Delta Air Lines Flight 9877 Crash (N802E)

Flight Details and Training Objective Delta Air Lines operated a DC-8-51, registration N802E, as Flight 9877. The flight was scheduled to provide crew training for a captain-trainee and a flight engineer-trainee, while the flight engineer-instructor underwent a routine proficiency check. A weather briefing at 23:14 noted that the only significant weather was a visibility restriction expected to reduce to about two miles in fog and smoke near 0600. The aircraft departed the ramp at 00:40 with the captain-trainee in the left seat and the check captain in the right seat. At 00:43, the crew advised the tower they were ready for takeoff and requested to circle and land on runway 01. The tower controller cleared them as requested, and the aircraft was observed to make what appeared to be a normal takeoff and departure. At 00:47, the crew reported on base leg for runway 01, and the controller cleared the flight to land. A subsequent discussion revealed that they would execute a simulated two-engine out approach, execute a full stop landing, and then takeoff on runway 19. The tower controller observed Flight 9877 in a shallow left turn on what appeared to be a normal final approach. The degree of bank increased to approximately 60° or greater when the aircraft hit the power lines approximately 2,300 feet short and 1,100 feet west of the runway threshold. The DC-8 crashed into a residential area, destroying several homes and the Hilton complex. All six crew members were killed, as well as 13 people on the ground, who were clients and employees at the Hilton Hotel. 18 other people were injured, some of them seriously. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post-crash fire.