Alaska Airlines Flight 261: 25 Years Later
Plane crashes are always tragic — but few haunt aviation history like Alaska Airlines Flight 261.
On January 31, 2000, the MD-83 aircraft plunged into the Pacific Ocean en route from Puerto Vallarta to Seattle, killing all 88 aboard. Among the dead were families, crew, and notable passengers, including author Jean Gandesbery and former Alaska Bureau of Indian Affairs commissioner Morris Thompson.
What was supposed to be a routine flight ended in catastrophe due to a failed jackscrew — a small but vital part controlling the plane’s stabilizer. Investigators later found the jackscrew’s Acme nut worn down and completely ungreased, the result of neglected maintenance.
Pilots Captain Ted Thompson and First Officer Bill Tansky, both highly experienced, fought heroically to control the aircraft, even flying inverted in a desperate final attempt. Their efforts earned them posthumous heroism awards.
The NTSB cited “excessive wear” and poor maintenance as the cause, prompting 24 safety recommendations to prevent future tragedies.
Now, newly released cockpit audio has reignited public memory — a chilling reminder of how one overlooked detail can cost dozens of lives.