Eastern Air Lines Lockheed Constellation Engine Failure Photograph

1959 photograph showing the failed engine of an Eastern Air Lines Lockheed Model 1049 Super Constellation in flight somewhere over the east coast of the United States.

After World War II, leveraging the availability of surplus military aircraft and advancements in aviation technology, airlines sought to popularize air travel among middle-class Americans by expanding domestic routes and offering competitive pricing. To further stimulate interest, airlines collaborated with large industries to offer international trips to illustrate that traveling by plane was both accessible and aspirational. As a Lincoln-Mercury sales reward campaign in 1959, top car salesmen and their families won a trip to Bermuda. Abroad an Eastern Air Lines Lockheed Model 1049 Super Constellation departing out of Washington National Airport (DCA), the aircraft experienced an engine failure and had to circle over the eastern coast of the United States to burn off fuel before returning to Washington, DC. Despite having a reputation for engine failures, overheating, and fires, Super Constellations were reliably used by airlines in the 1950s through the early 1960s.