Hero of the Week 111

Welcome back viewers

This week we will honor a team of heroes

They are...

The crew of United Airlines Flight 811

This flight was a regularly scheduled flight that took off from Los Angeles, California, and was supposed to eventually land in Sydney, Australia. Although nobody could have predicted it, the passengers and crew of Flight 811 would encounter one of the most terrifying accidents in the history of commercial flight. One that would put the crew's training and flight skills to the ultimate test. 

After loading passengers at Honolulu, Hawaii, Flight 811 took off for New Zealand at 1:52 AM in the morning of February 24, 1989. The pilots were, Captain David Cronin, First Officer Gregory Slader, and Flight Engineer Randal Thomas. Onboard were a total of 337 passengers and 18 crew members. In all, there were 355 people aboard United 811. 

Just seventeen minutes after takeoff, the passengers and crew began to hear a grinding noise coming from the front of the plane. Flight attendant Laura Brenlinger was ascending the plane's staircase when she heard a loud thump that shook the plane. A second and a half later, the thump was followed by a huge bang. Brentlinger found herself dangling from the staircase for a full six seconds as almost everything in the plane became airborne. She knew that the plane had just suffered an explosive decompression.

When the pressure equalized, the crew tried to take stalk of what had just happened. Oxygen masks quickly deployed so people could breath. Flight attendants quickly rushed to the scene and saw something horrifying. One of the plane's cargo doors had somehow unlocked. It was then ripped from the plane's side, creating a huge hole, and blowing out three rows of seats (with their passengers). 

After learning of what had happened, Captain Cronin and First Officer Slader quickly began an emergency descent and made a quick 180º left turn back to Honolulu. However, they began to feel heavy vibrations in their controls. They then realized that debris from the plane had damaged two of it's three engines. They were forced to shut them down. Despite this setback, Cronin, Slader, and Flight Engineer Thomas were able to complete a successful emergency landing just 22 minutes after the incident. Only then were they able to see the full damage done to the aircraft.

Aftermath

Tragically, nine passengers had been sucked out of the plane during the explosive decompression. Their bodies were never recovered. A further 38 passengers and crew were injured. An investigation into the disaster concluded that improper wiring and deficiencies within United 811's cargo door had caused it to open. When the flight took off, a short circuit caused the locks on the cargo door to rotate and unlock the door. As a result, aerodynamic forces were able to rip the door open and tear off, causing the explosive decompression. 

Despite the loss of nine passengers, the bravery and skill of the crew of United 811 had prevented further devastation. All of the remaining 346 passengers and crew had survived the ordeal. Captain Dave Cronin eventually retired from flying and lived a quiet life in Nevada. He passed away on October 4, 2010. First Officer Gregory Slader, passed away on Septermber 26, 2016. Today, the story of United Flight 811's brush with disaster is seen as both an example of a tragic malfunction and of great courage and skill. It is a story that will always deserve to be told.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/travel-troubles/103194922/from-the-archives-flight-811--the-untold-story

https://simpleflying.com/32-years-on-what-was-learnt-from-united-811s-explosive-decompression/

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2010/10/06/breaking-news/hero-pilot-of-united-flight-811-dies-at-age-81/