United flight 232 out of Denver was on its way to Chicago this afternoon. *** direct flight with no stops in Iowa. My first impression was that we were hit by another plane. The plane was jolted violently sideways and within *** few seconds, the captain came on to inform us that we had lost the number two engine. The pilot was attempting to make an emergency landing at Sioux City. At about four o'clock, emergency crews were standing by the emergency cockpit alarm sounded, I can't do it. And flight 232 flipped it cartwheeled down the runway and broke into *** million pieces. Disaster. Authorities say the break up of the 15 year old plane actually helped passengers to survive by giving them more openings through which to escape. The main section of the fuselage remained relatively intact but it caught fire immediately. It's believed that this is where many of the survivors were sitting in the plane. When it crashed. I grabbed the kid's hands and I told him I loved him very much and to do everything that they said and keep their heads down. Dr Marshall Silk saw the plane go down and was one of the first to reach the wreckage and aid survivors. He says it's *** miracle anyone walked away. It was the worst thing I've ever seen in my life. The pilot radioed in that the plane had problems, problems that turned out to be hydraulic failure throughout the aircraft. There are three hydraulic systems on the plane, one hooked up to each engine. Investigators want to know why all three failed and perhaps the best clues will come from these, the so called black boxes which contain data and voice recordings. The boxes were taken to Washington today to be analyzed by federal investigators. The pilot will also provide some clues to the cause of what was called *** complete failure of the hydraulic system. We had more than just an engine failure. It was apparent to us that we had lost all of our. And when I asked Dudley for the procedure for that, he said there isn't one. So we made it up as we went along 185 passengers and crew survived that fiery landing. But Haines most remembers the 111 people who didn't survive and to their families and their friends. I would like to say that this crew and in fact, the entire industry is dedicated to finding the cause of this accident. So maybe we can never have it happen again. Eventually, *** damaged engine rotor turned up in an Iowa farm field that innocuous looking ring is the part that malfunctioned and caused the crash. Federal investigators are focusing on *** small crack in the recovered disk as *** likely cause of the crash. And through this animated simulation, the engine maker has concluded damage found on parts of the DC 10 could have been caused by the disc breaking apart. Federal officials ordered ultrasonic testing of all CF six engine disk only last month after investigators identified the disc as *** factor in the Sioux City crash. 112 people did not survive 184 including Haynes did the 72 year old still lives with survivor's guilt though he says time has helped him heal and you have to talk and talking is that's how you cure yourself or how you learn to deal with it. I think about it all the time, but I don't think there's been *** day that's gone by that. I haven't thought about the crash and more so in the last few years, the impact it's had on my life changed people in significant ways. It changed me to the point where I look for the good of this world, not the negative. There are way too many good people, there are way too many good things happening in this world to focus on all the bad. And I think it really softened our hearts and gave us more compassion and empathy sympathy, all of those kinds of words and how to live our lives and how to deal with each other's. Despite the loss of life, people in Sioux City still have *** special name for the disaster to them. It will always be *** miracle in *** cornfield.
Here are some of the deadliest plane crashes in US history, including Flight 232 in Iowa
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Updated: 4:24 PM CST Jan 30, 2025
An American Airlines jet with 60 passengers and four crew members aboard collided Wednesday with an Army helicopter while coming in for a landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C.Everyone aboard was feared dead, officials said Thursday.Fatal crashes of commercial aircraft in the U.S. have become a rarity. The deadliest recent crash was in 2009 near Buffalo, New York. All 45 passengers and the four crew members were killed when the Bombardier DHC-8 propeller plane crashed into a house. One person on the ground also was killed.The collision Wednesday of the Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine plane and UH-60 Blackhawk occurred over the Potomac River and the aircraft fell into the water. In 1982 an Air Florida flight crashed into the Potomac and killed 78.More coverage of deadly D.C. crash:Collision between passenger jet and Army helicopter near DC kills 67Figure skaters and coaches on plane that collided midair near DC'Not sure how to process it': Tearful Nancy Kerrigan on plane crash that killed skaters from her home clubGasps heard on air traffic control audio as passenger jet, Army helicopter collide near DCHere are some of the deadliest commercial plane crashes in the U.S. since the Air Florida disaster, according to reports from the National Transportation Safety Board, including the crash of Flight 232 in Sioux City, which killed 110 passengers and one crew member.Feb. 12, 2009A Colgan Air plane crashed near Buffalo, New York, killing everyone aboard the Bombardier DHC-8 propeller plane, including 45 passengers, two pilots and two flight attendants. Another person on the ground also died, bringing the total death toll to 50.Aug. 27, 2006A Comair aircraft crashed when taking off in Lexington, Kentucky, after it left from the wrong runway and ran off the end. Two crew members and 47 passengers were killed.Nov. 12, 2001Just after takeoff, an American Airlines flight crashed into a residential area of Belle Harbor, New York. All 260 people aboard the plane were killed.Sept. 11, 2001Nearly 3,000 people were killed as 19 al-Qaida hijackers seized control of four jetliners, sending two of the planes into New York's World Trade Center, a third into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and the fourth into a field in western Pennsylvania. It remains the deadliest terror attack in history.Jan. 31, 2000An Alaska Airlines flight crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Anacapa Island, California. The crash killed 83 passengers and five crew members.July 17, 1996A Trans World Airlines flight crashed in the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York, on its way to Paris, France. All 230 people on board were killed, and the airplane was destroyed.May 11, 1996A Valujet Airlines flight crashed into the Everglades about 10 minutes after takeoff from the Miami International Airport. The crash killed all 105 passengers and five crew members.Oct. 31, 1994An American Eagle flight in Roselawn, Indiana, crashed, killing 64 passengers and four crew members.Sept. 8, 1994A USAir flight crashed while attempting to land in Pittsburgh. It killed 127 passengers and five crew members. The airplane was destroyed by the impact and fire.July 19, 1989A United Airlines flight experienced an engine failure and crashed while attempting to land in Sioux City, Iowa, killing 110 passengers and one crew member.More coverage:Des Moines flights to, from Washington D.C. canceled after passenger plane, Army helicopter collisionIowa leaders share reactions to deadly DC plane crashVideo appears to show plane, helicopter collide over Potomac RiverWitness describes seeing plane and helicopter collision from George Washington ParkwayVideo: American Airlines CEO releases statement after passenger plane, helicopter collide'It's very personal': Officials provide first update to plane crashAug. 16, 1987A Northwest Airlines flight crashed just after taking off in Romulus, Michigan, striking light poles, a rental car facility and the ground. The crash killed 148 passengers and six crew members.Aug. 2, 1985A Delta Air Lines flight crashed when approaching to land at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport during a thunderstorm. It struck a car and two water tanks, and killed 134 passengers and crew members.July 9, 1982A Pan American World Airways flight crashed just after takeoff near New Orleans, Louisiana, and collided with trees and houses, killing 145 people onboard.Jan. 13, 1982An Air Florida flight plummeted into the Potomac, killing 70 passengers and four crew members. That crash was attributed to bad weather.More vlog coverage from Flight 232 crashFormer Sioux City Fire Chief, Bob Hamilton, speaks outSurvivors recount their experience 10 years laterLast missing piece of Flight 232 plane found in Alta corn stalksFlight 232 Captain Al Haynes recounts what happened inside the cockpitSurvivors of Flight 232 share what they believed would be their final moments with familyHeroic crew of Flight 232 honored at Sioux City Air ShowFlight 232 pilot mourns the 112 lives lost at news conference
DES MOINES, Iowa — An while coming in for a landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C.
Everyone aboard was feared dead, officials said Thursday.
Fatal crashes of commercial aircraft in the U.S. have become a rarity. The deadliest recent crash was in 2009 near Buffalo, New York. All 45 passengers and the four crew members were killed when the Bombardier DHC-8 propeller plane crashed into a house. One person on the ground also was killed.
The collision Wednesday of the Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine plane and UH-60 Blackhawk occurred over the Potomac River and the aircraft fell into the water. In 1982 an Air Florida flight crashed into the Potomac and killed 78.
More coverage of deadly D.C. crash:
Here are some of the deadliest commercial plane crashes in the U.S. since the Air Florida disaster, according to reports from the National Transportation Safety Board, including the crash of Flight 232 in Sioux City, which killed 110 passengers and one crew member.
Feb. 12, 2009
A Colgan Air plane crashed near Buffalo, New York, killing everyone aboard the Bombardier DHC-8 propeller plane, including 45 passengers, two pilots and two flight attendants. Another person on the ground also died, bringing the total death toll to 50.
Aug. 27, 2006
A Comair aircraft crashed when taking off in Lexington, Kentucky, after it left from the wrong runway and ran off the end. Two crew members and 47 passengers were killed.
Nov. 12, 2001
Just after takeoff, an American Airlines flight crashed into a residential area of Belle Harbor, New York. All 260 people aboard the plane were killed.
Sept. 11, 2001
Nearly 3,000 people were killed as 19 al-Qaida hijackers seized control of four jetliners, sending two of the planes into New York's World Trade Center, a third into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and the fourth into a field in western Pennsylvania. It remains the deadliest terror attack in history.
Jan. 31, 2000
An Alaska Airlines flight crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Anacapa Island, California. The crash killed 83 passengers and five crew members.
July 17, 1996
A Trans World Airlines flight crashed in the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York, on its way to Paris, France. All 230 people on board were killed, and the airplane was destroyed.
May 11, 1996
A Valujet Airlines flight crashed into the Everglades about 10 minutes after takeoff from the Miami International Airport. The crash killed all 105 passengers and five crew members.
Oct. 31, 1994
An American Eagle flight in Roselawn, Indiana, crashed, killing 64 passengers and four crew members.
Sept. 8, 1994
A USAir flight crashed while attempting to land in Pittsburgh. It killed 127 passengers and five crew members. The airplane was destroyed by the impact and fire.
July 19, 1989
A United Airlines flight experienced an engine failure and crashed while attempting to land in Sioux City, Iowa, killing 110 passengers and one crew member.
More coverage:
Aug. 16, 1987
A Northwest Airlines flight crashed just after taking off in Romulus, Michigan, striking light poles, a rental car facility and the ground. The crash killed 148 passengers and six crew members.
Aug. 2, 1985
A Delta Air Lines flight crashed when approaching to land at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport during a thunderstorm. It struck a car and two water tanks, and killed 134 passengers and crew members.
July 9, 1982
A Pan American World Airways flight crashed just after takeoff near New Orleans, Louisiana, and collided with trees and houses, killing 145 people onboard.
Jan. 13, 1982
An Air Florida flight plummeted into the Potomac, killing 70 passengers and four crew members. That crash was attributed to bad weather.
More vlog coverage from Flight 232 crash
Former Sioux City Fire Chief, Bob Hamilton, speaks out
Survivors recount their experience 10 years later
Last missing piece of Flight 232 plane found in Alta corn stalks
Flight 232 Captain Al Haynes recounts what happened inside the cockpit
Survivors of Flight 232 share what they believed would be their final moments with family
Heroic crew of Flight 232 honored at Sioux City Air Show
Flight 232 pilot mourns the 112 lives lost at news conference
