Statistically speaking, flying is the safest way to travel.
Still, many of us live in constant fear of the possibility of a plane crash. There were probably a few folks aboard Western Airlines Flight 2605 feeling the exact same way when it crashed while approaching Mexico City in 1979.
The crash occurred after the pilots made a mistake and landed the plane on a runway that was closed for maintenance. Even more tragic is that the pilots realized their mistake in the final moments before impact.
However, their fate was sealed when one of the plane’s wheels struck a truck that was parked on the runway. Their final seconds were captured in a shocking cockpit recording that was recovered after the crash.
Consider yourself warned, because this is pretty gut-wrenching stuff.
It’s amazing how disturbing a 28-second recording can be.
The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 crashed at Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport in the early morning.
(via Reddit)
Of the 88 people on board, only 16 walked away. One person on the ground was also killed. The most likely cause of the accident was determined to be “Non-compliance with the meteorological minima for the approach procedure, as cleared; failure to comply with the aircraft’s operating procedures during the approach phase, and landing on a runway closed to traffic.“
We all make mistakes, but it’s so tragic when the mistakes of a few people take so many lives.