Continental Airlines Flight 12

1965 aviation accident

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Continental Airlines Flight 12

The aircraft involved in the incident

Accident
Date| July 1, 1965
Summary| Runway overrun
Site| Kansas City Municipal Airport, Kansas City, Missouri
39°06′51″N 94°35′44″W﻿ / ﻿39.11418°N 94.59553°W﻿ / 39.11418; -94.59553
Aircraft
Aircraft type| Boeing 707-124
Operator| Continental Airlines
Registration| N70773[1]: 1
Flight origin| Los Angeles International Airport
Stopover| Kansas City Municipal Airport
Destination| Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Occupants| 66
Passengers| 60
Crew| 6
Fatalities| 0
Injuries| 5
Survivors| 66

On July 1, 1965 Continental Airlines Flight 12 overran the runway while attempting to land at Kansas City Municipal Airport. No one was killed or seriously injured, but the accident forced discussions about runway safety in Kansas City and resulted in construction of a new airport, Kansas City International Airport, which opened in 1972. The accident also led to widespread implementation of runway grooving, which improves braking in wet landing conditions.[2]: 42

## Background

[edit]

Continental Airlines Flight 12 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport, with an intermediate stop in Kansas City. On July 1, 1965, operated Flight 12 using a Boeing 707 four-engine narrow-body airliner (registration (N70773[3]).[1]: 1 The flight crew consisted of captain Lee R. Zerba (44), first officer Howard T. Anderson (35), and flight engineer Harold E. Cameron (38).[1]: 2–3

## Accident

[edit]

After a routine flight, the plane was making an approach on the instrument landing system for Runway 18. There was heavy rain and low visibility at the airport. The wind was reported from the East-northeast at 7 knots. At most airports this would normally mean an approach should be initiated from the other direction, Runway 36. Quality Hill, in downtown Kansas City overlooks the airport from this direction. It is so close to the end of the runway that aircraft have to go around it to land safely in good weather. This obstacle prevented the installation of an instrument landing system on this runway. It is normally considered safe to land opposite direction in these conditions but they would be landing with a slight tailwind.[citation needed]

Flight 12 landed in heavy rain at 5:29 a.m. Central Standard Time, about 1,050 feet (320 m) past the start of Runway 18.[1]: 1 Spoilers, reverse thrusters and braking were initiated, but did not slow the airplane as anticipated. Realizing the aircraft could not stop before the end of the runway, the captain deliberately tried to swing the aircraft to the left so the right wing would take the initial brunt of impact. Using left rudder and adding power to the Nos. 3 and 4 (right-side) engines, the aircraft pivoted 35 degrees to the left but continued to slide down the runway, still traveling at 40 knots (74 km/h) when it went off the concrete.[1]: 12 The right wing impacted a blast mound as the aircraft rolled over it, coming to rest in three pieces on the perimeter road between the mound and river levee. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and written off, making the accident the 14th hull loss of a Boeing 707.[4] Five people (including three passengers and two crew members) received minor injuries.[1]: 1

## Investigation

[edit]

The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) investigated the accident.[1]: 1

The CAB also determined that Flight 12 had not been given adequate weather information from the Kansas City approach controller or from company personnel that they could use to determine whether a safe landing was possible.[1]: 12 As a result, the flight crew had no reason to expect difficulty during landing. The CAB also determined that the point Flight 12 had touched down (1,050 feet (320 m) beyond the start of the runway) was within the designated ILS touchdown area.[1]: 13

Having determined that the aircraft first touched down 1,050 feet (320 m) down the 7,000 feet (2,100 m) runway, the CAB investigated whether it was possible for Flight 12 to stop in the remaining (5,950 feet (1,810 m). The CAB found evidence to believe that hydroplaning had occurred due to water accumulation on the runway.[1]: 12–13 Based on information from Boeing on the 707's braking performance, input from a NASA technical expert, and witness interviews, the CAB determined that under the landing conditions at the time, it was not possible for Flight 12 to come to a stop in the remaining distance.[1]: 14

In June 1966, the CAB released their final report, concluding that "the probable cause of this accident was hydroplaning of the landing gear wheels which precluded braking effectiveness."[1]: 13

## Aftermath

[edit]

Although there were no fatalities in the accident, it highlighted a number of shortcomings with jet aircraft operations at Kansas City Municipal Airport. At 7,000 feet (2,100 m), runway 18-36 was barely long enough for Boeing 707 aircraft. The airport could not be expanded, as it was surrounded on three sides by the Missouri River and a rail yard on the east side. Pilots demanded action in Kansas City after the Flight 12 accident.

Runway grooving was a brand new development at the time Flight 12 occurred. Kansas City airport officials grooved the airport, which greatly improved braking conditions afterward. The Federal Aviation Administration implemented a program to institute runway grooving more broadly, and by 1969 the FAA had implemented grooving at four airports: Atlanta Municipal Airport, Chicago Midway Airport, John F. Kennedy Airport, and Washington National Airport. However, commercial pilots continued to consider the airport unsafe even after it was grooved. In September 1969, the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) released a member survey which named Kansas City Municipal Airport as one of the 10 most dangerous airports in America. Runway conditions at the airport, and the Flight 12 accident, were given by ALPA as specific reasons for including Kansas City on their 10 worst list.[2]: 40–42

A new airport, Kansas City International Airport, was built to provide commercial air service to Kansas City. The new airport would have two runways, one 9,500 feet (2,900 m) and the other 9,000 feet (2,700 m), offering a greater safety margin for commercial jet aircraft such as the Boeing 707.[2] In 1972 commercial airline operations were moved to the new airport.

Continental continued to use the "Flight 12" designation on its Honolulu to Los Angeles routing. After its acquisition by United Airlines, the flight number was kept for its LAX-HNL routing but it is now used on an IAH-LGA routing.

## Similar accidents

[edit]

* TAM Airlines Flight 3054
* Southwest Airlines Flight 1455
* Air France Flight 358
* Southwest Airlines Flight 1248
* DHL Aero Expreso Flight 7216

## Notes

[edit]

As of 2007, runway 18 and 36 are known as runway 1 and 19. Kansas City did not observe Daylight saving time until 1967.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Continental Air Lines, Inc. B-707-124, N70773, Kansas City Municipal Airport, Kansas City, Missouri, July 1, 1965". Aircraft Accident Report. Civil Aeronautics Board. June 24, 1966. File 1-0019.
2. ^ a b c "Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations for 1970: Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, Ninety-first Congress, First Session, Parts 2-3". U.S. Government Printing Office. September 18, 1969. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
3. ^ "FAA Registry (N70773)". Federal Aviation Administration.
4. ^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 707-124 N70773 Kansas City Downtown Municipal Airport, MO (MKC)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved February 14, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

* Accident description at the Aviation Safety Network

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Index:CAB Accident Report, Continental Airlines Flight 12.pdf

* v
* t
* e

Aviation accidents and incidents in 1965 (1965)

Jan 2

Aeroflot Flight 112

Jan 4

Aeroflot Flight 101/X-20

Jan 16

USAF KC-135 Wichita crash

Feb 6

LAN-Chile Flight 107

Feb 8

Eastern Air Lines Flight 663

Mar 7

Aeroflot Flight 542

Mar 8

Aeroflot Flight 513

Mar 20

Khanty-Mansiysk An-24 crash

Apr 14

British United Airways Flight 1030X

May 5

Iberia Flight 401

May 20

Pakistan International Airlines Flight 705

Jun 28

Pan Am Flight 843

Jul 1

Continental Airlines Flight 12

Jul 6

Little Baldon Hastings crash

Jul 8

Canadian Pacific Air Lines Flight 21

Jul 10

Skyways Coach-Air Avro 748

Jul 20

Cambrian Airways Liverpool crash

Jul 23

Allegheny Airlines Flight 604

Aug 16

United Air Lines Flight 389

Aug 24

Hong Kong US Marines KC-130F Crash

Sep 17

Pan Am Flight 292

Sep 19

Gujarat Beechcraft incident

Oct 20

Philippine Air Lines Flight 741

Oct 27

British European Airways Flight 706

Nov 2

Argentine Air Force C-54 disappearance

Nov 8

American Airlines Flight 383

Nov 11

United Air Lines Flight 227

Nov 11

Aeroflot Flight 99

Dec 4

Carmel mid-air collision

Dec 5

Philippine Sea A-4 incident

1964  ◄ ► 1966

* v
* t
* e

Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States and U.S. territories in the 1960s

1960|

* National Airlines Flight 2511 (January 6 1960)
* Capital Airlines Flight 20 (January 18 1960)
* Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 710 (March 1960)
* Chicago Helicopter Airways Flight 698 (July 1960)
* World Airways Flight 830 (September 1960)*
* Eastern Air Lines Flight 375 (October 4 1960)
* Cal Poly football team (October 29 1960)
* New York mid-air collision (December 1960)

1961|

* Goldsboro B-52 crash (January 24 1961)
* American Airlines Flight 1502 (January 28 1961)
* Yuba City B-52 crash (March 1961)
* United Air Lines Flight 859 (July 11 1961)
* Alaska Airlines Flight 779 (July 21 1961)
* TWA Flight 529 (September 1 1961)
* Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 706 (September 17 1961)
* Imperial Airlines Flight 201/8 (November 8 1961)
* Cincinnati Zantop DC-4 crash (November 14 1961)

1962|

* American Airlines Flight 1 (March 1962)
* Continental Airlines Flight 11 (May 1962)
* Canadian Pacific Air Lines Flight 301 (July 1962)
* United Air Lines Flight 297 (November 23 1962)
* Eastern Air Lines Flight 512 (November 30 1962)

1963|

* Elephant Mountain B-52 (January 1963)
* Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 705 (February 1963)
* Camden PA-24 (March 1963)
* Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 293 (June 1963)
* Mohawk Airlines Flight 112 (July 1963)
* Pan Am Flight 214 (December 1963)

1964|

* Savage Mountain B-52 crash (January 1964)
* Eastern Air Lines Flight 304 (February 1964)
* Paradise Airlines Flight 901A (March 1964)
* Pacific Air Lines Flight 773 (May 1964)
* United Air Lines Flight 823 (July 1964)
* Bonanza Air Lines Flight 114 (November 1964)
* Flying Tiger Line Flight 282 (December 1964)

1965|

* USAF KC-135 Wichita (January 1965)
* Eastern Air Lines Flight 663 (February 1965)
* Pan Am Flight 843 (June 1965)
* Continental Airlines Flight 12 (July 1 1965)
* Allegheny Airlines Flight 604 (July 23 1965)
* United Air Lines Flight 389 (August 1965)
* American Airlines Flight 383 (November 8 1965)
* United Air Lines Flight 227 (November 11 1965)
* Carmel mid-air collision (December 1965)

1966|

* NASA T-38 crash (February 1966)
* American Flyers Airline Flight 280/D (April 1966)
* Braniff International Airways Flight 250 (August 1966)
* West Coast Airlines Flight 956 (October 1966)

1967|

* Lake Central Airlines Flight 527 (March 5 1967)
* TWA Flight 553 (March 9 1967)
* West Coast Airlines Flight 720 (March 10 1967)
* Delta Air Lines Flight 9877 (March 30 1967)
* Mohawk Airlines Flight 40 (June 1967)
* Piedmont Airlines Flight 22 (July 1967)
* Lake Erie skydiving disaster (August 1967)
* TWA Flight 159 (November 6 1967)
* X-15 Flight 3-65-97 (November 15 1967)
* TWA Flight 128 (November 20 1967)

1968|

* Ozark Air Lines Flight 965 (March 1968)
* Braniff International Airways Flight 352 (May 3 1968)
* Los Angeles Airways Flight 841 (May 22 1968)
* Los Angeles Airways Flight 417 (August 1968)
* Northeast Airlines Flight 946 (October 1968)
* Japan Air Lines Flight 2 (November 22 1968)
* Pan Am Flight 281 (November 24 1968)
* Wien Consolidated Airlines Flight 55 (December 2 1968)
* Allegheny Airlines Flight 736 (December 24 1968)
* Pan Am Flight 799 (December 26 1968)
* Ozark Air Lines Flight 982 (December 27 1968)
* North Central Airlines Flight 458 (December 27 1968)

1969|

* Allegheny Airlines Flight 737 (January 6 1969)
* Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 933 (January 13 1969)
* United Air Lines Flight 266 (January 18 1969)
* Hawthorne Nevada Airlines Flight 708 (February 1969)
* Prinair Flight 277 (March 5 1969)*
* Delta Air Lines Flight 821 (March 25 1969)
* TWA Flight 5787 (July 1969)
* Newton Cessna 172 crash (August 1969)
* Allegheny Airlines Flight 853 (September 1969)
* Mohawk Airlines Flight 411 (November 1969)

This list is incomplete.
An asterisk (*) denotes an incident that took place in a U.S. territory.
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