United Airlines Flight 823 Article Index for
United Airlines
Shopping
Airlines
Website Links For
United
 

Information About

United Airlines Flight 823




  Date July 9 1964
  Type On Board Fire
  Site near Parrottsville, Tennessee , USA
  Fatalities 39
  Injuries 0


  Bgcol transparent
  Type Vickers Viscount 745D
  Operator United Airlines
  Tail Number N7405
  Passengers 35
  Crew 4
  Survivors 0


''' it crashed 2 miles northeast of Parrottsville, Tennessee after experiencing an uncontrollable fire on board, killing all 39. The fire on unknown origin initiated below the passenger floor and eventually involved the passenger cabin. One passenger attempted to abandon the aircraft through the No.4 escape window prior to impact but did not survive the free-fall. The ignition source was never determined, but it is thought the plane's battery overheated or something in a passenger's luggage caused the fire. According to NTSB investigators, lethal amounts of CO2 were present in the cockpit, explaining witnesses reports of the aircraft seen flying erratically. The fire eventually burned through the cockpit and it is likely the crew was unconscious by that time.