Emery Worldwide Airlines was the
cargo airline subsidiary of U.S. based
Emery Worldwide, and “one of the nation's major cargo airlines”.[1]
History
Emery Worldwide Airlines began operations in the early 1980s with a fleet composed mainly of
Boeing 727 and
DouglasDC-8 freighter aircraft. It flew scheduled nighttime routes to and from
Emery Worldwide’s freight sortation hub in Dayton, OH, and connecting flights to Emery's European hub in Maastricht, Netherlands.
Two of its cargo planes crashed in early 2000.
Flight 17 crashed on February 16, killing its 3 crew members, and on April 26, another of its jets crash-landed in
Nashville, TN. Both crashes were attributed to improper maintenance.[2]
Following an
FAA investigation that discovered more than 100 violations of safety regulations, Emery Worldwide Airlines had its planes grounded on August 13, 2001.[3] It officially ceased operating on December 5, 2001.[4]
At the time of its closing, Emery Worldwide Airlines operated 37 freighter aircraft,[4] including Douglas DC-8 and
DC-10 aircraft.
Fleet
Emery Worldwide Airlines had in the past operated the following aircraft:[5]
May 3, 1991: A
Boeing 727 crew had to abort mid-takeoff roll at
Bradley International Airport in
Connecticut when an engine compressor disk came loose destroying the engine nacelle and severing oil, hydraulic, and fuel lines. The resulting fire consumed the plane and cargo. 3 crew members were on board. No fatalities.[6]
December 9, 1996: A
Douglas C-47A (registered N75142) crashed on an emergency return approach to
Boise Airport in
Idaho, killing both crew. Contracted by Desert Air, it was on a cargo flight to its base in
Salt Lake City when the starboard engine caught fire shortly after take-off and the decision was made to return to Boise.[7][8][9]
February 16, 2000:
Flight 17, a
Douglas DC-8-71F (registered N8079U) crashed on take-off on a scheduled cargo flight from
Sacramento Mather Airport in
California with three crew members aboard. Bound for
Dayton, Ohio, the aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post-crash fire; there were no survivors.[10][11][12] The accident was caused by improper maintenance.
April 26, 2001: A Douglas DC-8-71F (registered N8076U) landed with a left main landing gear up at
Nashville International Airport in
Tennessee. The aircraft sustained minor damage and the three-member crew was not injured. Post-accident investigation found improper maintenance to the left main landing gear was at fault.
^Howard, John (February 17, 2000).
"Fiery cargo plane crash". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. p. 1.
Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2020.