Amelia Earhart’s Second Leg of Her Around-the-World Flight

On March 20, 1937, at 5:30 a.m. Earhart restarted the engines. At 5:40 a.m., she began to taxi to the northeast corner of the runway. At 5:53 a.m. with good weather and visibility 3,500 feet in pre-dawn darkness, Earhart accelerated for takeoff.

The twin-engine airplane gained momentum but suddenly, at the 1,000 foot mark the right tire blew.  The strain broke completely the right landing gear sending the Electra severely to one side.

Although the right wing was badly damaged, thanks to Earhart’s expert handling of her controls, Earhart and her flying companions eventually climbed unceremoniously out of the aircraft unhurt.