Fine Air Flight 101 facts for kids
The Fine Air Douglas DC-8 that crashed
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| Accident summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | August 7, 1997 |
| Summary | Loss of control on take-off due to improper aircraft loading |
| Place | Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida, United States 25°48′1″N 80°18′47″W / 25.80028°N 80.31306°W |
| Passengers | 1 |
| Crew | 3 |
| Fatalities | 4 |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Aircraft type | Douglas DC-8-61F |
| Airline/user | Fine Air |
| Registration | N27UA |
| Flew from | Miami International Airport |
| Flying to | Las Américas International Airport |
Fine Air Flight 101 was a planned cargo flight. It was flying from Miami International Airport in Florida, USA, to Las Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. On August 7, 1997, the Douglas DC-8 cargo plane crashed shortly after taking off from Miami. It hit a road near the airport.
There were four people on board the plane. Sadly, all four people on the plane died. One person on the ground also died, and two others on the ground were injured.
What Caused the Crash?
The main reason for the crash was how the cargo was loaded. The heavy cargo was placed too far back in the plane. This made the plane unbalanced.
How the Plane Reacted
When the plane tried to take off, it also had an incorrect stabilizer trim setting. The stabilizer is a small wing at the back of the plane that helps it fly straight. The wrong setting made the plane's nose point up too much.
Witnesses saw the plane's nose lift very high during takeoff. It looked like the plane might flip backward. The plane weighed about 141,000 kilograms (311,000 pounds). It struggled to climb to only about 166 meters (544 feet) in the air.
The Final Moments
After struggling to gain height, the plane suddenly fell back to the ground. It hit the ground tail-first. When the plane crashed, it broke into pieces and caught fire.
Images for kids
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N27UA, the aircraft involved in the accident in February 1996
See also
In Spanish: Vuelo 101 de Fine Air para niños
