83 feared dead in Alaska Airlines crash - Brief Article

Airline Industry Information, Feb 1, 2000

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2000 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

In a second sad day for commercial aviation Alaska Airlines flight 261 en route from Puerto Vallart, Mexico to San Francisco crashed off the coast of Los Angeles at about 4.45pm local time on 31 January.

The MD-80 aircraft was carrying 83 passengers and five crew and none are believed to have survived the impact into the ocean, with live videos of the crash scene showing only debris visible on the water. Several bodies have been recovered so far by an active Coast Guard search and recovery mission.

The aircraft had requested to divert to Los Angeles International Airport due to mechanical difficulties involving the stabilizer trim, but never made it. A spokesperson for LAX explained that the aircraft fell from 17,000 feet before disappearing from radar. The pilot had recently radioed in complaining of 'stabiliser trim' problems and requesting an emergency landing at Los Angeles airport.

Coast Guard officials sent out helicopters to investigate after reports of a loud crash near Point Mugu were radioed in and the National Transportation Safety Board will send a `go-team` of aircraft specialists and other personnel to formally investigate according to CNN.

The accident follows another crash by a Kenya Airways aircraft yesterday off the Cote d`Ivoire in which 169 people are believed to have been killed.

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