Inside The Black Box (Aviation Disasters) Episode 8 - Alaska Airlines 261

On the 21st of January 2000 at 3:50pm, a McDonnel Douglas MD83 flies above the Pacific Ocean, about 25 miles off the Californian coast of the United States. Alaska Airlines flight 261 departed from the international airport at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico about 2 and a half hours ago, bound for the United States. Its first planned stop is San Francisco, California, before its final destination of Seattle in the state of Washington. On board the flight are 83 passengers and 5 crew members. As well as the 5 crew members, an additional 25 passengers are connected with the airline in some way. It is common for Alaska Airlines to use underbooked flights to transport personnel. Today the McDonnell Douglas MD83 is being crewed by two highly experienced pilots. The Captain, Ted Thompson aged 53 is an air force veteran and has amassed nearly 18,000 hours of flight experience including more than 4,000 as pilot in command of the MD-80 series of aircraft. He is supported by First Officer Bill Tansky, aged 57 with more than 8,000 hours flight experience, almost all of which are at the controls of the MD-80 series of aircraft. Tansky is two years away from retirement from Alaska Airlines after a successful career. The MD-80 series of aircraft is derived from the venerable DC-9, with the fuselage being lengthened, more fuel efficient engines being fitted and advanced avionics being provided.

At this moment a crisis is unfolding in the aircraft which had its origins years earlier. What starts as a routine flight will turn into a battle between the pilots and the aircraft which will destroy them both.

[thedie-castaviator]

A very good detailed doco. A totally avoidable accident and an absolutely needless tragedy.

[jeanettea]

A horror story. Shouldn't that particular area of an airplane be examined every time the airplane lands and takes off? I can only imagine the terror these precious people went through.

[cathygreenlees]

At the first sign of trouble the pilots should have returned to the Mexican airport . Trouble shooting made the problem worse .

[pepperwestwood]

These are excellent. Great detail including sound effect and atc clips. Way more subs deserved. This was always one of the worst crashes Imo from the cause to the effect. Just brutal

[hhluvzmagik]

It was January 31st, 200. Not January 21st, 2000. And William Tansky was Navy, not Air Force.

[littlebadwolf]

Thank you. Could not find a tv documentary on this, but this was much better anyway. Very clear and informative and less disturbing than most re-enacted tv docs are. What I don't understand is why anyone decided to ever use this airline ever again after all that maintainance neglect came to light. It's absolutely disgusting and in my opinion no amount of accepting liability or future fixes should make up for that. I didn't lose anyone in that crash so my opinion isn't biassed. I just genuinely feel that a transportation business like that should go bankrupt and fast. Something like that is just too deep and gross betrayal of public trust. We're not paying shitload of money for tickets and airplain food so that they could play fast and loose on human lives. Yet it apparently is still even the fifth largest airline in the US. i guess most people are more forgiving than I am able to be. God's speed to anyone still using this airline. I personally wouldn't and would do everything in my power so that my loved ones wouldn't either. I do realize that any airline could have its problems, but I see no valid reason to use an airline that has been known to grossly risk lives in thd past.

[tony-cqkd]

13 minutes after takeoff i would of turned that jet around .

[azzalynnfenner]

Seeing this was so interesting for me. I live in Alaska, and I feel our state is often forgotten. About everything. It’s kind of hard to explain but you don’t really see Alaska pop up in YouTube videos or TikToks. I used to fly Alaska Airlines. The only airline my family flew. We now fly Delta. We had to by accident one and decided we liked it better. That doesn’t really matter just wanted to say that. Anyway, I’m watching plane documentaries, and scrolling through the videos under the video I see my State. That shocked me. Then Alaska Airlines. This was crazy for me that we finally get brought up. I’m sorry, I suck at explaining this. I guess you would have to live in Alaska to understand....

[gearoftones]

From a fellow scot, enjoying the show.

Have you done Aeroperu 603 yet?

[delecekatauskas]

Great video, thank you. The McDonnel Douglas planes seem to have lots of issues!

[timothyprice]

Anyone know where to listen to the black box with none of this narration.

[jordanrader]

Dam I wish they made it would’ve been a very cool story if they made it back to the airport a




UPSIDE DOWN until near landing

And should’ve made horizontal stabiliser able to handle the tension force if what happens happens then it wouldn’tve going into a death dive

[kevincallaghan]

Was hoping there was or could be some real cockpit stuff talk with the pilots but its hard to get i know

[kevinparks]

All you need to know is them people on that airplane got murdered by corporation greed there's no justice