Fine Air's DC-8 Cargo Plane Plane Goes Down Just After Takeoff. Unlatched Cargo Latches Is Believed To Be The Cause.
August 11, 1997, a Fine Air DC-8 aircraft loaded with 45 tons of fabric, departed Miami International airport, just moments into its flight the DC-8 came tumbling down killing at least 5 people. Witness report the DC-8 upon takeoff appeared to be tail heavy, stalled and then crashed in a Miami, business district just several hundred feet from the runway.
Investigators have recovered several cargo latches from the DC-8 and it has been reported that only one of the latches was in the locked position. This would indicate that the cargo on the DC-8 upon takeoff had shifted to the tail off the aircraft making it tail heavy.
One of the DC-8 engines is loaded onto a flatbed truck.