Date: June 24, 1975
Type: Boeing 727-225
Registration: N9945E
Operator: Eastern Airlines
Where: John F. Kennedy International Airport, Jamaica, NY.
Report No. NTSB-AAR-76-8
Report Date: March 12, 1976
Pages: 52

About 1605 e.d.t. on June 24, 1975, Eastern Air Lines Flight 66, a Boeing 
727-225, crashed into the approach lights to runway 22L at the John F. 
Kennedy International Airport, Jamaica, New York.  The aircraft was on an 
ILS approach to the runway through a very strong thunderstorm that was 
located astride the ILS localizer course.  Of the 124 persons aboard, 113 
died of injuries received in the crash.  The aircraft was destroyed by 
the impact and fire.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable 
cause of this accident was the aircraftUs encounter with adverse winds 
associated with a very strong thunderstorm located astride the ILS 
localizer course, which resulted in a high descent rate into the 
nonfrangible approach light towers.  The flightcrew's delayed recognition 
and correction of the high descent rate were probably associated with 
their reliance upon visual cues rather than on flight instrument 
references.  However, the adverse winds might have been too severe for a 
successful approach and landing even had they relied upon and responded 
replidly to the indications of the flight instruments.

Contributing to the accident was the continued use of runway 22L when it 
should have become evident to both air traffic control personnel and the 
flightcrew that a severe weather hazard existed along the approach path.