The Boeing 727-200, operating as Northwest Airlines Flight 6231, departed John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, N.Y., at about 1926 Eastern time on December 1, 1974. A ferry flight with only crew aboard, the 727's destination was Buffalo, N.Y., a great-circle distance of 261 nm. After takeoff, the aircraft climbed to 13,500 feet msl and leveled off for about 50 seconds, accelerating from 264 knots to 304 knots. It then began to climb, at 2500 fpm, still at about 305 knots. As the jet climbed out of 16,000 feet, airspeed began increasing, followed by rate of climb. According to the NTSB, at about this time, the First Officer said, "Do you realize we're going 340 knots and I'm climbing 5000 feet a minute?"
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