What happened
During takeoff from a 10,015-foot runway, the Electra experienced an issue where the number three propeller feathered approximately 7,500 feet into the takeoff roll. As the aircraft ascended to an altitude of 100 feet, it began yawing toward the right. Before reaching the peak of its climb, the crew performed the retraction of both the landing gear and the flaps.
Following these actions, the aircraft transitioned into a nose-high attitude and lost lateral stability. The plane subsequently collided with rising terrain while in a tail-low position, approximately 4,300 feet past the runway threshold. The rear section of the fuselage scraped along the ground for 220 feet with the right wing tilted downward. The wreckage then crossed a 13-foot embankment, breached a perimeter fence at Agana NAS, and traversed a highway.
During the slide across the roadway, the aircraft struck a vehicle, causing the death of the driver. The wreckage eventually settled in an open area roughly 4,900 feet from the end of runway 06L. The resulting fire caused serious injuries to two bystanders located near the site. The accident resulted in 45 fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.
Findings
Investigations determined that the aircraft lost its ability to maintain a safe climb after the crew retracted the flaps at an insufficient altitude to clear the approaching terrain. This loss of performance followed the feathering of the number three propeller during the initial takeoff phase. Additionally, the decision by the captain to proceed with the takeoff after an engine failure occurred prior to reaching rotation speed was identified as a contributing factor.