American Airlines Flight 191, The Deadliest Plane Crash In U.S. History, Happened Right Here In Illinois
If you grew up in Illinois or are a fan of aviation, you’ve probably heard the tragic tale of Flight 191. This American Airlines accident took place decades ago, but it is still fresh in the minds of many who witnessed it. Scroll on for the whole story.
Pilots and flight attendants still tell the tale to this day of American Airlines Flight 191, which is still known as the deadliest plane crash in U.S. history. On May 25, 1979, a plane began to take off from O'Hare like any other plane at any other time on any given day.
As the plane took off down the runway that afternoon, though, air traffic control noticed something falling away from the engine and a white vapor begin to emit. As the plane took off into the sky, the left engine and pylon tore loose, flipping over the wing and crashing to the concourse.
Without this vital piece of machinery, the plane sustained itself in the air for about ten seconds and at about 300 feet before faltering and eventually nose-diving into the ground and killing everyone on board.
Many ghost stories arose after this disastrous accident. Reports of white lights, screams, and other odd sights near the crash site have come up ever since.
An Illinois transplant who grew up and went to school in Indiana for 22 years, Elizabeth holds a BFA in creative writing and has enjoyed traveling across the country and parts of Europe. She has visited half of the states, as well as parts of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and regularly travels home to the Hoosier State to see friends and family. With more than five years of writing experience, Elizabeth’s articles have been featured on several websites, and her poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary journals.
