United Airlines Flight 266 was a scheduled passenger flight that operated between Los Angeles International Airport and John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. On January 18, 1969, the aircraft carrying 32 passengers and six crew members, crashed into Santa Monica Bay, killing all on board.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation revealed that the cause of the crash was a failure of the airplane’s engine, which caused a loss of power and a loss of control of the aircraft. The investigation also found that the pilot had made an error in shutting down the wrong engine, which further contributed to the crash.
The crash of United Airlines Flight 266 was one of the deadliest airline accidents in the United States at the time and was the first fatal accident involving a Douglas DC-7. It was a tragedy that resulted in the loss of 38 lives and had a profound impact on the families and loved ones of the victims. The accident also led to improvements in aviation safety, including the development of more advanced engine control systems and emergency procedures for dealing with engine failures.
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