History of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 in Timeline

Alaska Airlines Flight 261, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83, crashed into the Pacific Ocean on January 31, 2000, killing all 88 aboard. The flight, en route from Puerto Vallarta to Seattle with a stop in San Francisco, experienced a catastrophic loss of pitch control while attempting to divert to Los Angeles. The crash occurred roughly 2.7 miles north of Anacapa Island, California. The incident is a significant aviation disaster.

1981: Captain Thompson Joins Alaska Airlines

In 1981, Captain Ted Thompson, one of the pilots of Flight 261, began his employment with Alaska Airlines. At the time of the crash, he had accumulated 17,750 flight hours, including more than 4,000 hours on MD-80 aircraft.

1984: First Officer Tansky Joins Alaska Airlines

In 1984, First Officer William "Bill" Tansky, the other pilot of Flight 261, joined Alaska Airlines. By the time of the crash, he had accumulated 8,060 hours as a first officer on the MD-80.

1985: Progressive Increase in Maintenance Intervals Begins

Starting in 1985, and continuing until 1996, Alaska Airlines progressively increased the periods between both jackscrew lubrication and end-play checks, with the approval of the FAA. The NTSB examined the justification of these extensions since each missed check represented a missed opportunity to adequately lubricate the jackscrew or detect excessive wear.

1992: Delivery of the Aircraft

In 1992, the McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft, with serial number 53077 and registered as N963AS, involved in the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 accident was delivered. This MD-83 had logged 26,584 flight hours and 14,315 cycles at the time of the accident.

1996: FAA Grants Extension for Lubrication Intervals

In 1996, the FAA granted an extension to Alaska Airlines for the lubrication intervals, based on documentation submitted by Alaska Airlines purportedly from McDonnell Douglas. The investigation could not determine what specific information was provided by Alaska Airlines to the FAA prior to 1996.

September 1997: Inadequate End-Play Check

In September 1997, the last end-play check was performed on the jackscrew assembly of the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 aircraft. The NTSB found that Alaska Airlines used fabricated tools that did not meet the manufacturer's requirements, leading to inaccurate measurements. Accurate measurements possibly would have indicated excessive wear and the need to replace the affected components.

1997: Liotine Recommends Replacement of Jackscrew

In 1997, Alaska Airlines mechanic John Liotine recommended that the jackscrew and gimbal nut of the accident aircraft be replaced, but was overruled by another supervisor.

1997: Boeing Acquires McDonnell Douglas

In 1997, Boeing acquired McDonnell Douglas through a merger. Both Boeing and Alaska Airlines eventually accepted liability for the crash of Flight 261, leading to out-of-court settlements with most surviving family members. The total amount paid was reported to be in excess of US$300 million, covered entirely by insurance.

December 22, 1998: Federal Authorities Raid Alaska Airlines Property

On December 22, 1998, federal authorities raided an Alaska Airlines property and seized maintenance records. This was part of an investigation that began when Alaska Airlines mechanic John Liotine reported to the FAA that supervisors were approving maintenance records improperly.

August 1999: Alaska Airlines Places John Liotine on Leave

In August 1999, Alaska Airlines put John Liotine, the mechanic who reported maintenance irregularities, on paid leave. Liotine had been secretly audio recording his supervisors as part of a collaboration with federal investigators.

September 1999: Inadequate Lubrication of the Jackscrew Assembly

In September 1999, the jackscrew assembly of the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 aircraft received scheduled maintenance lubrication at SFO, but the NTSB determined the task was inadequately performed. The lubrication took only about one hour, while the manufacturer estimated it should take four hours. Laboratory tests indicated that the excessive wear could not have accumulated in the four months since this maintenance.

January 31, 2000: Crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261

On January 31, 2000, Alaska Airlines Flight 261, flying from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to Seattle, Washington, crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Anacapa Island, California, due to a loss of pitch control while attempting to divert to Los Angeles. All 88 people on board, including two pilots, three cabin crew members, and 83 passengers, were killed.

April 2000: NTSB Special Inspection Uncovers Deficiencies

In April 2000, a special inspection conducted by the NTSB of Alaska Airlines uncovered widespread significant deficiencies that "the FAA should have uncovered earlier." The investigation concluded that FAA surveillance of Alaska Airlines had been deficient for at least several years.

2000: Liotine Files Libel Suit Against Alaska Airlines

In 2000, John Liotine filed a libel suit against Alaska Airlines. The crash of AS261 became part of the federal investigation, as Liotine had recommended the jackscrew and gimbal nut of the accident aircraft be replaced in 1997 but was overruled.

2000: Memorial Vigil Held in Seattle

In 2000, following the disaster, a memorial vigil was held in Seattle, deeply affecting many residents. A column of light was beamed from the top of the Space Needle. Students and faculty at the John Hay Elementary School held a memorial for four students who were killed in the crash.

April 2001: John Hay Elementary Dedicates Memorial Garden

In April 2001, John Hay Elementary in Seattle dedicated the "John Hay Pathway Garden" as a permanent memorial to the students and their families who died on Flight 261.

July 2001: FAA Panel Determines Alaska Airlines Corrected Deficiencies

In July 2001, an FAA panel determined that Alaska Airlines had corrected the deficiencies previously identified by the NTSB. However, the NTSB questioned the depth and effectiveness of Alaska Airlines' corrective actions and the overall adequacy of the airline's maintenance program.

December 2001: Federal Prosecutors Decline Criminal Charges; Alaska Airlines Settles Libel Suit

In December 2001, federal prosecutors announced they would not file criminal charges against Alaska Airlines. Around that time, Alaska Airlines agreed to settle the libel suit filed by John Liotine, paying about $500,000, and Liotine resigned as part of the settlement.

2001: NASA Recognizes Jackscrew Risks and Develops Engineering Fixes

In 2001, NASA recognized the risk to its hardware, such as the Space Shuttle, from similar jackscrews and developed engineering fixes. These fixes included visual inspections, depth measuring tools, electronic or mechanical wear monitors, and a redesigned "fail-safe" jackscrew concept with a redundant follower nut.