New York Air Disaster on Dec. 16, 1960, a mid-air collision between two airliners over Staten Island, New York City, in which one plane crashed into Staten Island and the other airliner crashed into a Brooklyn neighborhood. The crash killed all 84 people aboard Flight 826 and 44 on Flight 266 as well as six people on the ground.

There have been bigger, more terrible plane crashes in the world since then. But on that day, Dec. 16, 1960, "there had never been as terrible an American air disaster. (Jim Romano for the Staten Island Advance)

It was Dec. 16, 1960, just over a week before Christmas and it had snowed heavily earlier in the week. After struggling with all the snow, it finally was Friday and everyone was looking forward to the weekend.

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Emergency personnel look at the tail section of the United jet that plunged into the Park Slope section of Brooklyn. (Staten Island Advance)

The morning sky was overcast. There was a mixture of light snow and rain greeting the morning commuters as people rushed off to work or school or their morning errands.

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An airplane engine litters the ground of the Berry Houses playground, Dongan Hills. The collision, the worst U.S. air disaster to that date, triggered lawsuits and changes in aviation safety procedures. (Staten Island Advance)

About 10 a.m., the roar of airplane engines could be heard overhead heading toward New Dorp Beach. A plane was flying so low, you could see the co-pilot's face. Then, it exploded into a fireball over Miller Field.

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Firefighters recover the body of one of the 45 victims aboard the TWA plane near Miller Field in New Dorp in this photo from Dec. 16, 1960. (Staten Island Advance)

Neighbors and first responders climbed the fence to search for survivors. It was a gruesome scene, something you would see in a movie, not on Staten Island. Airplane parts and passengers were scattered throughout the area.

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Mrs. John Muccino inspects the damage to her home on Jacques Avenue in New Dorp caused by a piece of the TWA plane. (Staten Island Advance)

It turned out that there were two planes involved in the tragedy. The first was a United Airlines DC-8. With 76 passengers, it had taken off from Chicago and was headed to Idlewild Airport (now John F. Kennedy Airport). The second was a TWA Super-Constellation out of Dayton/Columbus, Ohio, with 39 passengers. It was headed toward LaGuardia Airport. Parts of the airplanes' wreckage were spread over both Staten Island and Brooklyn.

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Dec. 17, 1960 front page of Staten Island Advance of the plane crash that happened over Miller Field.

Everyone in the community pulled together to try and help. By most accounts, about 200 off-duty firemen, policemen and volunteers from the Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the Boy Scouts rushed to the scene in vain attempts to rescue survivors. Local hospitals sent ambulances racing to Miller Field. Even an Army helicopter was dispatched to bring supplies and airlift casualties.

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Shoe of victim found in December 1960. (Staten Island Advance)

The Constellation broke into three sections, crashing to Earth and narrowly missing homes in and around New Dorp. The largest sections landed on Miller Field, including the main cabin, the left wing, tail section and two engines. Another engine landed in a ball field adjacent to the Berry Houses. Smaller pieces were scattered throughout the area in neighboring homes and yards, including the schoolyard of PS 41.

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Members of the Civil Aeronautics Board use models of the aircraft as part of their accident investigation. (Staten Island Advance)

Large pieces of what was the DC-8 crashed into densely populated brownstone homes in Park Slope, setting buildings on fire and triggering a seven-alarm fire call. Fourteen buildings were damaged or destroyed; 15 people were injured and six bystanders were killed in Park Slope by falling debris.

In total, 134 people perished in the crash — there were no survivors.

Staten Island was lucky that day. With all the destruction, only one Staten Islander was killed in this crash. In a twist of fate, Michael Hotinski, a last-minute passenger on the ill-fated DC-8, was heading home to Staten Island.

-- Thomas Matteo

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Retired Firefighters Art Mazza, Paul Reale and Tony Daluise pose for a photo where they responded to the fatal plane crash over Miller Field 50 years ago. December 7, 2010. (Staten Island Advance/Michael McWeeney)