Exactly twenty-two years ago, today, the Concorde, which is the fastest commercial jet, that had enjoyed an exemplary safety record with no crashes in the plane’s 31-year history, crashes upon takeoff in Paris killing 109 passengers and crew onboard as well as four other people on the ground.
The commercial jet that left DeGaulle Airport for New York carrying nine crew members and 96 German tourists who were planning to take a cruise to Ecuador, plunged to the ground almost immediately after takeoff, near Michèle Fricheteau's hotel in Gonesse, France. A huge fireball erupted and all 105 people on the plane were killed immediately.
The Concorde fleet was grounded in the wake of this disaster while the cause was investigated. The Concorde, powered by four Rolls Royce turbojets, was able to cross the Atlantic Ocean in less than three-and-a-half hours, reaching speeds of 1,350 miles per hour, which is more than twice the speed of sound. The July 25 incident, though, was not related to the Concorde’s engine construction or speed.
The investigation revealed that the plane that took off just prior to Flight 4590 had dropped a piece of metal onto the runway. When the Concorde jet ran over it, its tire was shredded and thrown into one of the engines and fuel tanks, causing a disabling fire.
Concorde jets went back into service in November 2001, but a series of minor problems prompted both Air France and British Airways to end Concorde service permanently in October 2003.
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