TWA Flight 513

TWA Flight 513

A TWA L-049, similar to Flight 513.
Accident summary
Date July 11, 1946
Summary In-flight fire
Site Bern Township, Berks County, near Reading, Pennsylvania
40°24′58″N 75°59′29″W / 40.41611°N 75.99139°W / 40.41611; -75.99139Coordinates: 40°24′58″N 75°59′29″W / 40.41611°N 75.99139°W / 40.41611; -75.99139
Passengers 0
Crew 6
Injuries (non-fatal) 1
Fatalities 5
Survivors 1[1]
Aircraft type Lockheed L-049 Constellation
Aircraft name Star of Lisbon
Operator Transcontinental & Western Air
Registration NC86513

TWA Flight 513, registration NC86513, Star of Lisbon, was a Lockheed L-049 Constellation operated by Transcontinental and Western Air on a training flight on July 11, 1946 when it crashed near Reading, Pennsylvania. Electrical wiring in the baggage compartment arced, starting a fire. The smoke and intense fire created made it impossible for the pilots to maintain control of the aircraft. Of the six crewmembers aboard, five were killed. This accident is memorable for grounding all Lockheed Constellations from July 12 until August 23, 1946 when cargo fire detection equipment could be installed.

The crash was referred to in Martin Scorsese's film The Aviator, based on the life of TWA's then-owner, Howard Hughes.

References

  1. "NC86513 accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 16 August 2013.

See also

External links

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