The first commercial airline disaster to exceed 100 fatalities, it exposed critical deficiencies in U.S. air traffic control and spurred major aviation reform.
Key Facts
- Total fatalities
- 128 people
- Aircraft involved
- TWA L-1049A Super Constellation & United DC-7
- Date of collision
- June 30, 1956
- Location
- Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
- Departure airport
- Los Angeles International Airport
- Historic milestone
- First commercial airline incident exceeding 100 fatalities
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Both aircraft departed Los Angeles International Airport within minutes of each other, bound for different destinations. The collision occurred in uncontrolled airspace where pilots were responsible for their own separation under visual 'see and be seen' rules, with no mandatory radar tracking or centralized air traffic management to prevent conflicts.
On June 30, 1956, TWA Flight 2 (Lockheed L-1049A Super Constellation) and United Air Lines Flight 718 (Douglas DC-7) collided over Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. The Constellation fell into the canyon and the DC-7 struck a cliff face. All 128 people aboard both aircraft perished, marking the deadliest commercial aviation accident to that point.
The disaster drew widespread public attention to the inadequacy of existing air traffic control systems in the United States. It became the catalyst for sweeping aviation reforms, ultimately leading to the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 and the establishment of the Federal Aviation Administration, which created a unified national airspace management system.