What happened
On the early morning of December 21, an Eastern Air Lines flight traveling from Miami to Boston, with an intermediate stop in Jacksonville, experienced a fatal accident during its final approach. The aircraft, registration N112A, departed Miami late due to the delayed arrival of an inbound flight, eventually taking off at 02:12. The crew was operating under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and was cleared for an ILS approach to runway 5 at Jacksonville.
As the aircraft approached the airport, weather reports indicated ground fog and reduced visibility. After contacting Jacksonville approach control over the Sunbeam Intersection, the flight was cleared for the approach. Shortly after reporting over the outer marker inbound and receiving landing clearance, a large flash was seen near the ILS middle marker by the tower controller. The aircraft subsequently crashed approximately 0.6 miles southwest of the runway 5 threshold.
The Lockheed Constellation struck the top of a small pine tree roughly 200 feet below the glide path and 4,000 feet from the runway threshold. This initial impact was followed by striking a 50-foot oak tree, which sheared off part of the tree's upper canopy. The aircraft continued through several large trees, which caused the disintegration of both wings and parts of the empennage. An explosion and fire occurred immediately upon ground contact. There were 12 passengers and 5 crew members on board the aircraft during the accident.
Findings
Investigation into the crash determined that the pilot either caused or allowed the aircraft to drift left of the course and descend below the required glide path altitude. This descent brought the aircraft too low to clear existing ground obstructions. While the weather featured fog and marginal visibility, conditions remained above the airline's minimum requirements. There was no evidence of mechanical failure in the airframe, engines, or flight controls, and all ground-based navigational aids were functioning correctly.