Eastern Air Lines Shuttle Flight 1320
 An Eastern Air Lines DC-9, similar to the aircraft involved in the incident | |
| Hijack | |
|---|---|
| Date | March 17, 1970 |
| Summary | Aircraft hijacking |
| Site | Boston-Logan International Airport, MA, USA |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 |
| Operator | Eastern Air Lines |
| Registration | N8925E |
| Flight origin | Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark NJ |
| Destination | Logan International Airport, Boston, MA |
| Passengers | 68 |
| Crew | 5 |
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Injuries | 2 |
| Survivors | 72 |
Eastern Air Lines Shuttle Flight 1320, carrying passengers from Newark to Boston, was hijacked around 7:30 p.m. on March 17, 1970, by John J. Divivo who was armed with a .38 caliber revolver.[1] Captain Robert Wilbur Jr., 35, a former United States Air Force pilot who had been promoted to captain six months prior, was shot in his arm by the suicidal hijacker. Despite his wounds, he flew his aircraft safely to a landing while talking to air traffic control, telling them his copilot was shot and needed emergency services. His copilot, James Hartley, 30, was shot and collapsed. Despite being mortally wounded, Hartley was able to force the gun from Divivo's hand, and shoot the would-be hijacker three times before lapsing into unconsciousness, and eventual death. Despite his injuries, Divivo arose and began clawing at Captain Wilbur, attempting to force a crash. Wilbur hit Divivo over the head with the gun he had retrieved from the center console.[2] The pilot was able to land the plane safely at Logan International Airport, and the hijacker was arrested.[3] On October 31, 1970, Divivo hanged himself while awaiting trial at Charles Street Jail.[4][5]
The incident was the first aircraft hijacking in the United States to end with a fatality.[6]
See also[]
- Federal Express Flight 705 – 1994 incident involving a suicidal hijacker who was overpowered by an airline flight crew
- List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft
References[]
- ^ Hijacking description at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ Tristani, Captain, Eastern Air Lines (ret), J.P. (March 30, 2009). "One heck of an in-air gunfight on a civilian jet". Boston.com. Retrieved 2009-03-30.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- ^ Walker, Adrian (March 20, 2009). "Friends in high places". Boston.com. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
- ^ "Eastern Airlines Hijacking, 1970". CelebrateBoston.com.
- ^ "Man Accused in Sky Murder Is Found Hanged in Boston". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Corpus Christi, Texas. AP. November 1, 1970. p. 15. Retrieved March 21, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Swidey
Further reading[]
- Swidey, Neil (March 20, 2020). "'You don't understand, Captain. He has a gun': The hijacking of Flight 1320". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
- Robert M. Wilbur III (2019). Reluctant Hero: The Story of Eastern Airlines Flight 1320. ISBN 978-1090674814.
- 1970 in Boston
- 1970 murders in the United States
- Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States in 1970
- Terrorist incidents in North America in 1970
- March 1970 events in the United States
- Aircraft hijackings in the United States
- Eastern Air Lines accidents and incidents
- Accidents and incidents involving the McDonnell Douglas DC-9
- Crimes in Massachusetts
- Aviation accidents and incidents in Massachusetts
- Logan International Airport
- Terrorist incidents in the United States in the 1970s