KLM Flight 607-E
1958 crash of a Lockheed Super Constellation
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KLM Flight 607-E was an international scheduled flight that crashed on 14 August 1958, after taking off from Shannon Airport, Ireland. The aircraft was a Lockheed Super Constellation. All 99 on board died, making the crash the deadliest civil aviation disaster involving a single aircraft at the time, and the deadliest crash involving the Lockheed Constellation series, until the disappearance of Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 in 1962.
PH-LKM, the aircraft involved in the accident. | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 14 August 1958 |
| Summary | Undetermined |
| Site | |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Lockheed L-1049H-01-06-162 Super Constellation |
| Aircraft name | Hugo de Groot |
| Operator | KLM |
| Call sign | KLM 607-ECHO |
| Registration | PH-LKM |
| Flight origin | Amsterdam Schiphol Airport |
| 1st stopover | Shannon Airport, Ireland |
| Last stopover | Gander International Airport, Newfoundland |
| Destination | Idlewild Airport, New York |
| Occupants | 99 |
| Passengers | 91 |
| Crew | 8 |
| Fatalities | 99 |
| Survivors | 0 |
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Accident
The airplane was named Hugo de Groot and registered as PH-LKM[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]
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.).[4]
Flight 607-E departed Shannon at 03:05 UTC on the second leg of a transatlantic trip from Amsterdam, Netherlands to New York City, US with intermediate stops in Shannon and Gander, Newfoundland. Radio contact with the aircraft was lost at approximately 03:40 UTC; a rescue operation was launched which found light debris on the surface of the ocean approximately 180 kilometres (110 mi) northwest of Shannon. The remains of thirty-four of those on board were also recovered.[1]
Investigation
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.[5]
The investigating board believed the most likely cause of the accident to be a malfunctioning over-speeding 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.[5]
