mcdonnell douglas dc-8-63cf (n950jw)

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-8-63CF (REGISTRATION: N950JW)
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-8-63CF (REGISTRATION: N950JW)
On 11 December 1985 at 20:35 GMT, Arrow Air Flight MF1285R, a Douglas DC-8-63, departed Cairo, Egypt on an international charter flight to Fort Campbell, USA via Köln, Germany, and Gander. The flight had been chartered by the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) to transport troops, their personal effects, and some military equipment to and from peacekeeping duties in the Sinai Desert. All 248 passengers were members of 101st Airborne Division (United States Army), based in Fort Campbell. The flight arrived at Köln at 01:21 were a complete crew change took place. The DC-8 departed for Gander at 02:50 GMT, where it arrived at 05:34 local time. Passengers were deplaned, the aircraft was refuelled, trash and waste water were removed, and catering supplies were boarded. The flight engineer conducted an external inspection of portions of the aircraft and the passengers then reboarded. Following engine start-up, the aircraft was taxied via taxiway "D" and runway 13 to runway 22 for departure. Takeoff on runway 22 was begun from the intersection of runway 13 at 06:45. The aircraft proceeded down the runway and rotated in the vicinity of taxiway "A", 51 seconds after brake release at an airspeed of about 167 KIAS. The aircraft gained little altitude after rotation, the speed reached 172 KIAS and began to decrease again, causing the DC-8 to descend. The airplane crossed the Trans-Canada Highway at a very low altitude. The pitch angle increased, but the aircraft continued to descend until it struck downsloping terrain approximately 3,000 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. The DC-8 broke up and burst into flames.

Fatalities: 256 / Occupants: 256
  1. US PARAS 2 Gonzalez, Roberto

    SURNAME Gonzalez FORENAME Roberto UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Private First Class NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Quebradilla,Puerto Rico killed in air crash Gander,Newfoundland
  2. US PARAS 2 Fitch, David

    SURNAME Fitch FORENAME David UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Specialist Fourth Class NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE 20 GRAVESITE Arlington National Cemetery,Virginia Section 60 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Washington,D.C. born 6.1.1965...
  3. US PARAS 2 Gantzer, Kevin A.

    SURNAME Gantzer FORENAME Kevin A. UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Sergeant NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE 22 GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Wheeling,West Virginia killed in air crash Gander,Newfoundland
  4. US PARAS 2 Abrams, Mark Edward

    SURNAME Abrams FORENAME Mark Edward UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Private First Class NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE 19 GRAVESITE Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Prosperity, Raleigh County, West Virginia, USA ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born...
  5. US PARAS 2 Hansen, William W. III

    SURNAME Hansen FORENAME William W. III UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Private First Class NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE 20 GRAVESITE Arlington National Cemetery,Virginia Section 60 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Stafford,Virginia born...
  6. US PARAS 2 Colby, Stephen R.

    SURNAME Colby FORENAME Stephen R. UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Specialist Fourth Class NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE 19 GRAVESITE Arlington National Cemetery,Virginia Section 60 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Colonial Beach,Virginia...
  7. US PARAS 2 Bowen, Robert A.

    SURNAME Bowen FORENAME Robert A. UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Chief Warrant Officer Third Class NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE 37 GRAVESITE Arlington National Cemetery,Virginia Columbarium No.1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from...
  8. US PARAS 2 Hardeman, Chester D.

    SURNAME Hardeman FORENAME Chester D. UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Private NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Dallas,Texas killed in air crash Gander,Newfoundland
  9. US PARAS 2 Gray, Christopher T.

    SURNAME Gray FORENAME Christopher T. UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Specialist Fourth Class NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE 19 GRAVESITE Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery,San Antonio,Texas Section S Site 129-B ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...
  10. US PARAS 2 Cupples, Troy R.

    SURNAME Cupples FORENAME Troy R. UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Private First Class NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Porter,Texas killed in air crash Gander,Newfoundland
  11. US PARAS 2 Cartwright, Dennis

    SURNAME Cartwright FORENAME Dennis UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Private NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Silsbee,Texas killed in air crash Gander,Newfoundland
  12. US PARAS 2 Harden, Benny J.

    SURNAME Harden FORENAME Benny J. UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Chief Warrant Officer Third Class NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE 38 GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Clarksville,Tennessee killed in air crash Gander,Newfoundland
  13. US PARAS 2 Godsey, David L.

    SURNAME Godsey FORENAME David L. UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Sergeant First Class NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE 36 GRAVESITE Mountain Home National Cemetery,Johnson City,Tennessee Section LL Site 2492 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from...
  14. US PARAS 2 Givens, Gary Lynn

    SURNAME Givens FORENAME Gary Lynn UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Sergeant NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Clarksville,Tennessee killed in air crash Gander,Newfoundland
  15. US PARAS 2 Foskey, Thomas J.

    SURNAME Foskey FORENAME Thomas J. UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Corporal NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE 22 GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Clarksville,Tennessee killed in air crash Gander,Newfoundland
  16. US PARAS 2 Ferguson, Mark W.

    SURNAME Ferguson FORENAME Mark W. UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Specialist Fourth Class NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Kingsport,Tennessee killed in air crash Gander,Newfoundland
  17. US PARAS 2 Dixon, Thomas D.

    SURNAME Dixon FORENAME Thomas D. UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Specialist Fourth Class NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Sequatchie,Tennessee killed in air crash Gander,Newfoundland
  18. US PARAS 2 Davis, James A.

    SURNAME Davis FORENAME James A. UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Sergeant NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Knoxville,Tennessee killed in air crash Gander,Newfoundland
  19. US PARAS 2 Brancato, Charles F.

    SURNAME Brancato FORENAME Charles F. UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) RANK Sergeant NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE GRAVESITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Clarksville,Tennessee killed in air crash Gander,Newfoundland
  20. US PARAS 2 Avillan, Luis Antonio

    SURNAME Avillan FORENAME Luis Antonio UNIT 502 Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) (3 Bn) (101 Finance Company,attached) RANK First Lieutenant NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 12th December 1985 AGE 27 GRAVESITE Puerto Rico National Cemetery,Bayamon,Puerto Rico Section J Site 35...
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