The crash of Braniff International Flight 352 in 1968 had a lasting influence on Braniff, the citizens of Dawson, and the aviation industry. The flight originated at Houston's Hobby Airport with a final destination of Memphis, Tennessee, and intermediate stops scheduled in Dallas, Tulsa, Fort Smith, and Little Rock. The four-engine propjet-powered Lockheed L-188 Electra II departed Houston on May 3, 1968, at 4:11 P.M. for Dallas. Twenty-three minutes into the flight, the aircraft approached developing and intensifying thunderstorms. Attempting to bypass the storm, the crew decided to descend and deviate to the west, despite being notified that other flights were deviating east. At 4:47 P.M., the flight encountered severe weather, including hail, and began a 180 degree turn. The plane then began to roll with the nose pitched down. A roll recovery maneuver was initiated, but the right wing failed, then the tail section, causing the plane to break in half. At 4:51 P.M., Fort Worth Air Traffic Control reported the plane missing from radar. Citizens of Dawson were first on the scene to offer assistance, and many witnessed the event that claimed the lives of 80 passengers and five crew members. On June 19, 1969, the National Transportation Safety Board issued its official accident report, determining that passage into a known area of severe weather was the cause. The crash and investigation led to updated safety and training programs, operational procedures, and new federal regulations on how pilots use radar to avoid storms, helping make air travel safer.