What happened
On the evening of the accident, a Boeing 727-22C, registration N7434U, was operating Flight 266 on a multi-stop route originating in Los Angeles with destinations in Denver and Milwaukee. The aircraft was flying with its No. 3 generator out of service, a condition permitted under the Minimum Equipment List as long as electrical loads were managed.
After delays caused by loading issues and poor weather, the flight began its takeoff roll on runway 24 at roughly 18:17. Within approximately one minute of the start of the takeoff roll, the crew received an engine fire warning for the No. 1 engine. The pilots initiated procedures to return to the airport and subsequently shut down the affected engine.
During this process, the aircraft experienced a complete loss of electrical power from the remaining No. 2 generator. While a brief period of low-voltage power was restored for roughly 9 to 15 seconds, the standby electrical system failed to provide sustained power. The aircraft subsequently descended and impacted the ocean approximately 11.3 miles west of the airport in water measuring about 950 feet deep.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary factor was the loss of attitude orientation during a night instrument departure, caused by the failure of all attitude instruments due to the total electrical power loss. Investigators were unable to establish why the remaining generator failed or why the standby electrical system did not successfully engage.