Page:CAB Accident Report, Northeast Airlines Flight 801.pdf/2

 control and advised, "Northeast 801 over New Canaan – cleared to New Rochelle." (The flight had been cleared to New Rochelle by ARTC.) Approach control then requested the flight to report over the Port Chester, New York, fan marker, and give it an expected approach clearance time of on the hour (0900), Runway 22, and the 0820 LaGuardia weather, as follows: "estimated 3,000 overcast, one and one-half miles, rain and smoke. Wind southeast six, altimeter zero-zero-zero" (30,000). The flight reported over Port Chester at 0849 and was successfully cleared to descend to 4,500 foot, to 3,500 foot, and to 2,500 foot altitudes. At 0855 it was cleared to leave New Rochelle, inbound, and shortly was instructed to make a 360-degree turn to assure separation from a preceding aircraft. The flight acknowledged and complied. At 0858 it reported leaving New Rochelle and was cleared for an approach to Runway 22, and at 0859, was told that Ground Control Approach advisories were available on a frequency of 109.9 megacycles. The flight acknowledged, and then was given the 0900 LaGuardia weather, ceiling 1,700 feet and visibility 1½ miles. Flight 801 reported leaving the LaGuardia range at 0900 and was cleared to land on Runway 22.

There was no further message from the flight. At 0903 it struck the water of Flushing Bay some 3,600 feet from the approach end of Runway 22. A motorboat operated by the Edo Corporation, docked about one-half mile away, reached the site approximately four minutes later. Passengers and crew, who had climbed out through the emergency exits and who were standing on and holding to the fast sinking aircraft, were taken aboard and then transferred to a tugboat that arrived shortly. All occupants were taken ashore and hospitalized.