Drama with a successful ending - featuring unique photage by Tony Destro - The horrible day that N1032F, DC-10-30CF had the bird strike at JFK and the aircraft was totally destroyed

Did you know that the term “Bird Strike” is an official 
FAA and aviation term used to describe that type of event?  
I have been involved in several (usually have to go out to 
the runway to recover the caucus).

As you read the proposed questionnaires I made, they are 
very specific.  I figured we are talking of an event that 
took place 32 years ago.  That is a very long time to 
remember stuff.  But I figured that if I wrote out questions, 
it might help get people in a “story telling” mind set.

Maybe information on lost/missing ONA employees will surface. 
I made three different questionnaires for 3 different type 
of people onboard; 1) working F/A’s.  2) Pilots.  
3) Deadheading company employees.
 
Can´t wait to see what you all will be submitting!
(Email and mail address supplied at the end of each 
questionnaire!)

Cheers from Tony


TWA Bird Strike
The particular type of TWA aircraft (the Lockheed L-1011
was the competition to the McDonald Douglas DC-10.  
They both have about the same seating, 8 doors, 4 on each side, 
same engine configuration, same lower deck galley with 2 
elevators ... and their flight was full of TWA employees 
which I am sure helped to save lives.

ONA Bird Strike



One of Charlie Mott´s photos 
showing Charlie close to
the burning aircraft

I took a look at the pics by Charlie Mott.  He appears in 
one of my pictures running away from the ACFT along with 2 other 
people (one is an African-American lady).

In the pictures I have of the ONA bird strike (21 in all), 4 of 
them actually show people evacuating the ACFT through R-1 
(forward front door, right side) and jumping into the EVAC slide.  
Door L-1 was opened and the slide deployed, however with the wind 
direction, the smoke and fire were blowing too close to it, so I 
assumed that is why it was not used.  

One picture shows one of the pilots who escaped the ACFT via 
the Cockpit window - Right side (co-pilot side) walking away 
from the jet.

I used to be an US Air Force air traffic controller, and have 
been involved with aircraft incidents in my past. So with the 
questions I have prepared we can get some specific information.  
Plus maybe find other old ONA employees!

I would also like to try to look up information on New York 
newspaper web sites.  Maybe it would be possible to get copies 
of their front page of the ACFT on fire. I am sure the achieves 
have that stored somewhere. I'll do some searching.

Tony Destro