Eastern Air Lines Shuttle Flight 1320

Eastern Air Lines Shuttle Flight 1320 Hijacking

On March 17, 1970, Eastern Air Lines Shuttle Flight 1320, traveling from Newark to Boston, was seized by an armed individual named John J. Divivo, who carried a .38 caliber revolver. Captain Robert Wilbur Jr., recently promoted six months prior and a former United States Air Force pilot, received instructions to proceed eastward and notify Divivo when fuel levels became critical.

During the ordeal, copilot James Hartley was shot by Divivo. Despite sustaining fatal injuries, Hartley managed to overpower the hijacker, firing three shots before losing consciousness; he subsequently died from his wounds. Captain Wilbur also suffered gunshot injuries to his arms but successfully landed the plane at Logan International Airport while coordinating with emergency responders.

Although wounded, Divivo launched another assault on Wilbur, who then restrained him using the firearm retrieved from the cockpit console. The hijacker was apprehended but later took his own life while in custody awaiting trial.

This event represented the first deadly aircraft hijacking on U.S. soil and prompted a significant change in aviation security protocols. Prior to this tragedy, hijackings were often treated as minor disturbances; however, this incident led to the implementation of airport passenger screening procedures soon afterward, albeit initially limited in scope.

See also

• Federal Express Flight 705 – 1994 event featuring a suicidal hijacker subdued by crew members
• List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft
• List of aircraft hijackings

Further reading

• You don't understand, Captain. He has a gun: The hijacking of Flight 1320 – The Boston Globe, March 20, 2020
• Wilbur III, Robert M., Reluctant Hero: The Story of Eastern Airlines Flight 1320, 2019