Douglas DC-8 crash, Dec 28, 1978 (10 killed), Portland-In...
Douglas DC-8 accident on December 28, 1978 near Portland-Intl Oregon, United States with 10 fatalities. Cause: The captain failed to monitor the fuel...
- Date: December 28, 1978
- Aircraft: Douglas DC-8
- Location: Portland-Intl Oregon, United States
- Fatalities: 10
- Phase of flight: Approach and landing
- Cause: The captain failed to monitor the fuel state and respond to low fuel warnings and crew advisories. He was preoccupied with a landing gear malfunction and preparations for a possible landing emergency, which led to fuel exhaustion of all engines. The other flight crew members did not fully convey how critical the fuel situation was.
United Airlines Flight 173, a DC-8-61 on a scheduled flight from New York via Denver to Portland, held for about an hour with a landing gear problem and then ran out of fuel on approach. The aircraft crashed in a wooded suburban area about 6 nautical miles southeast of Portland International Airport. Ten occupants were killed. The aircraft was destroyed and there was no fire.