Mayday S12E10 - Focused on Failure (United Airlines Flight 173)
Mayday (2003)
S12E10 Focused on Failure (United Airlines Flight 173)
Episode Overview
On December 28, 1978, United Airlines Flight 173's crew becomes deeply fixated on a malfunctioning landing gear while circling over Portland, Oregon. As they remain in a holding pattern, the plane depletes its fuel reserves and ultimately crashes in a lightly populated area, resulting in 10 fatalities and 24 serious injuries among the 189 passengers and crew. The NTSB's investigation highlighted that the pilot ignored critical fuel warnings from the crew, who also struggled with effective communication. This tragedy prompted the aviation industry to adopt Crew Resource Management (CRM) practices to enhance safety.