Continental Airlines Flight 12

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**Continental Airlines Flight 12**
Summary
Date	July 1, 1965
Type	Runway overrun
Site	Kansas City, Missouri
Passengers	60
Crew	6
Fatalities	0
Survivors	66 (all)
Aircraft type	Boeing 707
Operator	Continental Airlines
Tail number	N70773

Continental Airlines Flight 12, registration N70773, was a Boeing 707 aircraft en route from Los Angeles International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport with an intermediate at Kansas City Downtown Airport on July 1, 1965. After a routine flight the plane was making an approach on the instrument landing system for runway 18. There was heavy rain and low visibility at the airport. The wind was reported from the East-northeast at 7 knots. At most airports this would normally mean an approach should be initiated from the other direction, runway 36. Quality Hill in downtown Kansas City overlooks the airport from this direction. It is so close to the end of the runway that aircraft have to go around it to land safely in good weather. This obstacle prevented the installation of an instrument landing system on this runway. It is normally considered safe to land opposite direction in these conditions but they would be landing with a slight tailwind. The flight landed at 5:29 am CST 1,100 feet down the runway. Reverse thrusting and braking were initiated but did not slow the plane as anticipated. It began to veer 30º left before it ran off the end of the runway. The right wing impacted a blast mound as the aircraft rolled over it coming to rest in three pieces on the perimeter road between the mound and river levee. After an investigation the cause of the accident was determined to be "Hydroplaning of the landing gear wheels, which precluded braking effectiveness."

Although there were no fatalities in the accident it highlighted a number of shortcomings with jet aircraft operations at Kansas City Downtown Airport. Runway 18-36 at 7,000 feet was barely long enough for 707 aircraft. The airport could not be expanded as it was surrounded on 3 sides by the Missouri river and a rail yard on the east side. In 1972 airline operations were moved to Kansas City International Airport.

Flight Number 12 is still used today on Continental's Honolulu-Los Angeles route.