FS2004 The Tragedy of Alaska Airlines Flight 261

Please Rate and Comment.
"The Pacific Plunge"
Note: some of the audio from the ATC tapes does not exactly match up, but its pretty close. I had a hard time matching it correctly with the video.

Alaska Airlines Flight 261, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft, crashed on January 31, 2000 in the Pacific Ocean about 2.7 miles (4.3 km) north of Anacapa Island, California. The two pilots, three cabin crewmembers, and 83 passengers on board were killed, and the airplane was destroyed. Alaska 261 was a scheduled international passenger flight from Lic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR), Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), with an intermediate stop planned at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

The subsequent investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board determined that inadequate maintenance led to excessive wear and catastrophic failure of a critical flight control system during flight. The probable cause was stated to be "a loss of airplane pitch control resulting from the in-flight failure of the horizontal stabilizer trim system jackscrew assemblys acme nut threads. The thread failure was caused by excessive wear resulting from Alaska Airlines insufficient lubrication of the jackscrew assembly.

For the rest of the story please visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Airlines_Flight_261

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• aviation
• space
• video
• game
• plane
• crash
• point
• mugu
• flight
• 261
• alaska
• airlines
• avoidable
• md83

[StanBennet]

This has to be a first. Has another airline done this?

[B0eing1992]

@StanBennet I think this only of this type of crash. something that should have never happened in the first place.

[fuzzypony]

Poor tast in labeling it "The Pacific Plunge". Absolutely classless!

[B0eing1992]

@fuzzypony ok

[261mylove]

This preventable tragedy should NEVER be forgotten.  Thank you for uploading this!

[B0eing1992]

@261mylove I was thinking of making more of these now that I have a better computer and software. but Im not sure. there is a LOT of criticism that comes with making these.

[danielezy]

im a flight attendant myself. and those poor people suffered a violent and tragic death. it took them over 2 mins falling from the sky before they hit the water. truely disturbing. no human being deserves to suffer the way they did. r.i.p. heart-felt sympathies to those who perished and their famies.

[B0eing1992]

@dhammakaveros I cant even begin to imagine the situation. Knowing several people are about to die and there is nothing you can do about it, yet still remaining calm and professional, that takes some serious control on the ATC guy's part.

[shamanarian]

@B0eing1992 Don't pay much attention to comments in general. Check out almost every Youtube post and you'll feel right at home with your relatively few negative comments. There are so many angry males out there who use web forums and other places they can comment to release their angst. The large majority of really abusive comments I've seen on Youtube and other public forums do come from males, at least according to their names, avatars, and/or profiles. Damn hormones-lighten up LOL

[snogglewort1]

@B0eing1992 Thanks for the effort that went into making this. You should definitely make more videos, ignore the haters.

RIP all the victims of Alaska 261, you will never be forgotten x

[baychecks100]

@fuzzypony and your comment is Absolutely ignorant! he didnt label it dumbass, its commonly referred to and KNOWN as "The Pacific Plunge" derived from initial descriptions radioed in by pilots that witnessed it 1:27 google it if you wish... unless of course you dont know what google is.

[baychecks100]

@B0eing1992 please dont let the bastard trolls and their stupid questions, comments, or opinions get to you. trolls will treat you as if you pulled the jackscrew! all the others love your efforts. RIP NEVER FORGET

[PInk77W1]

@P38Scott Very true