly. The BEA morning flight to
Brussels was full and weather conditions were perfect. The
Trident 1 jet took off with no incident but, just after its
wheels retracted, it began falling from the sky. The plane split
on impact and an intense fireball from the plane's fuel supply
erupted, scattering the fuselage and passengers. Only two of the
118 passengers and crew members on board were pulled from the
wreckage alive; both died just hours later.
All efforts to explain the crash were fruitless. The
investigators' best guess was that the jet simply was carrying
too much weight or that the weight was improperly distributed and
the plane could not handle the stress.
73 - K.O., n0kfq
N0KFQ @ N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA
Winlink: n0kfq@winlink.org
E-Mail : kohiggs@gmail.com
Message timed: 09:27 on Jun 18, 2016
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