American Airlines Flight 383 crashed into a Kentucky hillside (slope 9.6 degrees) north of the Greater Cincinnati Airport "2 miles north and 1/4 mile east of the extended center line of runway 18" {CAB Report 1967}. Exact positioning is difficult given that the aircraft's right wing initially clipped a tree at 665 m.s.l., sliced through additional trees cutting them to a level of 4' before impacting the ground and slidding 113 yards through scrub...
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American Airlines Flight 383 crashed into a Kentucky hillside (slope 9.6 degrees) north of the Greater Cincinnati Airport "2 miles north and 1/4 mile east of the extended center line of runway 18" {CAB Report 1967}. Exact positioning is difficult given that the aircraft's right wing initially clipped a tree at 665 m.s.l., sliced through additional trees cutting them to a level of 4' before impacting the ground and slidding 113 yards through scrub trees and dense foliage. "The aircraft stopped amidst the trees and was fairly intact." {CAB Report} The airliner had actually descended into a valley along the Ohio River and was now at a point 225' below the published altitude of runway 18. An intense fire quickly swept through the cabin and burned for 2 hours killing 58 people and injuring 4.
In 2005, the crash site is again overgrown with trees and foilage with a surprising amount of aircraft debris scattered throughout the area. Nearby, remnants of a dirt road is clearly evident. This road was cleared with a bulldozer by Wesley Cushman on November 9,1965, clearing a way to the debris field. Standing at the crash site is a very sobering experience and yet, it is impossible to imagine the horror that nearby farmers encountered upon their arrival at the scene. Today, their memory of November 1965 reverberates along Kentucky 8 and through time....
For additional information on the crash site, see our journals..
http://americanairlinesflight383.freebase.com/view/base/americanairlinesflight383/views/aa_flight_383_hikes_to_crash_site
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