Airplane has been proven to be the safest method of travel, but that doesn’t take away the anxiety many people have about it. Unfortunately, accidents do happen, and many Texans remember watching the tragedy of the 1985 Delta Airlines Flight 191 crash unfold right before their eyes.
On August 2, 1985, the crew decided to fly through a thunderstorm, which resulted in a loss of control of the aircraft and, ultimately, the deadly crash itself. Keep scrolling to read more about the terrible tragedy.
En route to Los Angeles from Fort Lauderdale, the flight had a scheduled stop at the DFW airport. While preparing to land, the plane encountered a microburst, which is a strong gust of wind during a thunderstorm. This is what ended up causing the deadly crash.
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The plane was supposed to land at number two on this diagram but ended up crashing at three, which was the westbound lane of Highway 114. Unfortunately, a car was traveling directly in the line of fire and the driver was killed instantly upon impact.
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Pictured below is a seating chart showing all the deaths and injuries. 137 people were killed — 128 of the 152 passengers, 8 of the 11 crew members, and the driver of the car. This crash had the second-highest death toll in the world of any accident involving this type of plane.
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Here’s a video further explaining the crash:
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The crash has been the subject of many movies and TV shows, hopefully bringing to light the dangers of flying through thunderstorms and encouraging airlines to delay or cancel flights that may involve more turbulence than is generally deemed safe.
Do you remember the Delta Airlines Flight 191 crash? It was an event that many Texans will never forget.
For more tragedies in Texas that you might have a vivid recollection of, read The 11 Most Horrifying Disasters That Ever Happened In Texas.
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