The 1956 Grand Canyon mid-air collision occurred on Saturday June 30, 1956 at 10:30 AM local time when a United Airlines passenger airliner struck a Trans World Airlines (TWA) airliner over the Grand Canyon in Arizona, resulting in the crash of both planes and 128 fatalities. It was, at the time, the deadliest aviation disaster in history, and would be a catalyst for sweeping changes in the regulation of flight operations over the United States.
...
more
The 1956 Grand Canyon mid-air collision occurred on Saturday June 30, 1956 at 10:30 AM local time when a United Airlines passenger airliner struck a Trans World Airlines (TWA) airliner over the Grand Canyon in Arizona, resulting in the crash of both planes and 128 fatalities. It was, at the time, the deadliest aviation disaster in history, and would be a catalyst for sweeping changes in the regulation of flight operations over the United States.
United Airlines flight 718, a Douglas DC-7 Mainliner named Mainliner Vancouver, and piloted by Captain Robert Shirley and First Officer Robert Harms, departed Los Angeles International Airport at 9:04 AM with 53 passengers and five crew members aboard (including two flight attendants), and headed to Chicago's Midway Airport. Climbing to an authorized altitude of 21,000 feet, Captain Shirley flew under instrument flight rules (IFR) in controlled airspace as far as Palm Springs, California. At Palm Springs, he changed course to a heading of...
less
