This Day in Aviation: Eastern Air Lines Flight 304

On this day in aviation, February 25th, 1964 Eastern Air Lines Flight 304 crashed into Lake Pontchartrain, resulting in 58 fatalities. The crash was a result of aircraft instability in turbulence, due to improper/abnormal longitudinal trim positions. 


The aircraft, a Douglas DC-8 was flying enroute from New Orleans International Airport (KMSY) to Washington Dulles International Airport (KIAD) when it encountered turbulence and crashed approximately nine minutes into the flight. 

The relative locations of KMSY and Pontchatrain

The following is the NTSB report: 

NTSB Identification: Unknown
14 CFR Part 121 Scheduled operation of EASTERN AIR LINES INC
Event occurred Tuesday, February 25, 1964 in NEW ORLEANS, LA
Aircraft: DOUGLAS DC-8, registration: N8607

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 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1-0006  64/2/25  NR.NEW ORLEANS LA     DOUGLAS DC-8        CR-  7  0  0  SCHED INTERNATL PASSG SRV AIRLINE TRANSPORT, AGE
        TIME - 0206                    N8607               PX- 51  0  0                            47, 19160 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            916 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        OPERATOR - EASTERN AIR LINES,INC.
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           SYSTEMS - FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS: HORIZONTAL STABILIZER DRIVE SYSTEM
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - MATERIAL FAILURE
           WEATHER - TURBULENCE, ASSOCIATED W/CLOUDS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS
        FACTOR(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN WATER
        WEATHER BRIEFING - COMPANY DISPATCH
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  1000
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          NONE                                                      46
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
           20                                                       12
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR                                                      IFR
        REMARKS- AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN WITH DISINTEGRATING FORCE.

Although it is difficult to see from the data, the pilot had 19,160 hours of flight time at the time of the incident. The incident serves as a valuable reminder that even the best, most experienced pilots are not invincible.