Background
Flight One was operating a regularly scheduled nonstop flight from Idlewild Airport (now John F. Kennedy International Airport) to Los Angeles, California. The aircraft was cleared for takeoff from Runway 31L and became airborne at 1007 e.s.t.
Accident Sequence
The takeoff and initial climb appeared normal. Approximately 8,000 feet down the runway, near taxiway AA, the aircraft began a gentle left turn at an altitude of about 100 feet. After straightening from that turn, the airplane continued climbing on a magnetic heading of 290 degrees for several seconds. It then initiated a second left turn, apparently in compliance with radar vector directions from Departure Control.
During the second turn, the angle of bank progressively increased. The aircraft continued climbing until it reached a peak altitude of about 1,600 feet m.s.l., at which point it had rolled through 90 degrees of bank. Subsequently, the airplane entered an inverted, nose-low attitude and descended in a nearly vertical dive.
Impact and Aftermath
The aircraft struck the shallow waters of Pumpkin Patch Channel in Jamaica Bay, approximately three miles southwest of the Idlewild Control Tower, at 1008:49 e.s.t. Floating debris and fuel ignited within minutes and burned fiercely. The aircraft disintegrated on impact, and there were no survivors among the 95 occupants.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was a rudder control system malfunction that produced yaw, sideslip, and roll, leading to a loss of control from which recovery action was not effective.