# Forty years ago today I saw a plume of smoke rising near O'Hare Field **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 25, 2019, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507 "2019-05-25T16:05:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/1 "2019-05-25T16:05:09Z")
I thought it was a tire fire at a junkyard around Higgins and Elmhurst Rd, but a coworker said, “No, a plane just crashed.” Specifically [American Flight 191](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines_Flight_191) went in at a trailer park by the junkyard, killing all 271 onboard and two on the ground. Let us remember them and the maintenance screwup that killed them. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/2 "2019-05-25T16:08:22Z")
Post/username combo win. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/3 "2019-05-25T16:23:22Z")
This is probably the first “holy shit, what happened?” air disaster I can remember. I was 10 when it happened, and for the rest of my life “DC-10 crash” has been the archetype of an air disaster in my mind. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/4 "2019-05-25T16:31:02Z")
Yer evil, **Garrison**. Are you Air Force? They’re amused by air crashes. My earliest memory was when dropdad took me to the site of a fighter taking out some residences in St Paul. It was a big laugh until he died how I refused to go into the backyard until we moved. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/5 "2019-05-25T16:34:33Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > …for the rest of my life “DC-10 crash” has been the archetype of an air disaster in my mind. An unfortunate outcome was how it sullied the rep of the DC-10. I love that bird; she accelerated so much faster than the 747. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/6 "2019-05-25T16:38:50Z")
I remember that one vividly too. My future father in law flew for AA out of O’hare, so my girlfriend’s family went into ultra-high alert mode until it was determined he wasn’t crewing the plane. Followed by the vigil for friends/co-workers/neighbors lost . . . ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/7 "2019-05-25T17:21:00Z")
It’s pretty scary that after they grounded and inspected all the DC-10s, they found several with the same type of damage caused by the same maintenance procedure. All of those planes were ticking time bombs and any could have crashed at their next flight. I also find it fascinating in a somewhat morbid way that according to eyewitnesses, when the engine separated from the plane, the engine accelerated away from the plane, basically flying on its own for a few seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/8 "2019-05-25T18:21:13Z")
The DC-10 was a crummy, unsafe airplane; I’m glad they’re almost all out of service now. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/9 "2019-05-25T19:53:34Z")
Here’s more info about that day from the local news radio station: > **[Chicago All News Station - WBBM-AM | WBBM Newsradio 780AM](https://www.audacy.com/wbbm780)** > > Chicago's All-News Station! WBBM Newsradio broadcasts on 780 AM & 105.9 FM. Stream, read and download WBBM-AM from any device on Audacy ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/10 "2019-05-25T21:11:03Z")
Wasn’t this the plane crash where a guy killed his wife and then claimed she was on that plane and they just couldn’t find her body? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/11 "2019-05-26T00:42:16Z")
I was scheduled to stand up in a friend’s wedding later that summer. One of the bridesmaids was a stewardess on Flight 191. The wedding went ahead as planned, but the happy couple decided not to replace the missing girl. The asymmetry was some sort of tribute to her. Most of us adapted, but the poor wedding photographer was screwed up all day. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/12 "2019-05-27T04:54:26Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I also find it fascinating in a somewhat morbid way that according to eyewitnesses, when the engine separated from the plane, the engine accelerated away from the plane, basically flying on its own for a few seconds. > **[American Airlines Flight 191 | Accident](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines_Flight_191#Accident)** > > On the accident flight, during the takeoff rotation, the number-one engine and its pylon assembly separated from the left wing, ripping away a 3-foot (0.9 m) section of the leading edge with it. The combined unit flipped over the top of the wing and landed on the runway.: 2  Robert Graham, supervisor of maintenance for American Airlines, stated: > [@](#): > > Robert Graham, supervisor of maintenance for American Airlines, stated, "As the aircraft got closer, I noticed what appeared to be vapor or smoke of some type coming from the leading edge of the wing and the No. 1 engine pylon. I noticed that the No. 1 engine was bouncing up and down quite a bit and just about the time the aircraft got opposite my position and started rotation, the engine came off, went up over the top of the wing, and rolled back down onto the runway… Before going over the wing, the engine went forward and up just as if it had lift and was actually climbing. It didn’t strike the top of the wing on its way, rather it followed the clear path of the airflow of the wing, up and over the top of it, then down below the tail. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2019, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/13 "2019-05-27T11:04:31Z")
Interesting that it wasn’t the loss of an engine per se that downed her, but rather the retraction of the slats (due to loss of hydraulics) increasing the stall speed…and had the pilots known this (they couldn’t), they might have been able to land the plane. ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/14 "2019-05-28T20:19:29Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Interesting that it wasn’t the loss of an engine per se that downed her, but rather the retraction of the slats (due to loss of hydraulics) increasing the stall speed…and had the pilots known this (they couldn’t), they might have been able to land the plane. Here is an old thread of mine discussing that: [Any Pilots? Was American Flight 191 recoverable? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=574421) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/15 "2019-05-29T02:51:05Z")
Cool, thanks. So, “might have” only in a technical sense. Even if they could have known exactly what was wrong, the chances of landing it weren’t great. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/16 "2019-05-29T18:32:53Z")
For me, the big air crash of my youth was Air Florida Flight 90 hitting the 14th Street Bridge on the Potomac. Practically in my back yard. But the impact was watching the choppers pull out the survivors and the dramatic dive of the fire fighter into the icy river. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/17 "2019-05-29T19:35:50Z")
I watched a travel channel special with Steve & Terri Irwin (Crocodile Hunter). They flew all over Australia in a DC-10 visiting and filming various places in the Outback. It was one of the few times he didn’t mention or film Crocs. This was before Steve died in 2006. The travel channel special was probably 2003 or 04. IIRC They mentioned the DC-10’s were very valuable in the Outback. Delivering passengers, heavy farm equipment, supplies, and other freight deep into the Outback. Steve’s leased DC-10 was hauling his family, several ATV’s, a small boat, camping supplies, food, and all the film crew gear for the travel channel special. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2019, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/18 "2019-06-02T22:56:00Z")
I remember the DC-10 scare in the news. IIRC, it was right before my first flight when the family moved to The Netherlands. My sister would joke that the plane we were on was a DC-10 just to frighten me. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2019, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forty-years-ago-today-i-saw-a-plume-of-smoke-rising-near-ohare-field/834507/19 "2019-06-02T23:58:05Z")
> [@CelticKnot](#): > > I remember the DC-10 scare in the news. IIRC, it was right before my first flight when the family moved to The Netherlands. My sister would joke that the plane we were on was a DC-10 just to frighten me. There was an issue with the cargo doors on the DC-10 shortly after they entered service, several years before the accident in Chicago. The door opened outward. It was possible to close the door without all the latches being secure, and no way to tell that it wasn’t closed properly. There were two similar incidents. At altitude, the pressure inside the plane caused the door to blow open. The cargo hold depressurized but the passenger cabin didn’t, or at least not quickly enough. That pressure difference caused to floor to collapse, which broke control cables leading to the tail. In the first incident, the pilots still had enough control to land the plane. The second was a Turkish Airlines crash in France in 1974, which killed 346 people. In Europe, that crash might have been bigger news than the one in Chicago.