Capt. Al Haynes Speaks at Boeing Field

Yesterday, Milen and I went to see Captain Al Haynes, the captain of United Flight 232, speak at the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field in Seattle. The museum theatre was filled to capacity, and I actually ended up in an "overflow room" where the presentation was televised. Not great, but as a pilot, I was just happy to get a chance to be there and listen to Capt. Haynes.

Imagine an aircraft with 3 independent hydraulic systems -- any one of which enabled the cockpit crew to fully control the flight surfaces of the airplane. The odds of all three failing at the same time were calculated as one billion to one. Yet, on July 19, 1989, all three failed, rendering the DC-10-10 unflyable... Somehow, and against all odds, the crew managed to "control" the airplane with differential power alone and put the crippled aircraft at Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City, Iowa.

There were 185 survivors out of 296 on board. Capt. Haynes spoke about the survival aspects of the incident, and why so many survived. Luck had a lot to do with it, but preparedness and adherence to Standard Operating Procedures played a major role as well. For example, Sioux City just completed an airplane crash disaster drill. In the cockpit, Capt. Haynes made the use of all available resources, including an off-duty DC-10 check airman, and the crew exhibited excellent CRM. They were prepared.

I learned about Capt. Haynes coming to town from faasafety.gov (well, actually Milen did, and he forwarded me the info -- thanks!) If you hear about Capt. Haynes coming to where you live, make sure to go and see him - it's well worth your time!