The Impossible Landing - United Airlines Flight 232

[@GasCityGuy]

185 people survived that day thanks to one of the most incredible feats of flying ever. I’ve read elsewhere that the airline tried to recreate the conditions for training in the simulators but nobody could land it without a total loss of life.

[@kbcarroll]

15 years ago, had the honor of having Cpt Haynes give a lecture on this flight at my university (aerospace program). Never knew a more humble, composed, and seemingly unaffected hero like that. From a purely emotional standpoint it was impossible to deny that those 3 men pulled off the greatest aviation miracle in history. But Cpt Haynes didn't feel that way. He explained he simply did his job the best he could, and every day thought of the 111 he couldn't save. Dozens in the audience were noticeably in tears. But he stood stoic but unimposing on the stage, appearing to be quietly reflective for a moment before he continued on to discuss the ground response and importance of CRM. So thankful I got to see it and shake his hand afterward.

[@GFSwinger1693]

I had seen his presentation also many years ago. What amazed me most was the picture of the cockpit before they were extracted. It was unimaginable that anyone could still be alive in that mangled mess of structure and wires.

[@VIKINGOCATIRE]

My goodness. What an honor gt must have been. Would have loved to meet him

[@bridgefin]

It was 4 men, not 3. Haynes, Records, Dvorak, Fitch.

[@Maplelust]

that's what people do when they've been situations like that. they have composure.

[@Sirianstar10]

What a honor for you!

[@HerminiePA]

The Jeppesen textbook for pilots said that this is the most extreme case of successful airmanship since the age of flight began.

[@AV4Life]

Ayy yeah I remember exactly what you’re taking about!

[@tyvulpintaur2732]

I recall reading that there were 30+ tests afterwards to see if anything could have been done differently. Not one made it to within 30 miles of the airport.

[@debrahouston4337]

WOW. IF ever God placed the RIGHT person in a given situation, He did it with Capt Fitch on this UA flight! Thank God and you, too, Danny Fitch!!!

[@myaccount611]

@@debrahouston4337 guess god blew up the engine too

[@martinjimenez7494]

Debra Houston plot twist, he was the one who caused it to be the hero 🤯

[@bobtaylor170]

@@myaccount611 , you may have noticed that everyone dies eventually, at all sorts of ages, from all sorts of causes. It's a fallen world.

[@SubtleHawk]

@@debrahouston4337 What kind of god would let this happen in the first place dude.

[@praddzzz]

The Captain passed away today at the age of 87. RIP

[@julenefisher6265]

Thank you for the update.

[@stachuu_3285]

Rest in Peace, gone but not forgotten

[@dishrod3516]

Damn he had guts. Respect ✊

[@robertdillon2253]

hero !

[@jogman262]

Respect for this man! Godspeed.

[@WritewheelUK]

I was in charge of 'incident response' at a large UK airport in the early 2000s. I used to show this crash, the Sioux City crash as we called it. It always left the room silent and, on occasion, there were tears. I would finish by saying that if the crew can pull off a near miracle, they had a right to expect the same level of professionalism from us. I am in awe of the pilots.

[@joesullivan5136]

The crew pulled a miracle, not just came near one

[@dashcan8479]

Good for you Harvey. God Bless you and your staff.

[@tysonmadding8559]

Brits don't cry .....

[@muffinstuffin6]

I don't think I've rooted this hard for the pilots in any other video. Whole time yelling at the screen "COME ON BOYS!!!"

[@Dime_time333]

Grow up. Settle your emotions jeez.

[@AshTheGamerIsAwesome]

@@Dime_time333 ??

[@muffinstuffin6]

@@Dime_time333 You have to be a mind-less, soul-less robot, if you sat through this entire video, and at no point started cheering for them.

[@muffinstuffin6]

@@AshTheGamerIsAwesome Right???

[@gamingwithjal7169]

@@Dime_time333 lmfao he was just cheering for the pilots and you tell him to settle his emotions?

[@crocodile1313]

Captain Haynes was a humble professional. He did not write a book or go on a celebratory national tour to vaunt his heroism, but went back to the job he loved and quietly retired a few years later. Matter of fact, all four of those pilots did the same. If that happened today, someone would call them underachievers.... :-(

[@shariys1]

I call them HEROES!

[@BradleyQuerruel]

@Moist Gnome it does certainly sound that way.

[@psk5746]

Wasn't Sully's fault I imagine but the modern world. Its all stuffed up

[@crocodile1313]

@tinwoods What the hell is wrong with you? Read my last sentence in context of the ENTIRE comment--I was being critical of modern times in America, NOT those hero pilots! If you have trouble understanding that, get an adult friend or family member to help you out.

[@crocodile1313]

@Moist Gnome Nope, it's a dig on modern society. Sully's heroism happened to occur in a time when the monstrous media/publicity machine demands to be fed 24 hours a day.

[@danielhartin7680]

Damn, I was hoping they could land with no fatalities. The performances of the pilots and atc are proof these guys are the racehorses of humanity, accomplishing things under immense pressure the rest of us could never achieve. Hope they all shared a beer together, so sorry to hear the Captain recently passed from cancer. 69 isn't old these days.

[@firsttimer8129]

RIP Alfred C Haynes, an amazing pilot who saved so many lives with his flying, he will be missed.

[@TheGodParticle]

Very kind of you to say such words, god bless.

[@SirWrecksy]

don't forget Fitch

[@itsjustnopinionok]

He died just 2 weeks ago. Wow, i came across this video and watched it then looked up people onboard and saw that the captian had just recently died.

[@dannymac4674]

Saved my three on the flight...Thank you...

[@Noname23489]

danny mac you were on this flight?

[@lloydmorrisonii1373]

As a student pilot, I watched all episodes of "Air Disasters" to learn as much as I possibly could to help me be a better pilot. I remember this episode and it was a God Gift of the remarkable pilots that saved so many people's lives with true grit, and the Finest Airmanship I have ever witnessed. Hearing of the passing of one of our great heroes, I am heart broken, but I know our heavenly father was smiling as he entered into heaven.

[@christ-lapierreangulaire7857]

We need to repent for our sin and accept Jésus-Christ in our heart to enter in to the heaven. God bless you.

[@jez9999]

"You want to be particular and make it a runway, huh?" - humour even in a desperate situation :-)

[@holiday-td6hx]

@A Frustrated Gamer Capt Al(Alfred) Haynes died August 25, 2019 (aged 87). These pilots all show amazing strength in times like this.

[@orangejuicejones6075]

Stud

[@5Mariner]

President Reagan felt the same way after he got shot

[@uncle978]

Because when you've done everything you can do, you gotta hand it over to the universe.

[@5Mariner]

@A Frustrated Gamer He was inspired by Pope John Paul II to forgive his shooter. I loved how before the surgery he said to the doctors, "I hope you folks are all Republicans".

[@jomama5186]

Man these are seriously intense. I'm glad I always thank the pilots and never mind when we are delayed for the mechanics to do what they have to do. They are heroes everytime they do this job.

[@DoBowl]

Who else is watching this video after finding out that the captain passed away today? Rest in peace, hero!

[@bridgefin]

I went to his memorial in Seattle on Oct. 5th. Not only a hero pilot but he volunteered 30 years to little league as an umpire. He umpired a little league world series, the highest honor an umpire can receive. What a great legacy! Among others, Sully attended and gave a very inspirational talk.

[@bridgefin]

@Omnipresent One Wow! Did your ferry respond to the emergency?

[@bridgefin]

@Omnipresent One I have great memories of those towers. Dining at Windows on the World at sunset, then looking down at the city at night. Taking off from Laguardia in heavy fog, then rising into a beautiful blue sun filled sky. Look down and see the top 20 floors of those towers getting a tan! Didn't lose anyone close but knew some people who just barely escaped.

[@messiafridi3327]

112 souls to greet him

[@allysuckblackisback7746]

Not me

[@TheWatanna]

The pilot was so calm and a credit to his profession. Its a shame that people lost their lives, but a credit to him and those that helped him that some did survive. Thank you for posting.

[@watershed44]

@TheWatanna You have to love old school pilots because you just know these guys have balls and guts to achieve nearly impossible tasks! @5:43 Capt Haynes: "Well I don't drink but I'll sure as sh!t have one!" (when they land the plane) These are the salt of the Earth generation that made the USA a great nation. I can tell I would have loved to have met this pilot and had a beer with him!

[@TheWatanna]

@@watershed44 Too right. The do not make them like this anymore. I fully agree with you, and about the beer.

[@suttonglen]

TheWatanna ! The

[@shariys1]

Because of that captain and his crew, 2/3rds of the passengers made it off alive from a terminally screwed-up plane that tried to kill them all. RIP to the ones who didn't, but thank God for Capt. Haynes and his mighty men who saved so many lives! HEROES!!!

[@bridgefin]

Al Haynes, pilot of UA 232, died two days ago on Sunday August 25, 2019. Arguably the hero in this horrific drama in which, by some miracle, 184 souls were saved from a sure death. R.I.P.

[@martinishot]

Captain Denny Fitch shares credit as hero for this with Haynes. He improvised thrust vectoring to steer.

[@bridgefin]

@@martinishot No question about that. But everyone on that plane is dead unless Haynes, for some reason never taught, instinctively counters the impending roll over with opposing thrust. That both saved them then and showed them the path to some degree of control. I have always loved the calm composure of Haynes replying to the tower ...you want me to put it on a runway, too? He's in a situation where he should expect nothing but death within minutes and he is calm enough to joke about it and probably relieve some tension both in the cockpit and on the ground. A real hero.

[@onesixfive]

i have consumed every bit of information on earth regarding this flight yet watching this made me cry. not so much because of the lives that were lost but the insane bravery under fire by these guys in the cockpit. what an amazing recreation. thank you so much. anyone who has not seen errol morris amazing documentary interview with denny fitch should seek it out immediately.

[@jogman262]

RIP both Captain Haynes and Captain Finch.

[@valkhorn]

"You wanna make it a runway, huh?"

[@firemangan2731]

Lol, at least someone had a sense of humor that day.

[@mq1712]

Damn, how could anyone say that so nonchalantly. It's beyond belief.

[@Bobrogers99]

Those four men in the cockpit were heroes. Damned skillful ones! It was truly an impossible landing, and they did it, albeit with a tragic loss of life.

[@stevecampbell6136]

I remember when this happened. The video almost brought me to tears. These men lived their finest hours to bring the plane to the emergency crews. I also remember that there was development of thrust vectoring technology that improved upon their improvised efforts that helped save so many.

[@jamesdewey3259]

Just beyond incredible airmanship.

[@ZeroChannelZero]

Miles above ground, your power and directional controls give out. By supreme efforts of skill and creative thinking you manage to gain enough stability to hope for a safe resolution. You’re within sight of a miracle. You muster up the optimism to make one final joke. But in the end, the odds were stacked too high against you. The best you can do is try your best and save a few souls. If this doesn’t sum up the human condition, I don’t know what does. Condolences or congratulations... I don’t know, but RIP.

[@pablorocha1508]

The worst thing to hear on a plane is nothing

[@dutchfsxchannel1407]

@@pablorocha1508 true

[@bridgefin]

@@pablorocha1508 Silence is second to "fire". I fly gliders and nothing can be a very pleasant sound!

[@ellenorbjornsdottir1166]

it's both. Grats, dolences.

[@richardmccart7426]

Channel Zero ~ Great, great comment! You said all that perfectly and really moved me. 👍

[@gk10002000]

So lucky they had a pilot with military experience that kept his cool. And extra lucky they had an engineer pilot flying as a passenger that came up and worked the throttles. And this fellow Fitch had learned of the crash of Japan Airlines Flight 123, caused by a catastrophic loss of hydraulic control, and had wondered if it was possible to control an aircraft using throttles only. He had practiced under similar conditions on a simulator. That sort of initiative and curiosity and given time to do such things is sorely missing these days

[@debrahouston4337]

Indeed, it was a Gift from God that Capt. Fitch was on that plane! TY, Lord!!!

[@crocodile1313]

gk10002000-- It seems now days most people look at a job as a "good gig" and simply a way to make money.

[@prestonedproductions736]

@@debrahouston4337 why is it a gift from god that the plane engine blew off in first place killing over 100 people? why is it only a gift from god that he was on the plane? He saved the people from the gift from god that tried to crash them is what happened

[@bridgefin]

Fitch certainly performed heroically. But before he came into the cockpit Haynes saved everyone by preventing a rollover and subsequent inevitable crash. His use of asymmetrical thrust saved the plane and provided the clue as to how to get some meager control of the monster.

[@wyorocker82716]

A family I grew up with was on this flight all 6 of them survived.

[@crocodile1313]

Cory Reeves-- That is really neat. I would love to sit with them for an hour or so, just to hear about the experience.

[@edwarddon9711]

I wish that happens in evry crash

[@Bravo-Too-Much]

I would hope so since no one died.

[@robporta3253]

Aldo the Apache 111 died

[@pheesh9141]

@@Bravo-Too-Much 111 died....maybe you didn't watch to the end.

[@SteamDougy]

the fact they got the plane to the airport is awesome! Versus it "landing" anywhere else perhaps in a neighborhood. That too saved lives.

[@jordon628]

I remember during Flight Attendant Training at Elk Grove in Chicago of 1999, we were trained in Crew Resource Management and the vital importance of communicating.This tragedy was used as part of our training. This was such a terrible tragedy but could have ended up far worse if not for the incredible actions of flight deck crew as well as the expertise and assistance of Captain Fitch. God bless all survivors of UA 232 and Rest in peace to all that perished on that fateful day...

[@djisherwood]

Thank you for providing this. The courage shown that day brought tears to my eyes.

[@sabezer914]

Cpt Haynes did a superb job in controlling his aircraft, but we also cannot forget the fact that Dennis Fitch, the DC-10 instructor that was a passenger on this flight, helped the flight crew in controlling the throttles. Fitch had previously studied the Japan Airlines Flight 123 crash (Almost exact same scenario as here) and had logged dozens of hours on a flight simulator practicing the same issues the Japanese pilots faced. Rest in Peace Captain Haynes and Dennis Fitch.

[@Recon135]

As an Air Force crew member I remember the crash well. While the engine disk failure was the primary cause of the crash, another significant problem was the design of the hydraulic system. While it was a tertiary system, the lines were located together. In the explosion they were severed resulting in the loss of all hydraulic fluid. After the crash MD made design changes to better protect the system. Not mentioned in this video due to time constraints, is the heroic actions of rescue crews on the ground. The airport was also the base for an Iowa National Guard unit, which had recently practiced for just such a crash landing. Their actions saved many lives. There's an iconic photo of Col Nielsen carrying a 3 year year old away from the crash.

[@esong21956]

@Georges Bizet siouxcityjournal.com/news/fifteen-years-after-flight-crash-public-service-still-calls-nielsen/article_40eec015-8abe-58b0-be56-e4cd0a8d7b8e.html

[@OldSchoolFireAlarms]

For the life of me, I do not understand why anyone would give this short video a thumbs down. I think it was very well done. My heart goes out to all those who lost their lives and to the surviving family members of this unfortunate tragedy.

[@debbieconnett]

Bravo to the skill and calmness these pilots had during this flight. I remember very well the news reports of this terrible crash. Although so sadden by the loss of life they saved many as well with their skill! God Bless them all!!!

[@GrouchoTM]

I remember this when it happened! One thing not mentioned is the pilots initially were heavily criticized for this crash until the FAA findings.

[@derekemrie2987]

In such a situation, I'm sure one does the best one can; I'm sure the cabin pilots/engineers and of course some aid from others to get the thing down. Outside of flying under "substances" (recall Denzell in "Flight") I doubt anyone could have done better, landing at well over normal landing speeds, with very little control over the plane. Not religious but probably no one on board didn't have a moment of reflection.

[@jakesidorov978]

I still remember seeing the pilot in the hospital in tears saying, " I almost had it....".....still makes ME tear up.....saw video of the jet cartwheeling across the tarmac.........they found the fan disc in a cornfield and traced the flaw back to a sand-grain sized anomaly in the forging. Can you imagine trying to drive your car with NO input from the steering wheel.....UN-FREAKING REAL that anyone survived........

[@Jt-od5lm]

Also no brakes

[@missnypizza]

Oh man. I was rooting for them. Of course they are heros and did the best they could. Just sad to see so many still perished. God bless.

[@donc9751]

Great job of recreating the flight and inducing stress of the situation for viewers! A woman I went to school with and was dating at the time, her brother and nephew were on that plane and found themselves sitting in the cornfield mostly unhurt. The young boy had a baseball card in his hand or that happened to land next to him (I dont recall exactly) and if I remember he later had the card signed by the player on it.

[@TheMaartian]

I was on the first flight commanded by Capt. Fitch after he resumed flying post-incident. I was in First flying ORD->SFO. For just that flight, United allowed any employee to bid on it. It was the most senior flight and service crew I've ever seen. The Capt. entered after the aircraft had been boarded. The entire First Class cabin stood and applauded. Very emotional. And I, and every other passenger, knew nothing in advance. Difficult to describe how I felt. I've flown about 3 million miles since then. Nothing matched the feeling of that flight. Really sorry to hear that Capt. Fitch is no longer with us.

[@Rubin4749]

God bless. I bet it meant A LOT to him, most likely more than he could ever express. You can make a VERY strong argument they saved ALL the survivors under those conditions it could have been ALL of them. God bless you Sir.

[@JS-bw9hs]

Thanks for sharing your memory about Capt. Fitch. Beautifully said.

[@Premiumking25]

John Maar that’s deep! 👌

[@Special_Tactics_Force_Unit]

🤯🤯🤯 incredible story. Thanks so much for sharing it. I wanted this one to have a happy ending more than anything. And it certainly was that. Considering what they were up against

[@countd5955]

Thanks for a wonderful story.

[@danielle5253]

Omg, those poor children. Absolutely devastating. I cannot fathom what the parents had to go through waiting to find out which child survived and which child did not. Makes my stomach turn. Absolutely horrific.

[@danielbrown1724]

So glad you included the CVR in this video. Most animations only include the verbiage Aces!! RIP Denny Fitch and Al Haynes, 2 true American hero's.

[@bahadiralkes5837]

Comparing the proffessionalism of this crew to Air France 447's.. Bonin and his dummy friends crashed a fully intact A330 while these guys did somehow manage to land an uncontrollable aircraft. Oustanding performance.

[@tweed0929]

X Pilot, your videos have forced me to reconsider my life choices. I was less cautious before, didn't place enough emphasis on safety and pre-checks even if I'm not a pilot, but cyclist. Keep up the good work! These vids do more than justice to accidents that have happened. They teach one how to think and how make right desicions.

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

Have heard this story many times, but beyond imagination that they were able to 'land' at an airport with some semblance of alignment, that all the pilots lived, and that only 1/3 of the passengers were killed, when very well it could have been EVERYONE. Brilliant airmanship on the part of the pilots.

[@seanmcrae6890]

As of this writing there are 91 likes for this comment, which makes me think of the heavy amount of protection described in psalm 91. Unlike a lot of people out there, I think that the Lord's protection applies to everyone, even those who are non-participants. The difference lies in those that willingly reject that protection and want no part of it at all, simply get the result of their decisions. The really sketchy part is that virtually none of us know when we'll be faced with the result of our lifetime of decisions. Highly skilled piloting clearly displayed here, I just think the mercy of the almighty is the reason that more didn't die. (Also, since death in this realm is not the end, we have no idea what happened to that 111 in the seconds after they left their bodies. So, it's probably a less tragic story than we think, just difficult for those of us who remain here)

[@hallvardhvidsten2217]

@@seanmcrae6890 The almighty wanted to kill'em all, but brave pilots had other plans!

[@seanmcrae6890]

brave pilots acting under the influence of life while the destroyer does destroying things

[@openyoureyes4799]

@Skull_n _Bones80 It is not. How do you know?

[@johnnyneverletmedown53]

@@seanmcrae6890 you are absolutely self deluded Seany. There is not almighty amoungst the ten billion galaxies containing a billion stars at least, each. God bothering about the poor people who lost their lives to lazy maintenance is BS.

[@honeykin7890]

Also kudos to nearby emergency, law enforcement and hospital staff. Two weeks prior Sioux City had a simulation drill "code black". Then while Courageous Pilot Haynes and staff circled, all emergency were notified of pending "code black". This gave everyone heads up and readiness to take care of all the people in this horrible event. I am sure many lives were saved because they were ready! Kudos to all

[@pamschweitzer8544]

I had the privilege of hearing Capt. Hayes speak. He talked of the incident and took us through the event. Not a dry eye in the crowd. And he donated his speaking fee to charity. So many things aligned that day so that more people did not die. Also have been to the memorial in Sioux City. Very somber.

[@samswank]

The coolness of the captain, the relaxed way he communicates with the controllers. Unbelievable. I'd be soiling my pants and crying.

[@rosemaryus-ct6151]

god bless the courageous men who stood fast in their duty without flinching. god bless the loved ones of those lost. many many thanks to the officers for doing the impossible and saving over half the souls on board.

[@TheOsfania]

If there were a god, things like this wouldn't happen. Would they? Would a god let them die? Where's your god at times like these? That's what I thought. -Happy Atheist

[@v8arctis660]

@@TheOsfania Look buddy, god wrote your date of death way before you were even born, now you thank him that your death was not that day (SOrry for bad english) - Happy muslim

[@shawnpa]

I'm amazed by this account. These pilots saved many lives. I didn't know this ever happened on a commercial plane. Through the decades the airline customers and professionals have been like pioneers. It's a blessing that flights are safer today. We owe tremendous thanks and rememberance to those people.

[@karlsumner5594]

Incredible skills and professionalism from all involved. So sad that they did their best but 111 people were lost.

[@lhaviland8602]

The biggest tragedy is that only ~30 were killed in the crash itself. The other 80 died of smoke inhalation due to rescuers being impeded by the maze-like cornfield. My cousin was on this plane as a 4 year old and lost his entire immediate family. He committed suicide in 2003. We've always said he was the 112th casualty.

[@kennethhetge7505]

I was a rooky in United's control center, SAMPAC, that day and watched what was happening behind the scenes. The best of the best were trying to help get this thing on the ground. Not until we got a call from one of our co-workers (Diane Leach) who was off that day and watching CNN at home, did we realize how bad it really was. Another day that will never be forgotten.....

Cptn Denny Fitch operated the throttles to "steer" the aircraft. In one of aviation's most stunning displays of airmanship, skill & determination won the day. I've seen the footage of that crash & I'm still in awe that ANYONE emerged from it. It barrel-rolled upon impact & immediately burst into an inferno...engulfing the entire aircraft. Wonder how many of the 111 were children travelling alone.

[@FloydMaxwell]

I thought they said 4

[@hionmaiden663]

It's well worth watching the film and the documentary. When the Pilot was interviewed in hospital he did'nt know how many survivors, his grief was overwhelming, until he was told how many he and the rest of the crew had actually saved.

[@HinesRiley]

Much better than 15-minutes of this...

[@jamesclendon4811]

Thanks for this. Wasn't this the flight which, during the post-crash investigation, no one--no pilot, in a flight simulator was able to land the plane so successfully? None was able to duplicate the accomplishment of these pilots.

[@jcorbett9620]

Yes, it's the one. They all lost control and crashed, soon after the failure of the rotor disk. And they had the advantage of knowing what was going to happen and how it had been solved.... unlike the REAL crew, who had to work on the fly.

[@Sunset553]

I took my first flight since I started watching these videos. I looked around at the other passengers, taking notice of how many individuals there were. It wasn’t just a number anymore. They were all the individuals who could be lost if something went wrong.

[@positronicfeed]

I keep watching this, the Air crash investigation episode on it and the Seconds from Disaster episode on it, each time wishing they all make it this time.

[@badcompany-w6s]

I remember this. I can only Imagine how the pilots felt knowing that they had just about lost everything they needed to control the jet. However still trying everything they could do to land with no loss of life. My hat is off to these guys! I'm sorry for the ones who didn't make it.

[@TheShowblox]

Honestly, the most amazing part besides the flight itself is how all of the people in the cockpit survived, considering the damage done.

[@Pindi44]

Amazing professionalism, coolness, and team work from all involved, just shows that humans can be very smart and good.

[@joeharter9]

I was out there for a golf tournament and while I was there I went over to the airport. I just had to see where this happened. I talked with the local people and the emergency responders did such a great job there were more than enough to do all that was humanly possible

[@FinnishCarGuys]

Cockpit full of some of the biggest set of balls on this planet. Huge respect for people like them!

[@izzy4reel]

Everytime I revisit this story, I can't believe it's true. What a great example of effective teamwork to solve a problem.

[@geoh7777]

Finnish Car Guys You are absolutely correct. I would have headed for a rear door and tried out my non-existent, parachute-less sky diving skills.

[@DuncanofAlba]

SOme of the best coolest Pilots! Balls of steel facing impending crash!!

[@donaldespy6376]

@@izzy4reel LLP kopp 5t6y

[@alex2405777]

It could've been a lot worse. A lot of lives were spared because of the heroic actions of the pilots.

[@DavidM_603]

I wonder what the survivor's guilt is like when not everyone makes it. The way I see it, everyone was already doomed when engine 2 went and took the hydraulics with it, but then the pilots pulled most of them back. I say they're heroes.

I've never understood survivor guilt. I survived one of the most famous disasters you can imagine and many in my office didn't but i don't feel guilt for it. I got up and left, they didn't. I'm not guilty for it.

[@tepastrick2276]

As I recall, in the hydraulic system, all the lines at some point were connected, thus a broken line drained the fluid from all the other systems. After that accident aircraft are now designed with independent lines so that a failure of one still allows all the others to operate.

[@Bill307fighting]

@@tepastrick2276 Actually, all 3 lines were completely independent. That's why losing pressure in all 3 lines at the same time was considered "virtually impossible". It was bad luck that when the fan disk exploded, fragments just happened to hit and sever both lines 1 and 3 inside the left and right horizontal stabilizers (tail wings). Two unfortunate bullseyes. The change made after this disaster was to add valves to automatically shut-off parts of each line if they're severed.

[@trochilustales4981]

Roger that!

[@trainsntile]

@@tepastrick2276 Same idea as a 2 reservoir master cylinder in newer car's braking system. If 1 reservoir fails, the 2nd 1 can still stop the vehicle, but it will be more difficult & take longer. (By 'newer' cars, I mean those built beyond the late 1960's. My 1st car was a '49 Chrysler with a single reservoir under the floorboards. When 1 of the brake lines rotted through, I thanked God above for the driveshaft mounted parking brake!!)

[@elosogonzalez8739]

The fact that ANYONE WALKED AWAY is a testament to the skill of the flight crew and performance under indescribable conditions.

[@BugsBunnysBrother]

I had a friend who was on that flight. She lived in Grand Junction, Colorado. She was coming home to NY to buy her wedding dress with her mother that weekend. She had a friend who was flying tDenver to Chicago with 2 kids, and offered to buy her ticket to Philly if she would help her with the kids on the way to Chicago. Since she was saving for a wedding, she jumped at the opportunity. The 4 of them didn’t sit together but near by each other. My friend was badly injured but survived. Along with the family she was with. Captain Haynes and others from the flight crew attended the wedding. It still freaks me out watching anything about that crash. Bless them all.

[@godbluffvdgg]

Whenever you think you're having a bad day at work...Stuff like this will give you a dose of what a REAL bad is...

[@lindanitzschke6560]

Kudos also to the terrific response from first responders at Sioux Gateway, with so very many units coming from all the surrounding towns to help...and were there, waiting for the jet to arrive. I worked at the Le Mars Daily Sentinel (before moving to Colorado) with the fellow who was honored to drive the ambulance carrying Capt. Haynes to the hospital that day. Capt. Haynes gave unselfishly to the Sioux City area for many years after the crash, as well, coming back to Sioux City for various events and anniversaries and giving speeches 'til finally saying he could do it no more just a few years before he passed away. What an inspiration he has been to so many everywhere who know of his story.

[@EricScoles]

Great presentation of one of the classic examples of cockpit management in practice. Without collaborative cockpit management, everyone would have lost their lives.

[@jogman262]

Nothing against Sully and his crew, they did a fine job also, but this was an almost no chance of anyone surviving situation.

[@autophile525i]

Good review. Thanks for making this and posting it. There are lessons here for many professions, not just aviation.

[@jimgoskins]

For any profession

[@jamesfraser7297]

This flight crew depended on every ounce of their training and experience. Bravo, gentlemen!

[@clarkclark9832]

I lived just 30 miles from there at that time. Ambulances from the towns surrounding the area, (which is a tri-state spot of SD, NE and Iowa) went there to assist. Without those volunteer First Responders, many more lives would have been lost. This video is a great explanation of what happened. I was never quite sure. But I do know those pilots were studs and did save many lives. Not only the ones on the plane, but the people on the ground during their flight as well. RIP Al Haynes.

[@Alanoffer]

The pilot calmly joking about not being able to land on the runway they were given took great guts .

[@bridgetdoman8600]

It's amazing but a good sense of humour even in situations like this help to keep people's spirits up and give them hope. Pilots like the ones here are wonderful, the right people for the job and certainly the right training.

[@highcrimes9153]

Commercial Airline Pilots are incredible people. Difficult to not be in awe of them. Yet when they're walking through the terminals, no one seems to notice them.

[@bethchildress4280]

I thought this was going to end better. I would not have watched it had I known there would be so many casualties. I applaud the skills and professionalism of the experts but man, how heart-breaking that so many died.

[@danielwylie-eggert2041]

i still thought this was going to have a happier ending...

[@kingmatai8662]

Shit, the ending was extraordinary, given the extreme conditions the pilots were placed under. To have half of the passengers survive while trying to control and land a plane with the ONLY way to control the plane being the thrusters is amazing, I was not so optimistic when coming into this video. All in all, still a very tragic loss.

[@laurahulland]

Me too! I thought they made it. So sad for the 111 but it was sure death if Captain Haynes hadn’t been on that flight

[@NMeyer0]

The most amazing attempt to land, and, although many souls were unfortunately lost, all could've died if it wasn't for the heroics of this crew. Most amazing emergency landing, given the circumstances, in aviation history.

[@SupermanRoSteel]

The DC-10 demonstrated some single-point failure points... failure of #2 engine killed ALL hydraulic control of the entire aircraft on UA232. On AA191, loss of #1 engine (separation from the wing) killed ALL hydraulics on the left wing causing the left wing flaps and slats to retract causing the aircraft to roll over to the left and crash shortly after takeoff.

[@wiIdirishroses]

they better have had that beer, even if they couldn’t save everyone they tried their best and managed to save at least half of the people on that plane, props to them

[@spaceodyssey7659]

A pilot is trained to approach in-flight emergency with calm and composure. Keep your head. It is the sum total of experience onboard flight 232, working cooperatively, with a composure that saved as many lives as they did. Call it human spirit and determination and great skill within an airline that had a good training program that saved many lives. Just a minor deviation to correct: Flight 232 by the fate of its circumstances landed on runway 22 which at the time had been closed (decommissioned). Google maps (Earth) show only remnants of the old runway. The simulator clearly did not have access to the 1989 state of Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX). During the event, emergency crews assumed they were landing on the 9000-foot long active runway (17/31) and at the last minute had to move off runway 22. Google Earth can be used to view historical aerial views from 1989.

[@billbright1755]

When they say live each day,,, Show kindness to everyone you can, for that’s the good stuff. Mustering up all his skill and bravery, a captain that’s not about to fail his duties,, he fought to the last ounce of courage.

[@silvergamedog8168]

I’m so glad I discovered this channel. I find this so interesting and honestly very intense to watch. My only criticism would be that you don’t leave the text on the screen long enough. I consider myself an average reader but a lot of these words are new to most people, so we have to read all of it, process it and understand it before reading the next text. Just leave a little breathing room. Maybe an extra 10 seconds? Thanks

[@trosemore]

just press pause.

[@greatestever184]

I personally think he leaves them on too long, and I wind up speeding the video up. You can slow the video down, you know. If you're on a phone, it's in the upper right corner. It lets you speed up and slow it down.

[@TechInspected]

Personally I wish it had voiced narration but not everyone has that perfect narration voice. And the extra editing and audio voice over recording required may be too much.

[@3403knobby]

my wife and i listened to a talk from capt haynes at the eaa in oshkosh several years ago,one person asked him a question,in after thought is there anything you would have changed that day?he thought for awhile and said,yes i would have called in sick

[@trochilustales4981]

Well, I guess that it's a good thing for the survivors that he, Fitch and the rest of the flight crew didn't!

[@TheShowblox]

The DC-10, my favorite plane, was a safe aircraft. The fatal flaw was the unusual placement of the hydraulic cables.

[@michaelc7966]

We flew a DC 10 from SFO to Honolulu in 1984, the grinding from the rear engine made it impossible to talk mid cabin. Perhaps we were lucky. Pilots are in a class by themselves, very classy bunch. May they never give up their skills to automation. RIP to the souls lost.

[@davidk4940]

I was on a flight, sitting 1A. A woman boarded and was met by the cabin crew, shaking hands and hugging and she came and sat in 1B. She asked for a cotton blanket and she got it. So we took off and I started chatting with her not knowing who she was. I learned she was a (senior?) flight attendant on Flt 232. What a chat we had. She was on her way to Washington, DC to speak in front of Congress lobbying for no more lap children. During the crash of 232, she watched lap children shoot through the cabin because they were unrestrained. I saw tears well up in her eyes. I teared up as well. I will never forget that flight with her. Hero's all.

[@coachwilson5967]

Amazing work by the pilots. Sad so many died. Amazing so many lived

[@BarefootinMN]

I was wishing they had tried a water landing in the river.

[@denniskinnane8337]

Exactly one week after this occurrence, I was on board a Northwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Detroit where I was to make a connection to Chicago. It was another DC-10 identical to 232 and over the Rockies, near Denver, Colorado our tail engine #2 also exploded. It contained apparently the same flaw in the titanium that flight 232's engine had. Luckily for us, of course, the hydraulic lines were NOT severed on our flight but none of us on board knew that. I for one had a vivid picture in my mind of the video taken of Flight 232 cartwheeling down the runway in flames in Sioux City one week earlier and it wasn't pretty. I remembered reading that they had found numerous passengers still strapped into their seats but missing their heads and legs as the seats tore loose and the passengers went cartwheeling down the tarmac in their seat. The amazing thing was how quiet the passengers on board our flight were.. hardly a sound could be heard...Certainly no screams, or hysterics ....except for the attendants literally running down the aisle telling us to put our recently served dinner trays under the seat in front of us and trying to prepare the plane for a crash landing.. it seemed to take forever until the captain came on the intercom to tell us what had happened and during that time I, and I am sure many others on board, thought it was the end.

[@mactheknife7049]

A friend of mine died in this crash. Nearly 30 years removed, it's still painful to watch anything related to it.

[@liwmld]

i am so sorry for your loss.

[@shermankelly9062]

My condolences Mac.

[@davidca96]

some of the best piloting ever on this flight, the same scenario was tried by several groups in sim and no one was able to do what these guys did. The fact that they put the plane on the runway you have to realize how amazing that is with the situation they had, they just couldnt land safely because to land safe you have to slow down and they couldnt slow down or they would instantly drop like a rock. Japan Air 123 pilots did just as an amazing of job but sadly were not around an area to land and hit the mountains. They fought that sucker for 32 minutes, better than anyone ever could, both flight crews on these flights deserve ultimate respect.

[@williamcousins3079]

I was a machinist that makes a product called the Ram Air Turbine. When a jet loses power, hydraulics, etc. the Ram Air Turbine drops down, and uses the wind to give the pilot to ability to control the plane! The movie "Sully" was a great movie, but it failed to give the company that makes the product Ram Air Turbine any credit what so ever!

[@joevignolor4u949]

The ram air turbine is useful when the normal sources of hydraulic power, such as the engines and the APU, are not available to provide hydraulic fluid under pressure. The DC-10 in the Sioux City accident had severed hydraulic lines and had lost all the fluid so the APU or RAT wouldn't have done any good. On Sully's plane the APU had been started and it provided the electrical and hydraulic power used during the glide and ditching.

[@blairkivey]

A story that should never grow old. Thank you.

[@mab06241959]

I had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Finch speak at Kennedy Space Center. A very inspiring motivational talk. RIP

[@treylem3]

Great documentary, and without an extra 15 min of drama building. Well done.

[@MichaelDelugg]

Wow. What an amazing story and incredible work by the crew!

[@sionehefa3458]

An excellent reconstruction.Very moving comments from everyone. Enjoyed the Air New Zealand footage although they also had a tragic event on Mt Erebus Antarctica with a DC10. Much respect for this video.

[@Robert-xp4ii]

Damn, I was scared for them. So sad that many died and amazing the majority survived. What an incredible thing to survive and talk about.

[@laverdadesmejor]

X pilot Thanks for NOT showing the gruesome ending that became of this flight. For respect to those who perished, we don't need to see that ad infinitum.

[@r.zimmerman3838]

Denny Fitch was my neighbor in Des Moines, Washington. At the time I met Denny, he lived across the foyer from me in newly built apartments. Denny had recently ETS'd from active duty service in the USAF, and enlisted active duty reserve in the USAF. Denny was a flight engineer on Starlifters. Deny was also an IP at Ft. Lewis, Washington, and was my roommate, Robert Peter's, instructor. Mr. Peter's and I were serving active duty in the US Army. Mr. Peter's wea assigned to Military Police Inestigations, and I was serving as a Military Policeman in the 296th MP Company. I did not know Denny very long, as I ETS'd not long after meeting him. At the time, Denny had been recently divorced. I was somewhat impressed with how Denny and his ex-wives continued to be very congenial, with no animosity regarding their divorce. Deny was one of the most respectable gentleman I have ever had the privilege of meeting. When I first heard of his survival from the accident, I thought to myself that Deny's experience, professionalism, and commitment to to excellence had served him and others well. When Deny and I parted company, he had recently been hired by United to provide training to pilots who were being recalled by United to fly DC-10's. I'll never forget the modest grin that he had on his face as he tried to control his emotions and maintain his gentleman demeanor. It was I and Mr. Peter's who broke into the congratulatory locker room rants. I'll remember that expression on Denny's face when he was informing us of his hire by United. Although I wept when I learned of his loss, I will forever remember him as the professional that he was. 🇺🇸 Never Forgotten, Denny Fitch 🇺🇸

[@TechNed]

That was just the coolest thing, the way he addressed the cockpit crew and his first suggestion was that they all go for a beer afterwards. Immediately instilling and reinforcing confidence in everyone.

[@CastilloDelDiablo]

I like the way you make these videos, they are clear and precise and give you enough time to read the captions, well done.

[@mtkoslowski]

10/10 for a very good presentation on this accident.

[@Thund3rsmurf]

I thought they were going to make. These recreations of these harrowing events are so hard hitting. I can honestly imagine the terror these pilots, crew, and passengers felt. Although these are hard to watch, and leave me feeling... I don't know actually, please keep making them. These stories deserve to be told

[@UberSynth]

To handle a big bird like that takes skill especially when the big bird is crippled. Those pilots are true heroes. Peace ✌️ out people

[@jeffdyrud3740]

I was in tech school getting my A&P mechanics license when this happened. Watched the replay on the news over and over and couldn't believe anyone would have survived. After working for 11 1/2 years as a mechanic at Northwest Airlines, I went back to the school I graduated from to teach other aspiring mechanics. Took my students to a flight safety symposium at the Univ. of North Dakota's flight school, where Captain Haynes spoke about this, with slides. Unbelievable how much shrapnel came out of the disk when it came apart, and how many holes in the tail of the aircraft. They've loaded the data from the FDR into the sims and no one has ever been able to make it to the airport, much less get it close to the runway like this crew did.