History of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 in Timeline

Alaska Airlines Flight 261, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83, crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Anacapa Island, California, on January 31, 2000, killing all 88 people on board. 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 was attributed to inadequate maintenance, specifically the insufficient lubrication of the jackscrew assembly, leading to its failure and the subsequent loss of control.

1981: Captain Thompson Joins Alaska Airlines

In 1981, Captain Ted Thompson began his employment with Alaska Airlines. He accumulated 17,750 flight hours, including over 4,000 hours as pilot-in-command in MD-80s.

1984: First Officer Tansky Joins Alaska Airlines

In 1984, First Officer William "Bill" Tansky joined Alaska Airlines, accumulating 8,060 hours as first officer on the MD-80.

1985: Progressive Increase in Maintenance Intervals

Starting in 1985 and continuing until 1996, Alaska Airlines progressively increased the periods between jackscrew lubrication and end-play checks, with the approval of the FAA. The NTSB examined the justification for these extensions, noting that missed maintenance opportunities could have identified and addressed the excessive wear on the jackscrew.

1992: Aircraft Delivery

In 1992, the McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft with tail number N963AS, which was involved in the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 accident, was delivered. The aircraft had accumulated 26,584 flight hours and 14,315 cycles since its delivery.

1996: Extended Lubrication Intervals

In 1996, Alaska Airlines extended lubrication intervals based on documentation submitted by McDonnell Douglas and approved by an FAA inspector. The NTSB investigated the justification for these extensions, as they represented missed opportunities to adequately lubricate the jackscrew or detect excessive wear.

September 1997: Inaccurate End-Play Check

In September 1997, during the last end-play check on the accident aircraft, excessive wear on the jackscrew assembly was not detected. The investigation revealed that Alaska Airlines used nonstandard tools to do the end-play check, which resulted in inaccurate measurements. Accurate measurements would have indicated the excessive wear and the need to replace the components.

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, and most lawsuits from surviving family members were settled out of court. The total settlement amount exceeded US$300 million, covered entirely by insurance.

1997: Liotine's Recommendation Overruled

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

December 22, 1998: Federal Authorities Raid Alaska Airlines Property

On December 22, 1998, federal authorities raided an Alaska Airlines property and seized maintenance records after mechanic John Liotine reported to the FAA that supervisors were approving maintenance records improperly. Liotine had been secretly recording his supervisors.

August 1999: John Liotine Placed on Paid Leave

In August 1999, Alaska Airlines placed John Liotine, the mechanic who reported maintenance irregularities, on paid leave.

September 1999: Inadequate Lubrication of jackscrew assembly

In September 1999, the Alaska Airlines mechanic at SFO performed the last lubrication on the jackscrew assembly of the aircraft involved in Flight 261. The NTSB investigation indicated that the task took approximately one hour, while the aircraft manufacturer estimated it should have taken four hours. This suggested the lubrication was not adequately performed, contributing to the excessive wear of the jackscrew assembly prior to the accident.

January 31, 2000: Alaska Airlines Flight 261 Crash

On January 31, 2000, Alaska Airlines Flight 261, en route from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to Seattle, Washington, via San Francisco, 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 in the accident.

April 2000: NTSB Special Inspection

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

2000: Liotine Files Libel Suit

In 2000, John Liotine filed a libel suit against Alaska Airlines following his reporting of maintenance irregularities and subsequent placement on paid leave. The crash of AS261 became part of the federal investigation against Alaska Airlines.

2000: Memorial Vigil in Seattle

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

April 2001: John Hay Pathway Garden Dedication

In April 2001, John Hay Elementary dedicated the "John Hay Pathway Garden" as a permanent memorial to the students and their families killed on Flight 261. Additionally, the City of Seattle renovated Soundview Terrace park in honor of the Pearson and Clemetson family members who were killed on board, naming the park's playground "Rachel's Playground" in memory of Rachel Pearson.

July 2001: FAA Panel Determines Corrective Actions

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

December 2001: Federal Prosecutors Decline Criminal Charges; Liotine Settlement

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

2001: NASA's Engineering Fix for jackscrews

In 2001, NASA recognized the risk associated with similar jackscrews used in its hardware, such as the Space Shuttle. NASA and the United Space Alliance developed an engineering fix to make progressive failures more easily identifiable through visual inspections, depth measuring tools, and electronic or mechanical wear monitors. The redesigned "fail-safe" jackscrew concept incorporated a redundant follower nut to assume the axial jack load upon failure of the primary nut, improving maintenance and monitoring accessibility.