On November 16, 1959, an airplane vanished over the Gulf of Mexico, with 42 people onboard. The flight's next radio contact was with FAA Pensacola radio at 0031 requesting clearance to New Orleans and reestimating NL1 at 0035. The flight originated in Miami at 1022 PM the p The aircraft was a DC-7, N 4891C, owned by Delta Air Lines and operated by National under an equipment interchange agreement. Ronald Reagan National Airport. Revenue passenger traffic in millions of passenger-miles Nothing unusual was observed and no other objects were observed in the vicinity of the flight which indicated to the station that any difficulty was being encountered. At 0044 the flight again contacted FAA Pensacola and advised that it would change over to company frequency and would report to the company when leaving 14,000feet and7,000 feet. Cheapest ticket price on Dubai to Toronto Skycraft Air Transport flight air ticket at MakeMyTrip UAE. Goodness, I'm on the wrong plane!" A tragic accident due to some unforeseen mechanical malfunction or even pilot error? At the time of his disappearance, Al Taylor lived in Tampa and worked as a salesman for the Pioneer Tire Company. It appeared that the oil was rising from the northernmost point of this oil slick. We have been unable to find any such relationship. The flight originated in Miami at 10:22 PM the previous evening, landed at Tampa at 11:00 PM, and departed for New Orleans at 11:22 PM. The aircraft was then spiralled over the spot down to an altitude of 500feet through a stratus deck with a base of approximately 800 feet, and tops of 1,200 to 1,400feet. Spears himself apparently admitted to having met with this man in New York City. She told them all about her missing husband and his missing pink Plymouth, which sparked a nationwide search. National Airlines Flight 967 of November 15, 1959, was scheduled between Miami, Florida, and New Orleans, Louisiana, with a stop at Tampa, Florida. (Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives) On the 8th of May 1978, a National Airlines Boeing 727 was on approach to Pensacola, Florida when it suddenly touched down in Escambia Bay amid heavy fog. In this case, the plane likely suffered the same fate. The FBI discovered there was much more to the kindly old Dr Spears than met the eye. National Air Security Operation Center (NASOC) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Locations: (to include but not limited to the following locations) Sierra Vista, AZ; San Angelo, TX . I think it's because "my friend took my ticket last minute under my name, but when I heard the plane exploded, i decided to duck out and start a new life because not only am i a con man, I was in big trouble for illegal abortions too" doesn't make for a convincing story. It has been claimed that Dr Spears tried to access a vial of cyanide before his sentencing--but some have disputed this. This consisted of fragmented bits of upholstery, soundproofing material, cabin linings, scat cushions and backs, metallic parts of seats attached to and buoyed by these cushions and backs, overhead racks and other light items not essential to the structural integrity of the aircraft. PROBABLE CAUSE: "Because of the lack of physical evidence, the probable cause of this accident is unknown. Predictive technology to strengthen customer trust in your operations. Hudson is an Equal Opportunity Employer of all qualified individuals. In 1954 before this case, England lost several planes to it within months of each other, thanks to metal fatigue causing the decompressions. Spectacular job. (These bearings could be duplicated at low altitude; the VOR bearings could not be, due to line-of-sight limitations.). Absolutely fascinating mystery. He moved to California and took up hypnotism, his business was with a doctor performing abortions (which were then illegal in the U.S.). November 5 After suffering an in-flight engine fire, the second North American X-15 (AF 56-6671), piloted by Scott Crossfield, breaks its Back making an emergency landing on Rosamond Dry Lake, California. operated a variety of different types of aircraft. Acknowledging "there is little or no physical evidence on which to explain this accident", the CAB was forced to conclude, after nearly three years of investigation: Because of lack of physical evidence, the probable cause of this accident is unknown. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time. Note the use of the word accident, which is used throughout the report. The point of fade from the scope was normal and within correlation limits. Nothing unusual was observed and no other objects were observed in the vicinity of the flight which indicated to the station that any difficulty was being encountered". Mrs Spears replied that she had not. In fact, Turska had also been facing abortion charges in November 1959 (though Turskas charges were later dropped). I know that he loved those babies and that if he were alive I am sure I would have heard from him. National Airlines Flight 967, registration N4891C, was a Douglas DC-7B aircraft that disappeared over the Gulf of Mexico en route from Tampa, Florida, to New Orleans, Louisiana, on November 16, 1959. The aircraft was airworthy at the time of departure, the crew was competent, weather conditions were good, and when disaster struck, the flight was very close to being both on course and on schedule. No seat belt abrasions were found. [4], Spears died in Dallas, Texas on May 2, 1969, of coronary thrombosis. Sometimes with these mysteries that were so long ago it is easy to lose sight of the fact that the victims were people who were loved and cared for by many. Flight 967 was an interchange flight between three carriers; through plane service from Miami to Los Angeles. This website uses cookies. There was one witness--the attendant of a lookout tower 30 miles west of the crash site, who. Initially, there was some speculation based on the fact that a noted Chicago mobster--Ellis Itchy Mandel--was on the flight. In compliance with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements, some of these records are no longer in the physical possession of the FBI, eliminating the FBI's capability to re-review and/or re-process this material. D.B. The FBI had found Dr Spears through an ex-wife of Spearss associate Mr Turska. If the plane had any larger parts recoverable, they might have been able to tell if dynamite was the cause by examining residues or scorch marks. The captain and the dispatcher discussed the flight and concurred in the release. National Airlines Flight 967, registration N4891C, was a Douglas DC-7B aircraft that disappeared over the Gulf of Mexico en route from Tampa, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on November 16, 1959. We know he was at the airport that night, at 12:16 am. In 1964, it became the first exclusively jet powered service in the United States, and by 1970 became the third airline to offer transcontinental passenger flights. This new story was made public in 1963. Just in case you have yet to hear about it, I recommend you check out r/AdmiralCloudberg since you love aviation mysteries. Robert Vernon Spears, of Dallas, Texas, was listed as a passenger on Flight967. The conclusion of the Official CAB Accident Report (June 11, 1962): The Board, with the aid of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has thoroughly investigated Mr Spears activities in order to determine whether they might have had any bearing upon the accident. It may safely be concluded that there was no warning of the disaster. The aircraft was airworthy at the time of departure and had an adequate amount of fuel. Sun 4/2. However, Taylor himself purchased $37,500.00 worth of life insurance at the airport; when his ex-wife attempted to collect on that policy, authorities were notified. * Douglas DC-8-21/31/32/51/54/61 All 42occupants, 36passengers and 6crew members, were killed. - February 14, 1953, a DC-6 crashed into the Gulf of Mexico off Mobile, AL. He added that New Orleans had instrument meteorological conditions, and indicated that the crew had planned to use this method on the approach until the plane was below the low ceiling. This position was buoyed and two dives were made in depths of 210 feet. 1. Flight Departure Times. He was charged with unlawful possession of an automobile but due to lack of evidence was never charged in the alleged bombing of Flight 967. You received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service, or. In that interview, he said he knew about the plane crash, admitted taking Spears to see his wife, and said that Spears had confided in him that he wanted to start a new life: He wanted to change his character, Turska said, change his fingerprints, change everything.. In the investigation of the January 6 crash of a National Airlines DC-6B, agents are inquiring into indications that a lawyer, Mr. Julian Frank, might have blown up the plane killing himself and 33 . Aviation accidents and incidents in 1978 () Jan 1 Air India Flight 855; The only noteworthy observation from the gate agent in Tampa was "a man in a brown or tan suit, carrying a newspaper but no luggage, hurrying toward the Flight 967 gate right at closing time". The second radar station at Houma, Louisiana, picked up the flight at 0046, on track and at 14,000feet altitude. Thats another good one if youre not already familiar with it. I cant believe I dont remember the name but the one where the guy hijacked the plane and parachuted out over Washington state? National Airlines Flight 967; A Delta Airlines DC-7, similar to the accident aircraft. Comprehensive flight tracking to enhance your FBO operations and increase sales. Thanks for writing this all up. [5], "Con Man, Best Man, An Air Crash - A Far Out, Far Up Mystery", "Robert Spears, 1959 bomb suspect, dies in Dallas", Aviation Safety Network report on Flight 967, Civil Aeronautics Board Aircraft Accident Report on Flight 967, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robert_Spears_(naturopath)&oldid=1106844718, This page was last edited on 26 August 2022, at 19:28. Spears died in Baylor Medical Center, Dallas on May 2, 1969 of coronary thrombosis. Turska claimed that once he found out about the plane crash fiasco, he immediately told Spears to leave, and then went straight to see his attorney. Taylor, investigators discovered, was wanted in Washington DC and Philadephlia under a variety of assumed names at the time of his disappearance. If there was, did it come before or after the crash? The National crew consisted of Captain Frank Eugene Todd, Copilot Dick . The media, of course, went straight to Dr Spearss wife. This position is six miles south and about five miles east of the radar-observed descent. Nothing. Spears had a long history of crime, having been arrested 17 times under 14 different aliases. Investigators found less than 1% of its structural components and no conclusive evidence that a bomb was used. The FBI's FOIA Library contains many files of public interest and historical value. The agent's attention was drawn elsewhere, however, and he never noticed if the man boarded the flight or not. Photographs depicted Dr Spears as a plump, jovial man--in a checkered suit and round spectacles, he embodied the image of a kindly family physician. I loathed him, she said, and had always considered him a bad influence on Al. No suggestion of unfamiliarity by National crews of Delta interchange aircraft was found during the investigation. He felt he had been a burden and it was a chance to free us of that burden.. Braniff International Airways Flight 542, a Lockheed L-188 Electra, registration N9705C, was a scheduled domestic flight from Houston, Texas, bound for New York with scheduled stops in Dallas and Washington, D.C. On September 29, 1959, 23 minutes into the 41-minute flight from Houston to Dallas Love Field, the aircraft disintegrated in mid-air approximately 3.8 miles (6.1 km) southeast of . We deliver industry-leading performance in safety, clinical quality, and patient advocacy, committing to zero balance bills. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The inertia of the bodies was plainly downward and forward and the forces at impact were severe. IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, NOVEMBER 16, 1959. One passenger, William Taylor, had boarded the flight using a ticket issued to Robert Vernon Spears, a convicted criminal working at the time as a naturopath. The position of 2913'N and 8840'W - at which the aircraft went off the military radar scope - was used as a focal point of search. According to Junior, Taylor was carrying over $600 in cash--a lot of money at the time, especially for a man in serious debt. With this information, Mrs Taylor's lawyer called the Tampa police department and the newspapers. 8840'W. The sea was practically calm with waves about 1-1/2feet high moving from a northerly direction with a period of about five seconds. Mrs Taylor recalled that Dr Spears had held an unnatural sway over her former husband. Coast Guard vessels suggested searching an area some distance to the southwest of the position 2913'N, 8840'W. But even then there would be no point in destroying the plane or himself. The Board obtained search assistance from the United States Navy. Conditions of Employment: FAA Class 1 Medical required at time of Flight . Early that morning, they spotted something: a small amount of debris, a large oil slick, and several floating bodies. 18cm Wingspan approx. And that they happened to know a seedy lawyer who (allegedly) blew himself up a month later? Spears immediately said he had made the whole thing up after the reporter had pressured him to tell him something new. Our global headquarters is situated in Orlando FL, with several operational hubs across the globe in Buffalo NY, Chicago IL, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Madrid, Dubai, Djibouti, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Analysis of this accident must rest almost entirely on circumstantial evidence for the aircraft's wreckage still lies on the bottom of the Gulf. Logan seems to be a firm defender of Spears. Veterans, volunteers sought for Honor Flight It costs a lot to charter a flight that will carry 75 veterans from the Golden Isles to Washington, D.C., for the annual Honor Flight. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Join to view profile. Divers established that the contact was a sunken ship. Meanwhile she campaigned in the courts to have him declared legally dead (which would give her son access to the life insurance money). Incredible write-up! A bomb was suspected. About 72 square miles south of the area originally covered in November was swept and bottom contact approximately 110feet long was made at Lat. Shortly thereafter a Coast Guard helicopter arrived. While spiralling, radio contact was established with Coast Guard aircraft although no direct contact was possible with Coast Guard surface vessels due to the lack of compatible radio frequencies. Yet cracks soon appeared in this image too. Playing upon people's uncertainties about air-travel, insurance companies did quite well off them. Spears had been a close friend of her husband, and she had never considered him to be a good influence. By all accounts, he was in financial difficulties, and had many debts. Details of accident. This is evident by the lack of any unusual radio messages. At that time there was also very little airport security. ", Tampa International Airport, FL (TPA/KTPA), New Orleans International Airport, LA (MSY/KMSY), Accident investigation report completed and information captured, 57 km (35.6 mls) E off Pilottown, LA [Gulf of Mexico] (. What an intriguing case - how have I never heard of this before? The combination of the auto theft charge and his existing abortion charge eventually got him ten years in prison. A Spirit Airlines flight from Dallas to Orlando was diverted to an airport in Jacksonville, Fla., Thursday, March 2, 2023, after a battery from a passenger's item caught fire in an overhead bin . Frank E. Todd of Miami, the pilot, radioed his last message at 12:44a.m. National Airlines Flight 967, registration N4891C, was a Douglas DC-7B aircraft which disappeared over the Gulf of Mexico en route from Tampa, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on November 16, 1959. I can understand him taking out an insurance policy. Sometimes passengers even boarded the wrong planes by accident. I believe him lost in the crash.". Delta Air Lines was scheduled to operate the flight between New Orleans, and its next stop, Dallas, TX, where American Airlines was to take over and operate the same aircraft from Dallas nonstop to Los Angeles. Spears." History of the flight On Sunday 4 April 2010 at about 0920 Eastern Standard Time1, the pilot arrived at Cambridge Aerodrome near Hobart, Tasmania in preparation for a flight in a Victa Airtourer 115 aircraft, registered VH-MTC (MTC). This air traffic control instruction/clearance was issued through National Airlines' radio station/office at Pensacola, Florida, a normal procedure before making the approach to Moisant International Airport (KMSY) in New Orleans. It continued on a track of 296 degrees magnetic for a few minutes, then turned right to a heading of approximately 010 degrees and disappeared from the scope at 12:51 AM. This appeared to be bits of upholstery, sound deadening material, and white objects like sponge rubber pillows encased in plastic envelopes. Investigation failed to reveal any item of maintenance of either the aircraft or its powerplants which could be significantly related to the accident. Some small quantity of clothing and other personal effects and several mail bags were also found. So why the stories from Spears? The FBI got involved. It was determined that Taylor had boarded the flight using a ticket issued for Spears. The company posted $1.027 billion in membership fee income compared to $967 million a year earlier, a $60 million increase, or 6.2%. Save your money with discount and promotions and find the best deals on Trip.com! Rescuers went out in aircraft and boats, arriving before dawn and still combing the cold, rough seas as the sun came up. See if your flight has been delayed or cancelled and track the live position on a map. She later determined that Taylors brown jacket was missing from his apartment, though everything else seemed untouched, just as if he had stepped out to buy a newspaper. Call 1-650-967-2500 for Cirrus purchase and training assistance, or to take my online seminar: So You Wa . The car belonged to a man named Al Taylor, a longtime friend of Dr Spears, who had been the best man at his wedding. It turned out Mr Taylor was not just a gullible friend of Dr Spears--he was a criminal himself, Spears partner in crime for many years. No severe weather was forecast, anticipated or reported at flight altitudes over the route. Alan C. Logan is among those who dismiss this second story as fiction. Dr Spears (who was calling himself Dr Rhodes) had tried to file down the numbers on the cars registration numbers and had even used dynamite to damage the car's crankcase. On January 6, 1960 (less than two months after Flight 967) Frank was on board a National Airlines flight which was blown up by dynamite over North Carolina, resulting in 34 deaths. Everyone loved the read as the comments here suggest and so did I but does anyone have a theory they favor? With so many tantalizing details about Spears and Taylor, its easy to forget we know next to nothing about this plane crash. The bodies were stripped of clothing and revealed severe burns, he said. November 16, 1959: National Airlines Flight 967 on a flight from Tampa, Florida to New Orleans crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. Add hotel. It is really unfortunate the wreckage was never discovered. This is the last known radio contact with Flight967. It may be possible that the stop was in Dallas during the time of the crash. I've never heard of this and I love aviation mysteries. Register now (free) for customized features, flight alerts, and more! He was subsequently apprehended by Federal authorities in Phoenix, Arizona, for having unlawful possession of Mr. Taylor's vehicle. National Airlines Flight 967 of November 15, 1959, was scheduled between Miami, Florida, and New Orleans, Louisiana, with a stop at Tampa, Florida. The next morning (November 14), Taylor and Spears were together again--Taylors son Junior saw them drinking and laughing in Spearss hotel room, in a celebratory mood. Carefully the investigators went through the flight manifest. Examination of the liferafts and lifevests indicated that they had not been used for their intended purposes or prepared for such use, and all damage had been accidental and random. In that interview, Turska said he now thought Spears had been lying to hm, and implied Spears's wife was in on the whole scam--accusing her of faking her reaction to seeing him. At Miami, National Airlines prepared one of its Convair aircraft, which left for the area at 0545 under the command of the company's chief pilot. Taylor also wanted to go to Dallas, to see a doctor about a neck injury, and to get away from his irritating ex-wife. With more than 800 employees worldwide, the National Family offers rewarding opportunities for professional growth through our affiliate organizations National Air Cargo and National Airlines.We invite you to become a part of our award-winning team, and contribute to meaningful work in aviation, transportation, and global logistics. This debris included parts of seats, parts of overhead racks, upholstery, items of clothing, parts of leather suitcases, shoes, a pack of cigarettes. We partner with our EMS and hospital customers to solve the challenges of patient logistics and save lives. The autopsies of the bodies, all of which were identified by fingerprints, indicated that all had received traumatic injuries: injuries indicated that all nine persons had been seated at the time the aircraft struck the water. * Douglas DC-6B To me it just doesnt add up that Spears is going to tell his best friend of many decades, a man with essentially no history of violence, to take on this package like its Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.. and Long. It revealed that Al Taylor had bought a $37,500 life insurance policy-- in Tampa airport--at 12:16 am, just nine minutes before Flight 967 departed. 04:35. National Airlines flight 193 lies partially submerged in the shallow waters of Escambia Bay in Pensacola. And just a freak coincidence that a couple of conmen just happened to have a ticket? . National Airlines Flight 967, registration was a Douglas DC-7B aircraft that disappeared over the Gulf of Mexico en route from Tampa, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana on November 16, 1959. The radar observer testified that this disappearance was characteristic of a target going below the scope's limits. Taylor apparently agreed to this, and boarded the flight that night with nothing more than a briefcase containing the dynamite. Accordingly, communications between Coast Guard surface vessels and the National Airlines Convair were relayed by Coast Guard aircraft. The history of the original National Airlines spanned nearly fifty years and during that time it It was a starlit night, and good weather conditions were reported all along the route. Precision Air sales officer Yvonne Baldwin said the route had enormous potential, and will shorten travel times between the two countries which until now were via Nairobi in Kenya. The line between the airports does. Mr Taylor would need to have put just $1.50 into that machine to secure that $37,500 insurance policy (equivalent to more than $300,000 today).]. Except for the land areas and coastal waters from Mobile westward, skies were virtually clear and visibility excellent. Yet as Logan points out, the crate of dynamite found on Turskas property was actually purchased in Tucson, and Spears had no way of getting into Tuscon from Turska's compound unless Turska himself drove him. The FBI then tracked him down through surveillance. The evening started as any other at an airport terminal as 105 were set board their National Flight 601 from New York bound for Miami on a Boeing 707. During this period an underwater television camera was lowered twice on the contact from the VIGOR but only marine life was observed. Then he abruptly told her was headed to Atlanta the next day, to look for a job there. First week only $4.99! The Civil Aeronautics Board (predecessor of the NTSB) did not find a probable cause for the accident due to the lack of evidence. She was an unflappable woman in her late fifties, with a fondness for ostentatious feathered hats, pearl necklaces, and large brooches. There injuries indicated that all nine persons had been seated at the time the aircraft struck the water. Personally I suspect that Logan has at least partially fallen prey to the charms of Dr Spears--I highly doubt Taylor is living it up in South America--but his questions are interesting ones. All 42 on board were presumed killed in the accident. The crew consisted of Captain William R. Broocke (age 54), employed by National Airlines since 1946, who had qualified to fly the DC-10 in 1972 and accumulated 21,853 flight hours in his career with 801 hours on the DC-10; First Officer Edward H. Saunders (33), employed by National Airlines since 1965, with 7,086 flight hours of which 445 hours were on the DC-10; and Flight . * Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar Flight status, tracking, and historical data for American Airlines 967 (AA967/AAL967) including scheduled, estimated, and actual departure and arrival times. - January 14, 1951, a DC-4 crashed on landing at Philadelphia Airport with 7 fatalities. Robert Vernon Spears (June 26, 1894 May 2, 1969) was a naturopath who is alleged to have placed a bomb aboard National Airlines Flight 967, an aircraft that went missing over the Gulf of Mexico on November 16, 1959, killing 42 people. The man was a con artist. She received a court order to open his post office box. No seat belt abrasions were found. All floating debris and bodies were from one-half to two miles east and southeast of this oil slick. Bombs Indicated in Two Air Disasters Monday, Dec 2 2013 . At 0005 the flight reported to Tampa company radio as over Crab at 0002 and estimated NL1, also a customary reporting point, at 0031, at 14,000feet. In 1964, it became the first exclusively jet powered service in the United States . No? . Low stratus and fog in the area from Mobile to New Orleans and at the New Orleans terminal would have caused the destination to be below limits at the estimated time of arrival. Las Vegas, Nevada, United States333 followers 331 connections. At 1:16 AM, company radio attempted to contact Flight 967 to no avail; attempts by FAA en route facilities, New Orleans Approach Control, and air traffic control were unable to raise the flight. He had become financially successful in Texas as a . Link. National Airlines merged with Pan Am in 1980. Suddenly his strange behavior all made sense to her--her hapless ex-husband was a puppet, under Dr Spearss spell. November 10 of 1958, National became the first airline to introduce domestic jet service in the United States, with a flight between Miami 's international airport and Idlewild International Airport in New York.