Video: 'NBC Nightly News June 24, 1975, Eastern Airlines 66 crash on approach from JFK'

(Tuesday, June 24, 1975, 4:05 p.m. EDT) — An Eastern Air Lines jetliner crashed while attempting to land at John F. Kennedy International Airport this afternoon, killing 113 of the 124 people aboard in one of the deadliest air disasters in U.S. history.

Flight 66, a regularly scheduled service from New Orleans to New York, went down just short of the runway during its final approach amid a fast-moving thunderstorm. The Boeing 727 slammed into a navigational approach light tower and broke apart, scattering debris across the Rockaway Boulevard area near the airport.

Federal investigators later determined that the crash was caused by wind shear associated with a powerful microburst—a sudden, violent downdraft linked to severe weather.

Video: 'WNBC-TV Eastern Flight 66 Crash Coverage, June 24, 1975'

Officials also cited the failure of both air traffic controllers and the flight crew to recognize the hazardous conditions in time to prevent the tragedy.

Most of the victims died instantly. Eleven passengers survived, some pulled from the wreckage by first responders and nearby motorists who witnessed the crash.

The accident renewed concerns about airport weather monitoring systems and the need for better pilot training in identifying and responding to rapidly changing weather patterns.

Eastern Air Lines issued a brief statement expressing sorrow and pledging full cooperation with the investigation led by the National Transportation Safety Board.