Brooklyn Plane Crash

The tail section of United Airlines airliner which crashed in a heavily populated section of Brooklyn, New York, December 16, 1960, rests at the intersection of Sterling Place and 7th Avenue.

This episode is from the WNYC archives. It may contain language which is no longer politically or socially appropriate.

Reports of an American Airlines plane crashing into a residential area in Brooklyn that resulted in large fire covering several blocks. Includes reporters phoning in with updates, interviews with officials, and phone interviews with witnesses, including a Catholic priest.

Reporter presents updated report, noting that the plane crashed into the Pillar of Fire Church, completely destroying it, he reports that the plane held 77 passengers and that there have been "tens" of reported deaths.

Report of a young boy, Stephen Baltz, who survived the crash, as well as another man who was badly burned. The reported compares the scene of the crash to a war zone. He notes that it was fortunate the plane did not hit two gasoline stations next to the church that was demolished, as the fire and destruction would have been much worse.

Twenty minutes later another report on the status of the fire, which has subsided considerably but has been raised to a Borough alarm fire.


For the 50th anniversary of the crash, The New York Times wrote a series of articles about the event:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/12/park-slope-plane-crash-the-lede-all/

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/park-slope-plane-crash-how-it-happened/

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/the-boy-who-fell-from-the-sky/

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/park-slope-plane-crash-a-little-brother-remembers/

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/park-slope-plane-crash-sights-and-sounds/



Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection


WNYC archives id: 69319
Municipal archives id: LT9153