History of American Airlines Flight 191 in Timeline

American Airlines Flight 191, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 flying from Chicago to Los Angeles, crashed on May 25, 1979, immediately after takeoff from O'Hare International Airport when its left engine detached. The engine separation caused critical damage and loss of control. The aircraft crashed a short distance from the runway, resulting in the deaths of all 271 passengers and crew on board, as well as two people on the ground. With 273 fatalities, it remains the deadliest aviation accident in United States history.

1972: American Airlines Flight 96 accident

In 1972, an accident involving the design of the cargo doors on American Airlines Flight 96 occurred, raising concerns about the DC-10's safety and design.

1972: Delivery of the Aircraft

In 1972, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10, registered as N110AA, was delivered and began service. By the time of the crash it had accumulated just under 20,000 flying hours.

1974: Turkish Airlines Flight 981 accident

In 1974, the Turkish Airlines Flight 981 accident, related to the design of DC-10 cargo doors, further fueled media criticism regarding the DC-10's safety and design.

May 25, 1979: Crash of American Airlines Flight 191

On May 25, 1979, American Airlines Flight 191, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10, crashed shortly after takeoff from Chicago O'Hare International Airport due to the left engine detaching from the wing. All 271 people on board and two on the ground were killed, making it the deadliest aviation accident in US history.

June 6, 1979: FAA Suspends DC-10 Type Certificate

On June 6, 1979, two weeks after the accident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) suspended the type certificate for the DC-10, grounding all DC-10s under its jurisdiction and banning them from U.S. airspace while it investigated the aircraft's engine mounting and pylon design.

October 31, 1979: Western Airlines Flight 2605 Crash

On October 31, 1979, a DC-10 flying as Western Airlines Flight 2605 crashed in Mexico City. The crash was attributed to low visibility and landing on a closed runway due to crew confusion.

November 28, 1979: Air New Zealand Flight 901 Crash

On November 28, 1979, Air New Zealand Flight 901, a DC-10, crashed in Antarctica, killing 257 people. The crash was caused by human and environmental factors unrelated to the airworthiness of the DC-10.

December 21, 1979: NTSB Findings Released

On December 21, 1979, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released the findings of its investigation into the crash of American Airlines Flight 191.

1979: Drop in DC-10 Orders

After the events of 1979, orders for DC-10s dropped off sharply, partly due to safety concerns and the U.S. economic recession of 1979-82.

1979: Ballad of Flight 191 Song

In 1979, Chicago folk singer Steve Goodman wrote the song "Ballad of Flight 191 (They Know Everything About It)" in response to the crash and the subsequent investigation.

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1979: Faulty Maintenance

In 1979, between March 29 and 30, faulty maintenance was performed on the aircraft at the American Airlines facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A non-standard procedure was used to remove the engine and pylon as a single unit, causing damage to the left-wing engine pylon.

June 1980: Safety Panel Report Published

In June 1980, a safety panel convened by the FAA under the National Academy of Sciences published a report that found critical deficiencies in how the U.S. government certifies the safety of American-built airliners, citing a shortage of FAA expertise.

1988: End of DC-10 Production

DC-10 production ended in 1988, with many retired passenger DC-10s later converted to cargo use.

2000: American Airlines Retires DC-10s

American Airlines retired its last DC-10s in 2000 after 29 years of service.

2009: Funding Obtained for Memorial

In 2009, funding was obtained for a permanent memorial to the victims of Flight 191, after a two-year effort by the sixth-grade class of Decatur Classical School in Chicago.

October 15, 2011: Memorial Dedication

On October 15, 2011, a memorial for the victims of American Airlines Flight 191 was formally dedicated. The memorial, initiated by the sixth-grade class of Decatur Classical School in Chicago, is located at Lake Park near the crash site.

February 2014: Final DC-10 Passenger Flights

In February 2014, Biman Bangladesh Airlines operated the final DC-10 passenger flights, marking the end of the DC-10's service in passenger airlines.

May 25, 2019: 40th Anniversary Remembrance Ceremony

On May 25, 2019, a remembrance ceremony was held at the Flight 191 memorial to mark the 40th anniversary of the crash.

2019: Comparison to Boeing 737 MAX Grounding

In 2019, aviation journalist Jon Ostrower compared the safety panel's conclusions to those of a later commission convened after the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX, faulting manufacturers for focusing on single-system failures without considering simultaneous malfunctions.

March 2021: Crash Site Redevelopment

Around March 2021, the site of the American Airlines Flight 191 crash was redeveloped to become the future site of an interchange for Interstate 90.

2023: Fine for Improper Maintenance

In response to the accident, in 1979 American Airlines was fined $500,000, equivalent to $1.6 million in 2023, by the U.S. government for improper maintenance procedures.