Episode 12 (Part 2) - STS-107 (The Columbia Shuttle Disaster)
Inside The Black Box
This is Part 2 of a two-part episode.
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Episode 12 (Part 1) - STS-107 (The Columbia Shuttle Disaster)
Inside The Black Box
In the early morning of 1st February 2003, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Mission Control Centre is a hive of activity.
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Episode 11 - Air France 4590 (The Concorde Disaster)
Inside The Black Box
On the 25th of July 2000 at 4:40pm, Air France Flight 4590 sits on the taxiway of Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris France. Today they will be flying aboard the Aerospatiale/BAC Concorde. The passengers aboard Concorde are embarking on the first stage of a luxurious journey, travelling to New York where they will board the MS Deutschland for a 14 night cruise of the Caribbean. The total complement is 109.
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Episode 10 - Delta Airlines 191
Inside The Black Box
In the early evening of the 2nd of August, 1985, a Lockheed L1011 Tristar is on final approach to land at Dallas Fort Worth Internatonal Airport.
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Episode 9 - American Airlines 965
Inside The Black Box
At 6:30pm on the 20th of December 1995, a Boeing 757-200 sits on the taxiway of Miami International Airport. The 155 passengers and 8 crew members aboard American Airlines flight 965 are growing impatient, eager to begin their journey to Cali, in Colombia.
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Episode 8 - Alaska Airlines 261
Inside The Black Box
On the 21st of January 2000 at 3:50pm, a McDonnel Douglas MD83 flies above the Pacific Ocean, about 25 miles off the Californian coast of the United States.
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Episode 7 - Air France 447
Inside The Black Box
At just after half past 1 in the morning on the 1st of June 2009, An Airbus A330-203 cruises at 35,000 feet above the Southern Atlantic Ocean. On board are 216 passengers and 12 crew members.
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Episode 6 - CHC Helikopter Service 241
Inside The Black Box
It is just after 11am on the 29th of April 2016. An Airbus Helicopters EC225 Super Puma touches down on a helipad in the North Sea. CHC Helikopter Services Flight 241 has just landed on the Gullfaks B Oil and Gas Platform in the Norwegian North Sea, about 80 miles off the Norwegian Coast.
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Episode 5 - USAF Czar 52 (Fairchild B52 Incident)
Inside The Black Box
On the afternoon of the 24th of June, 1994, a crowd has gathered by the runway of the Fairchild Air Force Base in the State of Washington in the United States. The group is here to watch a practice demonstration for the Fairchild Air Force Base Airshow, scheduled to take place the following day.
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Episode 4 - Turkish Airlines 981
Inside The Black Box
On a cool winter morning a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 touches down at Orly International Airport, 7km South of Paris. It is 11am on the 3rd of March 1974.
info_outlineAt just before 3pm on May 25th, 1979. American Airlines Flight 191 begins to push back from gate K5 at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. The airport is busy, It is the Friday before the Memorial Day long weekend and many are travelling to be with their families or going on holiday. The aircraft chosen to fly the route. a McDonnel Douglas DC-10 is at capacity, carrying 258 passengers and 13 crew members. American 191’s destination is Los Angeles, California. In command of the aircraft is Captain Walter Lux, aged 53. A veteran pilot, with more than 22,000 hours flying experience. Supporting him is First Officer James Dillard, aged 49 who has more than 9,000 hours flight time. He will be piloting the aircraft this afternoon Finally, completing the crew is Flight Engineer Alfred Udovich, aged 56. Before the introduction of advanced electronics, a flight engineer was the third member of an airliner’s flight crew, tasked with monitoring, operating and fixing an aircraft’s systems while in flight. The DC-10 is a complex aircraft, with three engines. Two are mounted on the wings, while one is mounted on the tail of the aircraft. This configuration of aircraft, known as tri-jet was very popular with US airlines during the 1970s and 1980s, offering a compromise in size and range between larger four engine aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and smaller twin-engine aircraft such as the Airbus A300
After pushing back from Gate K5, the pilots begin their taxi to Runway 32 Right. As the crew travel across the busy airport the crew complete their final pre-flight checks on the move so they can take-off as soon as they arrive at the runway. This is known as a rolling takeoff. It is Flight Engineer Udovich who reads through the aircraft’s checklist while Captain Lux and First Officer Dillard perform the necessary checks.. At 2 minutes past 3 the aircraft is approaching the runway and Chiacgo’s Air Traffic Control gives American 191 clearance for takeoff. Captain Lux acknowledges the tower’s instruction. It is the last time anybody will hear from American Airlines 191.
This is the story of American Airlines 191 and you are listening to Inside The Black Box.
Drawing of bulkhead structure:
http://code7700.com/images/aa_191_pylon_assembly_ntsb_aar_79-17.png
Drawing of engine assembly
http://code7700.com/images/aa_191_engine_and_pylon_assembly_ntsb_aar_79-17.png
