The True Story of the Heroes of Flight 705: A Tale of Courage, Sacrifice, and Triumph

Hijacked: The True Story Of The Heroes Of Flight 705

by Dave Hirschman

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3564 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	276 pages

FREE

On January 31, 2002, Alaska Airlines Flight 705, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83, took off from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) bound for San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The flight was carrying 83 passengers and five crew members.

Shortly after takeoff, at an altitude of approximately 10,000 feet, the aircraft's left engine suffered a catastrophic failure. The engine exploded, sending shrapnel tearing through the fuselage and severing hydraulic lines.

The plane was immediately thrown into a violent roll, and the cockpit was filled with smoke and flames. The pilots, Captain William "Bill" Tansky and First Officer Steve Cooley, struggled to control the aircraft.

Despite the chaos and the imminent danger, the flight crew remained calm and collected. They worked together to stabilize the aircraft and issued a mayday call to air traffic control.

As the plane descended rapidly, the crew prepared the passengers for a crash landing. They instructed the passengers to brace themselves for impact and to put on their oxygen masks.

Meanwhile, the passengers on Flight 705 were in a state of panic. Many of them had witnessed the engine explosion and realized the severity of the situation.

Among the passengers was a group of young children from a local elementary school. The children were on their way to San Francisco for a field trip.

One of the children, a 10-year-old girl named Sarah, was sitting in the back of the plane. She recalled the moment the engine exploded:

"I saw a big flash of light, and then there was a loud bang. The plane started shaking violently, and I thought we were going to crash."

Despite the terror, Sarah remained calm and listened to the instructions of the flight crew. She put on her oxygen mask and braced herself for impact.

As the plane continued to descend, the pilots realized that they would not be able to reach SFO. They decided to attempt an emergency landing at a small airport in Oxnard, California.

The landing was extremely difficult, but the pilots were able to bring the plane down safely. The aircraft skidded off the runway and came to a stop in a field.

The passengers and crew of Flight 705 had survived the crash, but their ordeal was not over. The plane was badly damaged, and there was a fire in the fuselage.

The passengers and crew evacuated the plane and gathered in a field near the crash site. They were all shaken and injured, but they were alive.

The heroes of Flight 705 were not only the pilots and crew, but also the passengers. They remained calm and collected in the face of danger, and they assisted each other in the evacuation.

The crash of Flight 705 was a tragic event, but it was also a story of courage, sacrifice, and triumph. The heroic efforts of the flight crew and passengers saved the lives of everyone on board.

The story of Flight 705 is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope. It is a story of human resilience and the power of teamwork.

The Aftermath

In the aftermath of the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducted an investigation into the cause of the accident.

The NTSB determined that the crash was caused by a fatigue crack in the left engine's fan disk. The crack had been growing for some time, and it eventually led to the catastrophic failure.

The NTSB also found that Alaska Airlines had not followed proper maintenance procedures, which contributed to the accident.

As a result of the crash, the NTSB made a number of recommendations to improve aviation safety. These recommendations included:

1. Requiring airlines to inspect fan disks more frequently.
2. Improving the training of mechanics who inspect fan disks.
3. Developing new technologies to detect fatigue cracks in fan disks.

The crash of Flight 705 also led to changes in the way that airlines train their flight crews. Flight crews are now required to receive more training on how to handle engine failures and other emergencies.

The Legacy of the Heroes of Flight 705

The heroes of Flight 705 are remembered for their courage, sacrifice, and teamwork. They saved the lives of everyone on board, and their story continues to inspire people today.

In 2004, a memorial was dedicated at the crash site in Oxnard, California. The memorial bears the names of the passengers and crew who died in the crash, as well as the names of the survivors.

The story of Flight 705 is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope. It is a story of human resilience and the power of teamwork.

The heroes of Flight 705 will never be forgotten.

Hijacked: The True Story Of The Heroes Of Flight 705

by Dave Hirschman

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3564 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	276 pages

FREE