Before Sully Sullenberger

[Alpe d'Huez]

Many years before captain Chesley Sullenberger landed Flight 1549 on the Hudson River, heroic pilots at the controls of a crippled DC-10 landed United 232 in Sioux City, Iowa with no hydraulics, using only the engines - an impossible task not one single pilot could successfully re-create in simulators. The plane crash landed, but many lives were saved.

Today, Denny Fitch, a captain who just happened to be getting a free ride in the cabin but was a key pilot in bringing the aircraft to the ground, has passed away. A true American hero who was very modest about his miraculous accomplishments.

Short article on Fitch's life and passing.

Here's a documentary on United 232, with several interviews with Fitch.

And a photo of the plane coming in to land, it's tail section shredded.

 

[Amsterhammer]

I remember seeing the film about this years ago on the National Geographic channel in their series of air crash investigations, and being duly impressed by "those magnificent men in their flying machines". I believe the wreck caught fire iirc, but a substantial number of passengers were saved.

Nothing but the greatest respect for these guys.

 

[The Hitch]

Many years before captain Chesley Sullenberger landed Flight 1549 on the Hudson River, heroic pilots at the controls of a crippled DC-10 landed United 232 in Sioux City, Iowa with no hydraulics, using only the engines - an impossible task not one single pilot could successfully re-create in simulators. The plane crash landed, but many lives were saved.

Today, Denny Fitch, a captain who just happened to be getting a free ride in the cabin but was a key pilot in bringing the aircraft to the ground, has passed away. A true American hero who was very modest about his miraculous accomplishments.

Short article on Fitch's life and passing.

Here's a documentary on United 232, with several interviews with Fitch.

And a photo of the plane coming in to land, it's tail section shredded.

Yep. A true hero.

These are the kind of people that should be getting state honours and front page obituaries when they die.

 

[Descender]

Wow, didn't know about this incident. Very impressive.

So if I understood correctly, the pilot could not move the flaps, etc., so he had to try and land the plane using only the thrust of the engines? How did so many people manage to survive?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

You are correct. No flaps, no rudder, no hydraulics at all, none. They had only engine thrust to control the aircraft. Plus, the tail engine was not functioning. What mostly happened is that Captain Al Haynes kept an eye on the attitude (angle) and heading of the aircraft with help from the first officer, while Fitch knelt on the floor and moved the two outer engine throttles to help "steer" the aircraft following Haynes suggestions.

These are the kind of people that should be getting state honours and front page obituaries when they die.

Agree Hitch, which is why I shared the links. In a world filled with so much greed and selfishness, corrupt politicians, and athletes on drugs or with paid bounties to hurt one another, I felt the need to share that there are still amazing people on this planet, and we lost one of them this week. But what a life he lived.

 

[The Hitch]

Yeah. Thanks for the thread and bringing it to our attention.

 

[patricknd]

i loved this quote:

"To find out that 112 people didn't make it, that just about destroyed me," he once said. "I would have given my life for any of them. It was a really tough time."

i remember him saying this in an interview and crying over those that didn't make it. i still cry when i think about it, and that sentiment says it all about the man. god speed, captain