Accident Summary
Pan Am Flight 759, a scheduled passenger flight from Miami, Florida to Las Vegas, Nevada, with an en route stop at New Orleans, Louisiana, was involved in an accident shortly after takeoff. The aircraft had a gross weight of approximately 170,000 pounds, necessitating the use of Runway 10 for departure. Meteorological conditions included VIP level 3 weather echoes located east of the runway, though no lightning or thunder was evident. Showers were present over the east end of the runway, and the winds were gusty, variable, and swirling.
After takeoff, the aircraft climbed to an altitude of approximately 95 to 150 feet above ground level (AGL) before beginning to descend. It struck trees approximately 2,376 feet beyond the departure end of the runway at an altitude of about 50 feet AGL. The aircraft continued for another 2,234 feet, striking additional trees and houses. The impact, explosion, and fire destroyed the aircraft.
Investigation Findings
The investigation revealed that the aircraft encountered a decreasing headwind shear caused by diverging flow from a microburst that occurred on the airport. The low-level wind shear alert system (LLWSAS) did not detect the wind shear until after Flight 759 began its takeoff.