United Airlines Flight 823 was a scheduled flight from Philadelphia International Airport, Pennsylvania, to

Huntsville International Airport Huntsville International Airport (Carl T. Jones Field) is a public airport and spaceport ten miles southwest of downtown Huntsville, in Madison County, Alabama, United States. The airport is part of the Port of Huntsville (along with the Inte ...

, Alabama, with 39 on board. On July 9, 1964, around 18:15 EST, the aircraft, a Vickers Viscount 745D,

registration Register or registration may refer to: Arts entertainment, and media Music * Register (music), the relative "height" or range of a note, melody, part, instrument, etc. * ''Register'', a 2017 album by Travis Miller * Registration (organ), th ...

crashed northeast of Parrottsville, Tennessee, after experiencing an uncontrollable fire on board, killing all 39. The fire of unknown origin occurred in the passenger cabin. One passenger abandoned the aircraft through the No.4 escape window prior to impact, but did not survive the free-fall. Among the victims was Durant da Ponte, professor of American literature and assistant dean of the University of Tennessee graduate school. The Aircraft Accident Report published by the

Civil Aeronautics Board The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) was an agency of the federal government of the United States, formed in 1938 and abolished in 1985, that regulated aviation services including scheduled passenger airline serviceStringer, David H."Non-Skeds: T ...

in June 1966—almost two years after the crash—stated, "The Board is unable to identify the source of fuel, the ignition point of the fire, or the cause of the final maneuver." The investigation found the probable cause was "an uncontrollable in-flight fire, of undetermined origin, in the fuselage, which resulted in a loss of control of the aircraft." About 33,000 lb of the 40,000-lb (empty weight) airliner were recovered, with much of the missing weight attributable to cabin furnishings that were destroyed by fire. The wreckage was transported to the Naval Laboratory in Washington, DC, where the Vickers was reconstructed by the Civil Aeronautics Board. The accident triggered an investigation of the Lockheed L-109C

flight data recorder A flight recorder is an electronic recording device placed in an aircraft for the purpose of facilitating the investigation of aviation accidents and incidents. The device may often be referred to as a "black box", an outdated name which has ...

, which resulted in modifications of that device and revision of the standards for all recorders. Also addressed were potential problems with the Pyrene Duo Head Model DCD-10 fire-extinguisher system for the underfloor baggage and heater compartments. An

Airworthiness Directive An Airworthiness Directive (commonly abbreviated as AD) is a notification to owners and operators of certified aircraft that a known safety deficiency with a particular model of aircraft, engine, avionics or other system exists and must be correct ...

was issued. Revisions were made to the Pilot's Manual, Viscount Maintenance and Instruction, and Accessories Manuals. The accident happened next to a farm owned by the family of Miss Mae Trentham, whose family helped the crash's rescue workers with water and food. The airplane had grazed the Trentham property before it crashed; the property became the unofficial headquarters of both rescuers and investigators.

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United 823

Civil Aeronautics Board Accident Report United Airlines, Inc., Vickers Viscount 745D, N7405
''rosap.ntlbts.gov'' Investigations of Aircraft Accidents 1934-1965 *

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'', July 9, 2014, Archived from the original on May 26, 2021 *

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