


: 113–14 Events Radar plot of the plane's flight path, from the NTSB report. Įight flight attendants (Jan Brown, Georgeann Delcastillo, Barbara Gillespie, Rene Lebeau, Donna McGrady, Virginia Murray, Tim Owens, and Susan White ) were also aboard the flight. He had practiced with similar conditions on a simulator. : 11, 113 Fitch had learned of the 1985 crash of Japan Air Lines Flight 123, caused by a catastrophic loss of hydraulic control, and had wondered if it was possible to control an aircraft using throttles only. His total DC-10 time with United was 2,987 hours, including 1,943 hours accrued as a flight engineer, 965 hours as a first officer, and 79 hours as a captain. He estimated that, prior to working for United, he had accrued at least 1,400 hours of flight time with the Air National Guard, with a total flight time around 23,000 hours. "Denny" Fitch, 46, a training-check airman aboard Flight 232 as a passenger, was hired by United in 1968. While working for United, he had accumulated 1,903 hours as a flight engineer in the Boeing 727 and 33 hours as a flight engineer in the DC-10. He estimated that he had about 15,000 hours of total flying time. Dvorak, 51, was hired by United Airlines in 1986. He was hired by United in 1985, and had accrued 665 hours as a DC-10 first officer while at United. He worked subsequently for Pan American World Airways. He was hired first by National Airlines in 1969. He estimated that he had approximately 20,000 hours of total flight time. Haynes' co-pilot was first officer William R. He was highly experienced and had 29,967 hours of total flight time with United, of which 7,190 were in the DC-10. "Al" Haynes, 57, was hired by United Airlines in 1956. : 17 The DC-10's hydraulic system was designed and demonstrated to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as compliant with regulations that "no single failure or malfunction or probable combination of failures will jeopardize the safe operation of the airplane." : 19 Crew įlight 232's captain, Alfred C.
#112 OPERATOR LAST DUTY MANUAL#
Like other widebody transport aircraft of the time, : 100 the DC-10 was not designed to revert to unassisted manual control in the event of total hydraulic failure. However, at least one hydraulic system must have fluid present and the ability to hold fluid pressure to control the aircraft.
#112 OPERATOR LAST DUTY FULL#
These systems were designed to be redundant, such that if two hydraulic systems were inoperable, the one remaining hydraulic system would still permit the full operation and control of the airplane. In the event of loss of engine power or primary pump failure, a ram air turbine could provide emergency electrical power for electrically powered auxiliary pumps. The DC-10 used three independent hydraulic systems, each powered by one of the aircraft's three engines, to power movement of the aircraft's flight controls. 2 (tail-mounted) engine had accumulated 42,436 hours and 16,899 cycles of operating time immediately prior to the accident flight. The airplane was powered by CF6-6D high bypass-ratio turbofan engines produced by General Electric Aircraft Engines (GEAE).

Before departure on the flight from Denver on July 19, 1989, the airplane had been operated for a total of 43,401 hours and 16,997 cycles (takeoff-landing pairs). The airplane, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 (registration N1819U ), was delivered in 1971 and owned by United Airlines since then. A majority of those aboard survived experienced test pilots in simulators were unable to reproduce a survivable landing. ĭespite the fatalities, the accident is considered a good example of successful crew resource management. At the time it was the deadliest single-aircraft accident in the history of United Airlines. Of the 296 passengers and crew on board, 112 died during the accident, while 184 people survived. On July 19, 1989, the DC-10 (registered as N1819U) serving the flight crash-landed at Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City, Iowa, after suffering a catastrophic failure of its tail-mounted engine due to an unnoticed manufacturing defect in the engine's fan disk, which resulted in the loss of many flight controls. United Airlines Flight 232 was a regularly scheduled United Airlines flight from Stapleton International Airport in Denver to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, continuing to Philadelphia International Airport. Philadelphia International Airport, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois Stapleton International Airport, Denver, Colorado N1819U, the aircraft involved in the accident, seen in January 1977
