Investigation Summary
Eastern 853 (a Lockheed Super Constellation) and TWA 42 (a Boeing 707) were flying in the same vicinity at assigned altitudes of 10,000 and 11,000 feet respectively. Due to cloud tops and the 'up-slope' effect of the cloud deck, the TWA crew perceived the Eastern aircraft to be at their altitude. Simultaneously, the Eastern crew perceived the TWA jet to be descending toward them. Both pilots initiated evasive maneuvers that actually brought the aircraft into contact. The TWA 707 lost part of its left wing but managed an emergency landing at Newark. The Eastern Constellation suffered severe tail damage, losing hydraulic power and control, resulting in a forced landing on Hunt Mountain.
Final Conclusions
The CAB determined the probable cause was the misinterpretation of cloud formations by both crews, leading to an optical illusion of a collision course. This was exacerbated by a 50-100 foot vertical displacement in actual altitudes, causing the pilots to react to a perceived threat that did not exist until they maneuvered.
Video Analysis
The 1965 Carmel Mid-Air Collision — A detailed look at the mid-air collision between Eastern 853 and TWA 42 and the incredible forced landing of the Super Constellation.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
First Officer
Flight Engineer
Captain
First Officer
Flight Engineer
hours on type recorded as 5 hours and 52 minutes
Systems & Failure Modes
Altimeter
Instruments used to maintain vertical separation; slight discrepancies contributed to the perceived collision risk.
VFR-on-top
An ATC clearance allowing flight in clear weather above clouds, placing separation responsibility on the pilots.
Interesting Facts
- 01The Eastern Air Lines captain, Charles J. White, stayed at the controls to save passengers and died in the wreckage.
- 02The TWA Boeing 707 landed safely despite losing 25 feet of its left outer wing.
- 03The collision occurred in VFR-on-top conditions above a solid overcast layer.
- 04The Eastern Constellation had no hydraulic pressure after the impact, requiring the pilot to use throttles for limited control.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Improved Vertical Separation
Source ↗The accident highlighted the dangers of optical illusions in VFR-on-top conditions, leading to stricter adherence to assigned altitudes and improved radar monitoring.
Location
APPROXIMATE AREA ONLY · This position predates coordinate provenance tracking. Treat it as an approximate marker for the area, not the accident site. No map is shown, because a marker here would imply a precision the record does not have.
Reported location: North Salem, New York