How Kirk Douglas Cheated Death on Mike Todd's Tragic Final Flight
Q1: Why did Mike Todd's plane crash in New Mexico?
The Civil Aeronautics Board determined that *The Lucky Liz*, a Lockheed Lodestar, encountered severe structural icing and extreme downdrafts over the Zuni Mountains. The aircraft, burdened by heavy icing, was operating at low altitude through freezing rain, resulting in a loss of control and high-speed impact.
Q2: Why wasn't Elizabeth Taylor on the fatal flight?
Taylor planned to join her husband at the Friars Club gala in New York, but Todd insisted she remain at home in California because she was bedridden with acute bronchitis and a high fever.
Q3: How did Kirk Douglas react after hearing about the crash?
Douglas was driving when the radio broadcast announced the crash. Paralyzed with shock, he pulled his car to the curb, realizing that the bitter domestic row he had fought with his wife Anne the night before was the single reason he remained alive.
