1979 Worst air crash in U.S. history

[Scottler]

Wouldn't 9/11 be considered the worst air crash in U.S. history, at least in terms of fatalities?  Or are we talking single air crashes?

Incidentally, the worst (deadliest) crash in WORLD history took place on March 27, 1977 when a Pan Am 747 slammed head-on into a KLM 747 while they were both headed opposite directions on the same runway, killing 583 people.

[Felix/FFDS]

The airline incidents on September 11, 2001 could not be considered "accidents", which is what I believe would be the qualifying characteristic for "worst airplane accident".

[Felix/FFDS]

The worst single-airplane accident was the crash of a Japan Air Lines 747 into a mountainside with 524 souls lost.

[Scottler]

Excellent point Felix.

[OTTOL]

I totally agree Doug!
It is obvious that something snapped, why the noise then. What did they just turn their heads the other way and think nothing would happen?
Jeez, somebody should be held ACCOUNTABLE!

Dave

In their defense........As a pilot and A&P mechanic. The procedure that they were using was common up until that point on older aircraft. It's called a QEC. I'm guessing that, perhaps, a more senior mechanic who had experience on  older aircraft initiated the procedure on THIS aircraft to try and save time. I would call this thinking acceptable.
When working with engines this large it is not uncommon to hear pops,  creaks and groans during an install, especially when the hoisting/lifting device is removed and the engine first sits on  it's own weight. An engine which weighs several thousand pounds can apply force in all sorts of directions. Mount  bolts sometimes hang up in engine mounts and then "pop" into place. An airframe itself is DESIGNED to flex and weight or force applied to it can cause all sorts of interesting noises during normal maintenance procedures.
This is a case of the press playing monday morning Quarterback. I'm sure that the entire maintenance crew was put under the microscope after the crash. Some watchdog from the press gets a hold of the transcripts and the rest is history.

[Hagar]

I appreciate your comments OTTOL. I know only too well how the "media" distort the facts in almost everything they report.

[Pinchaser...]

hits close to home here in chicago. i have seen the video, and it is very sobering.

[kcgxlover]

          My uncle Lou was supposed to be on American Flight 191.  But he was late. He literaly, he missed it by 10 seconds. He saw the plane push back from the gate.  He did not have a ride back home so he walked home, it took him a few hours and, he never knew the plane crashed until he got home. When he walked in the door he saw my whole family crying, thinking he was dead.

                                                   

[Felix/FFDS]

[quote]

[kcgxlover]

            Well,  recently, he recently found his long lost daughter that he hasn't seen since she was born in 1974. I think he was spared to see her.

[Woodlouse2002]

Wow. A real life soap opera!

[kcgxlover]

Wow. A real life soap opera!

I know isn't it.!  ;D

[BFMF]

Incidentally, the worst (deadliest) crash in WORLD history took place on March 27, 1977 when a Pan Am 747 slammed head-on into a KLM 747 while they were both headed opposite directions on the same runway, killing 583 people.

Didn't that happen on the island of Tenerife???

I've heard one of the survivor's account of what happened.

[Craig.]

yes it was Andrew.
http://aviation-safety.net/specials/ten ... nish-1.htm
a link to a full report of the incident.

[Wing Nut]

I live about 1 1/2 miles from that crash site.  There is nothing there now to indicate what happened.  The trailer park is still there, a small trucking company has set up shop on the site where the impact occured, and the training grounds for the Chicago PD police dogs is right next door.  I pass the area frequently, and get chills every time I do.