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 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 occurred about 2.7 miles north of Anacapa Island, California. The flight was a scheduled international passenger flight.

1981: Captain Thompson Joins Alaska Airlines

In 1981, Captain Ted Thompson began his career with Alaska Airlines. He had accumulated 17,750 flight hours, including over 4,000 hours on MD-80 aircraft, prior to the Flight 261 crash.

1984: First Officer Tansky Joins Alaska Airlines

In 1984, First Officer William "Bill" Tansky joined Alaska Airlines. He had logged 8,060 hours as a first officer on the MD-80 before the Flight 261 accident.

1985: Progressive increase of the period between jackscrew lubrication and end-play checks

Beginning in 1985, Alaska Airlines progressively increased the time between jackscrew lubrication and end-play checks, a decision approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Each extended interval represented a missed opportunity to detect and address wear on the jackscrew, potentially contributing to the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crash.

1992: Aircraft Delivery

In 1992, the McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft, bearing serial number 53077 and registered as N963AS, was delivered. By the time of the accident, the MD-83 had accumulated 26,584 flight hours and 14,315 cycles.

1996: FAA grants lubrication intervals extension

In 1996, the FAA granted Alaska Airlines an extension to the jackscrew lubrication intervals. Alaska Airlines submitted documentation from McDonnell Douglas as justification for their extension. The investigation could not determine what information was presented by Alaska Airlines to the FAA prior to 1996.

September 1997: Inaccurate End-Play Check

In September 1997, an end-play check, intended to monitor wear on the jackscrew assembly, was conducted on the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 accident aircraft. However, the use of nonstandard tools fabricated by Alaska Airlines led to inaccurate measurements that failed to detect the excessive wear present on the jackscrew assembly.

1997: Boeing Acquired McDonnell Douglas

In 1997, Boeing acquired McDonnell Douglas through a merger. This is relevant to the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 incident, as both Boeing and Alaska Airlines accepted liability for the crash.

1997: Liotine Recommended Jacksrew Replacement

In 1997, prior to the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crash, mechanic John Liotine recommended that the jackscrew and gimbal nut of the accident aircraft be replaced. However, his recommendation was overruled by a supervisor, making this a notable event in the broader investigation.

December 22, 1998: Federal Authorities Raid Alaska Airlines

On December 22, 1998, federal authorities conducted a raid on an Alaska Airlines property, seizing maintenance records. This event was part of an investigation that began when an Alaska Airlines mechanic, John Liotine, reported that supervisors were falsifying maintenance records.

August 1999: Liotine Placed on Leave

In August 1999, Alaska Airlines placed John Liotine, the mechanic who reported maintenance record falsifications, on paid leave. This action occurred after Liotine had been cooperating with federal investigators and secretly recording his supervisors.

September 1999: Inadequate Lubrication of the jackscrew assembly

In September 1999, the jackscrew assembly of the aircraft involved in the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 accident received inadequate lubrication during scheduled maintenance at SFO. The task, estimated by the manufacturer to take four hours, was completed in approximately one hour, suggesting a failure to properly perform the maintenance.

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, with a stop in San Francisco, crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Anacapa Island, California, due to a loss of pitch control. All 88 people on board, including the crew and passengers, died in the accident while the pilots attempted to divert to Los Angeles International Airport.

April 2000: NTSB Uncovers Deficiencies at Alaska Airlines

In April 2000, a special inspection by the NTSB at Alaska Airlines revealed widespread deficiencies that the FAA should have detected earlier. The investigation concluded that FAA oversight of Alaska Airlines had been inadequate for several years prior to the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crash.

2000: Liotine Files Libel Suit

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

2000: Memorial Vigil in Seattle

In 2000, a memorial vigil was held in Seattle for the victims of the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 disaster. A column of light was beamed from the top of the Space Needle as part of the vigil.

April 2001: John Hay Elementary Dedicates Memorial Garden

In April 2001, John Hay Elementary School in Queen Anne, Seattle, dedicated the "John Hay Pathway Garden" as a permanent memorial to four of its students and their families who were killed on Flight 261.

July 2001: FAA Panel Determines Alaska Airlines Corrected Deficiencies

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

December 2001: No Criminal Charges Filed Against Alaska Airlines

In December 2001, federal prosecutors announced they would not file criminal charges against Alaska Airlines. Around the same time, Alaska Airlines reached a settlement in the libel suit filed by John Liotine, paying him approximately $500,000, which resulted in his resignation.

2001: NASA Recognizes Jacksrew Risks

In 2001, NASA recognized the risk to its hardware, including the Space Shuttle, due to the use of jackscrews similar to those used on the MD-80 series aircraft. NASA and United Space Alliance engineers developed an engineering fix that promised to make progressive failures more easily identifiable.