At 19:51 PST a Douglas DC-8-71F operated as a scheduled cargo flight by Emery Worldwide Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff from Mather Field. The three crew members were killed. The flight had originated in Reno, Nev., and arrived in Rancho Cordova late. The crew still made a 58-minute turnaround. As it departed runway 22l, it rotated about halfway down the runway, banked to the left at low altitude and porpoised. A witness said he saw the airplane impact the ground in a left-wing-low, nose-low attitude, with the engines at a high power setting. Tapes of the communications with controllers showed that the pilot requested a return to the airport because of a problem with the center of gravity.
Feb. 16, Rancho Cordova, Calif. / Douglas DC-8
At 19:51 PST a Douglas DC-8-71F operated as a scheduled cargo flight by Emery Worldwide Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff from Mather Field. The three crew members were killed. The flight had originated in Reno, Nev., and arrived in Rancho Cordova late. The crew still made a 58-minute turnaround. As it departed runway 22l, it rotated about halfway down the runway, banked to the left at low altitude and porpoised. A witness said he saw the airplane impact the ground in a left-wing-low, nose-low attitude, with the engines at a high power setting. Tapes of the communications with controllers showed that the pilot requested a return to the airport because of a problem with the center of gra...
Key Takeaways:
- An Emery Worldwide Airlines DC-8 cargo flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Mather Field, resulting in the death of all three crew members.
- The pilot had reported a problem with the aircraft's center of gravity prior to the crash.
- Witnesses observed the plane exhibit erratic flight behavior, including banking left and porpoising, before impacting the ground.
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