@aircrashbriefs: On June 6, 1971, Air West Flight 706 departed Los Angeles for a routine trip to Salt Lake City. But minutes after takeoff, the DC-9 crossed paths with a U.S. Marine Corps F-4 Phantom fighter jet. The fighter pilot never saw the airliner in time — and in a single instant, the Phantom slammed into the DC-9 mid-air. The passenger jet broke apart and fell into the mountains below. All 49 people aboard the DC-9 lost their lives. The investigation found a deadly mix of: • Poor visibility • Miscommunication • Lack of proper radar separation • A fighter jet traveling too fast for the airspace This tragedy led to major changes in civil-military airspace coordination and collision-avoidance rules. ⸻ #AirWest706 #AviationStory #MidAirCollision #AirDisaster #AviationFacts