Brooklyn, NY — Dec. 16, 1960, was the day a devastating mid-air crash over New York City changed the lives of hundreds of people forever, including that of a young girl whose childhood was marked by the tragedy. The crash of United Airlines Flight 826 and Trans World Airlines Flight 266 killed 134 passengers, the deadliest air crash at the time.
The Collision and Its Immediate Aftermath
United Airlines Flight 826, a DC-8 jet aircraft on a flight from Chicago to Idlewild Airport (now JFK), struck TWA Flight 266, a Super Constellation aircraft on a flight from Dayton and Columbus, Ohio, to LaGuardia Airport. The two planes struck each other at 5,000 feet in a thick fog and sleet that severely reduced visibility.
The TWA plane crashed onto Miller Army Airfield in Staten Island and killed everyone on board the plane, which consisted of 44 people. On the other hand, the United plane, having lost a large section of its right wing, flew for 90 seconds more before it crashed into the overcrowded Park Slope neighborhood in Brooklyn.
The destruction in Park Slope was catastrophic. Ten brownstone houses were burned to the ground, among them the Pillar of Fire Church, a funeral parlor, a laundry, and a deli. Six individuals on the ground perished, including two men selling holiday trees, a 90-year-old custodian at a church, and an employee at a butcher shop.
A Young Girl’s Life Changed Forever
Among the Park Slope residents was a young girl whose life would forever be shaped by the catastrophe. She lived mere blocks from the site of the crash and still remembers vividly the mayhem and devastation that followed.
“I remember the sky getting dark and the boom of the explosion,” she says. “Our windows burst, and there was smoke in the air and an odor of burning gasoline.”
In the subsequent days, the community was overwhelmed by grief. Funeral processions became a daily occurrence, and the formerly thriving streets were now dotted with trash and the rubble of burned buildings.
“As a kid, it was hard to understand the scale of what happened,” she recalls. “But the images of that day have remained with me since then.”
The Sole Survivor: Stephen Baltz
Amid the catastrophe, there was a ray of hope in the tale of 11-year-old Stephen Baltz of Wilmette, Illinois. Pillion rider alone on the flight to join his family for the holidays, Stephen was the sole individual to survive the wreck initially. Found alive in a snowbank, his clothes burning, he was taken to Methodist Hospital.
In spite of medical care, Stephen died of his injuries the next day. His short survival and untimely demise struck a chord with the community. The chapel of Methodist Hospital has a memorial plaque that commemorates his memory, with the 65 cents he carried with him at the time of the accident.
Lasting Impact on the Community
The Park Slope plane crash had a lasting impact on the community. Immediately after, people reached out to help each other, providing shelter, food, and support to the victims.
The community has, over time, tried to keep the memory of the disaster alive. Memorials have been commissioned and yearly commemorations held in honor of the victims. The disaster also prompted an overhaul of aviation safety regulations, such as enhanced air traffic control systems and collision avoidance procedures.
Personal Reflection and Healing
For the young woman who saw the wreckage of the crash, healing has been a long and complicated process. “It took me years to accept what had happened,” she confesses. “Even now, some sounds or scents can trigger a flood of memories about that day.”
Despite the trauma, she has discovered comfort in telling her story and relating to others who went through the tragedy. “Talking about it has been therapeutic,” she states. “It’s important to remember and honor those we lost.
The 1960 Park Slope plane crash is one of the most tragic air disasters in the history of New York City. For its survivors, memories linger in their lives, influencing their experiences and perceptions. Through remembrance and community solidarity, the memory of the victims lives on as a heart-wrenching reminder of the vulnerability of life and strength of the human spirit.
