Why did American Airlines Flight 191 Crash Minutes After Takeoff?
On the afternoon of May 25, 1979, American Airlines Flight 191 (AA191), a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10, took off from Chicago-O’Hare International Airport’s Runway 32R bound for Los Angeles International Airport.
Upon lifting off from the runway, the left engine tore off the wing and fell onto the runway, severely damaging hydraulic and electrical lines, causing the aircraft to stall and crash 4,600 feet past the end of the runway/
At the time of the crash of American Airlines Flight 191, it was the deadliest single-aircraft disaster for the United States, as it killed all 271 people on board and two people on the ground: 258 passengers and 13 crew members.
Meanwhile, it was not the deadliest single aviation accident in the world, as Turkish Airlines Flight 981, also a McDonnell Douglas DC-10, crashed outside of Paris, France, on March 3, 1974, killing all 346 people on board.
In January 1974, American Airlines mechanics used an unapproved forklift procedure to remove engine one, also known as the left engine, along with its mounting pylon together, rather than individually separating them, creating worsening metal fatigue and causing the structure to fail when AA191 rotated on March 3.
After the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) grounded all McDonnell Douglas DC-10s worldwide for 37 days to inspect engine pylons, while airlines had to follow manufacturer-approved procedures with mandatory documentation for heavy structural maintenance, along with upgrading internal audit structures to prioritize cross-department communication.
That being said, before the crash of AA191, only two DC-10 aircraft were written off; National Airlines Flight 27 on November 3, 1973, and Turkish Airlines Flight 981 on March 3, 1974, while after the crash of AA191 and the investigation, 30 DC-10 aircraft were written off, including Air New Zealand Flight 901 on November 28, 1979, and United Airlines Flight 232 on July 19, 1989.
Overall, the crash of American Airlines Flight 191 marks a pivotal moment in aviation safety, specifically with the McDonnell Douglas DC-10, which still flies today.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1) Was the cause of American Airlines Flight 191 a design flaw?
No, the NTSB ruled that the primary cause was a maintenance shortcut implemented by American Airlines.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIHDSUrFIGo&t=40
2) What physically happened to the DC-10? During the takeoff rotation, the left engine and its pylon completely detached from the wing. The engine flipped over the top of the left wing and landed on the runway.
Source: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA79AA017.aspx
3) How many total accidents has the DC-10 been involved in? The DC-10 has been involved in 55 total accidents, with 32 hull-loss accidents.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_DC-10
Why it matters
The crash of American Airlines Flight 191 on May 25, 1979, led to major improvements in aviation safety standards and maintenance procedures.
Sources
- "American Airlines Flight 191" Fid Backhouse and Others, Britannica Editors, Britannica
- "Faces of the Victims of Flight 191" Kori Rumore and Jonathon Berlin, Chicago Tribune
- "McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10: American Airlines Flight 191, N110AA, Chicago, Illinois, May 25, 1979" Federal Aviation Administration