For the next few minutes, they calculated landing weights and center of gravity and other values while controllers in Los Angeles prepared to accommodate them. Within the next several minutes the pilots expected to pass abeam Los Angeles off the coast, and they were strongly considering a diversion to LAX, given that none of their troubleshooting had fixed the problem. The threads eventually lost up to 90% of their thickness, compared to 22% at the maximum wear depth of one millimeter. With the jackscrew completely separated from the nut, aerodynamic forces acting on the stabilizer pushed it up beyond the normal full nose down position, halting only when the mechanical stop on the bottom of the jackscrew slammed into the nut. The basic design of the stabilizer is relatively simple. LOS ANGELES -- Federal authorities have arrested a former Alaska Airlines captain on federal charges of piloting a plane while intoxicated. In 1998, fed up with a maintenance environment that did not seem to prioritize safety, John Liotine blew the whistle and alerted the FAA to some of Alaskas numerous violations. Rescue vessels raced to the crash site three kilometers east of Anacapa Island in the Santa Barbara Channel, hoping to find survivors. / CBS News. CNN A former Alaska Airlines pilot plans to plead guilty in California to flying with a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit for pilots. Most importantly, the National Transportation Safety Board excoriated Alaska Airlines decision to increase the intervals between jackscrew lubrications and wear inspections, and the FAAs approval of these intervals, which it considered to be a direct cause of the accident. Tragically, they didnt. SkyWest 5154, the MD-80 is one becoming two oclock about ten miles now. Miles Clemetson, 6, SeattleThe son of Carolyn Clemetson from a previous marriage, Miles attended John Hay Elementary School on Queen Anne Hill with his stepsisters. James Jay Luque, 40, San FranciscoMr. Dr. David Clemetson, 40, SeattleA specialist in infectious diseases, Dr. Clemetson was traveling with his wife, Carolyn Clemetson, and the couples four blended-family children, Coriander, Blake, Miles and Spencer Clemetson. In theory this was adequate, but only if the grease was applied correctly every time. Both were Alaskan natives. By 2000, Alaska Airlines only inspected the wear on the jackscrew nut every 30 months, equivalent to 9,550 flight hours, whereas the manufacturer recommended an interval no larger than 7,200 flight hours. No survivors Erickson indicated that he and the pilot had been drinking alcoholic beverages, investigator Brice Banning wrote. She was a treasured volunteer at a Eugene elementary school. But in the end he was forced to accept a mere $500,000 settlement, far less than the $20 million he had sought, and only then on the condition that he resign from his job. Therefore the interval between jackscrew inspections was effectively increased from 26 to 30 months without the FAA spending a single minute looking into whether or not this was appropriate. Upon deplaning in San Diego, he was randomly selected for drug and alcohol testing by the carrier. Join the discussion of this article on Reddit! Following the crash and the damning FAA special inspection report, Alaska Airlines overhauled its maintenance program, including through its compliance with a new FAA airworthiness directive mandating that the jackscrew lubrication interval not exceed 650 flight hours. What temperature outside is unsafe for babies? CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Consequences of Flying Drunk So what happens when a pilot is arrested for flying under the influence? I clicked it off, Thompson said. Coriander Clemetson, 8, SeattleShe was a quiet, poised student at John Hay Elementary School on Queen Anne Hill. The Piper PA-22-150 left Girdwood at about 4:15 p.m. and crashed 15 minutes later in steep terrain on Goat Mountain, investigators said. On board the stricken MD-83, the pilots managed to slow the dive somewhat, pulling up from 70 degrees nose down to 28 degrees, but the plane remained inverted, falling upside down toward the rapidly approaching ocean at a high rate of speed. By now the plane had leveled out at about 23,500 feet, after plunging 7,500 feet in 80 seconds. The free-swinging stabilizer rotated up past its stop, slamming back against the aerodynamic fairing that encased the tail. Nina Voronoff, 32, San FranciscoA nurse at the pediatric cancer unit at the University of California, San Francisco, she had gone to Mexico for a yoga retreat and was met by her boyfriend, Larry Baldridge Jr. Renato Bermudez, 39, San FranciscoMr. Thus the fundamental principle of redundancy was violated. Web3.3M views 1 year ago Air Alaska Flight 261 dives into the ocean shortly after takeoff, killing the 88 passengers and crew on board. It might be mechanical damage too. He had planned to spend his retirement trading stocks on the Internet and taking leisurely afternoon walks with his wife of 30 years, Bonnie. Rodney Pearson, 45, SeattleMr. (Alaska specifically did this every 30 months, or 9,550 flight hours.) In September 2000, he filed a $20 million libel lawsuit against Alaska Airlines, arguing that he had been right all along and that Alaska had maliciously harmed his reputation. This may seem strange to make such a change in the cabin based on a superstitious belief. The first flight was from San Diego International Airport to Portland, Oregon. A former Alaska Airlines captain faces jail time for piloting a plane carrying passengers while under the influence of alcohol, over four years after the incident took place. A former Alaska Airlines captain faces jail time for piloting a plane carrying passengers while under the influence of alcohol, over four years after the incident took place. Yeah, I heard it, said Thompson. Lorna Thorgrimson, 52, PoulsboTraveling with her husband, Robert Thorgrimson, Mrs. Thorgrimson was also accompanied by her close friends, Patty and Bob Williams. William Bryant, 45, San FranciscoMr. He then flew a plane from Portland, Oregon, to John Wayne Airport in Orange County. They had run out of altitude. On board flight 261, Captain Thompson vented to First Officer Tansky: Drives me nuts, he said. The pilots consisted of Captain Edward (Ted) Thompson, 53, who had 17,750 flight hours, and had more than 4,000 hours experience flying MD-80s. Shortly after the accident, Liotine discovered that the jackscrew nut he had inspected in 1997 was not in fact replaced and had actually gone on to cause the crash. Technical logs fell through the cracks; critical forms were left incomplete; paperwork was outright falsified to show work done when it was not. The turn of the millennium had just come and gone, and the future again seemed limitless. Thompson was an Air Force veteran who had flown for Alaska Airlines for more than 17 years. In fact, by now there were several other airplanes in the area that were keenly watching the unfolding situation. Gotta get it over again said Thompson. You mean, use this again? Tansky asked, presumably pointing at the trim switches. WebOn Flight 261, the nut portion of the jackscrew (located on the horizontal stabilizer) screwed itself off the jackscew. Finally, the Safety Board also felt that there were lessons to be learned from the actions of the pilots. At that moment they effectively were dead. The effect was immediate and catastrophic, as his inputs ripped out whatever threads remained on the jackscrew nut. Investigators also found that the planes gross weight at the time of the accident was about 50 pounds (22.7 kilograms) over the approved maximum. She had treated herself to a weekend getaway in Puerto Vallarta and was scheduled to go on the air two hours after the flight was expected to land in San Francisco. Meanwhile in the cockpit, the pilots tried to figure out what had happened. Fox News Alexandra Deabler contributed to this report. Pilots Thompson and Tansky disconnected the autopilot to see what they were up against, and found that the stabilizer had jammed slightly nose down, requiring constant force on the elevators to overcome it and continue climbing. Web19K views 2 years ago. All large airplanes have what is referred to as a trimmable horizontal stabilizer. When he measured the wear on the jackscrew nut and found it to be exactly one millimeter (0.040in), he concluded that the nut had reached the end of its service life and issued a work card ordering its replacement. Thompson was an Air Force veteran who had flown for Alaska Airlines for more than 17 years. You got it?. The airline ended up being fined a mere $44,000 for allowing planes to fly 840 times without properly completed maintenance records. How should I dress my baby in a 70 degree room at night? It worked. The main character Whip Whitaker (played by Denzel Washington) has been through a divorce and the estrangement from his son. Linda Knight, 51, MonroeLinda Knight, co-pastor and missionary with her husband, Joe Knight, overcame her fear of public speaking by practicing while standing on a stump in her yard. Anjesh Prasad, 19, BurienA 1998 Highline High School graduate and dedicated sports fan, he worked as a ground service agent for Horizon Air. As far as the pilots were concerned, the electric motors had probably seized and they could fly on to San Francisco without trimming the stabilizer. They heard a helicopter, but they were unable to fire the flare gun successfully and the helicopter left. Its on the stop now, its on the stop, Thompson said. Erickson indicated that he and the pilot had been drinking alcoholic beverages, investigator Brice Banning wrote. It was clear that nobody had survived the crash. He was remembered for being a friendly neighbor and loving owner of two golden retrievers, Casey and Emma, and he loved to play the clarinet. Video Alaska Airlines Pilot Accused of Flying Drunk - ABC News Jimmy Carter Kellie Pickler's husband dies Georgia shooting Escaped NYC zoo owl Tesla union launch Alaska Airlines Pilot Accused of Flying Drunk Authorities say 60-year-old David Hans Arnston flew drunk twice in one day. Carol Karlsson, 42, Petaluma, Calif.Wife of Karl Karlsson, she was fun-loving and cheerful. According to the criminal complaint filed Tuesday, Arntson was the pilot of two Alaska Airlines flights on in June 2014, in which he was under the influence. Holy shit, said Thompson, pulling back hard on the controls. Four minutes later, a warning light illuminated to inform the crew that the autopilot was unable to move the stabilizer. A former Alaska Airlines captain faces jail time for piloting a plane carrying passengers while under the influence of alcohol, over four years after the incident took place. It looks like hes turning hes turning over in front of you now, said the controller. Note: this accident was previously featured in episode 2 of the plane crash series on September 16th, 2017, prior to the series arrival on Medium. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) The pilot of an airplane in a fatal Alaska crash had six times the legal limit of alcohol in his system for flying, according to federal investigators. She is also survived by a son, Richard, in the Bay Area. Rachel Janosik, 20, BellevueA graduate of Enumclaw High School, she was traveling with former schoolmates Ryan Sparks and Meghann Hall. The problem, again, was a lack of redundancy: if the threads on the nut failed, there was no other structure that could absorb the load, and the catastrophic failure of the trim system leading to the loss of the airplane was inevitable. Still descending at high speed, flight 261s engines proved unable to keep combustion going in such an unusual attitude and started to stall with a series of loud bangs. January 22, 2016 Examined 9:54 Whats next for Kick! he shouted. WebAlaska Flight 261 Pilots Awarded ALPA Gold Medal Air Line Pilot, March 2001, p. 22 By Chris Dodd, Staff Writer Two Alaska Airlines pilots who fought until their last moments to regain control of their MD-80 despite an inoperative horizontal stabilizer have been honored with ALPAs Gold Medal for Heroism in a special ceremony in Seattle. But the mechanism by which Alaska Airlines fell to such a dismal level of safety is not entirely gone. But neither of the applicable checklists said anything about landing at the nearest available airport, and by the time they finished the checklists and leveled off at 31,000 feet, minimal effort was required to keep the plane flying level. Yeah, we tried everything together, said Thompson. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Mr. Williams wore a ring identifying him as a Mason; the ring was found off the California coast and saved as a gift for his daughter, Tracy Knizek. School counselors said she and her friend, Rachel Janosik, were funny, enjoyable, mature young women. He was traveling with his wife, Barbara Ryan, and their sons, Bradford Patrick Ryan and James Ryan, and five friends of James Ryan. Not that I want to go on about it you know, it just blows me away they think were gonna land, theyre gonna fix it, now theyre worried about the flow. It got worse, okay. Violent vibrations shook the airplane. Avinesh Prasad, 19, BurienA beloved employee of HomeGrocer.com and a star on the company soccer team, he moved from Fiji with his family when he was 18. Jean Permison, 73, Scotts Valley, Calif.The mother of Ileana Ost, she had gone with her family for a long-awaited vacation celebrating her 73rd birthday. Traveling with Colleen Whorley in Mexico, he e-mailed a friend poetic descriptions of their time together. On the basis of these measurements, the shift supervisors overruled Liotines earlier work order and cleared the plane to fly. Described as the mother hen of the block, Mrs. Pearson was the block-party organizer and Christmas-party hostess. Also killed was the airplanes owner, Karl Erickson, 55, and David Osborn, 60, both of Girdwood, and Paul Wiley, 37, of Superior, Arizona. He had gone to Mexico with his cousins, Anjesh Prasad and Avinesh Prasad, to celebrate. Under the terms of the plea agreement unveiled Tuesday, he will serve one year and a day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, according to the plea agreement obtained by CNN. Kristin Mills, 26, Las VegasShe lived in Las Vegas with her husband of three years, Dave, but kept a home in Seattle so she could work at her dream job as a flight attendant with Alaska Airlines. Arntson was selected for random drug and alcohol testing by Alaska Airlines at at John Wayne Airport after landing. The maintenance technician, having received all the information he could get, said, Okay, thank you sir, see you there., Meanwhile, the conversation had apparently encouraged Captain Thompson to try moving the stabilizer again. Among major US airlines, Alaska has charted perhaps the most unusual course across its long and fascinating history. Weve run just about everything. Alaska Airlines flight AS261 crashed on January 31, 2000, about 1621 Pacific standard time, Alaska Airlines, Inc., flight AS261, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83, N963AS : it crashed into the Pacific Ocean about 2.7 miles north of Anacapa Island, California.. And more than 21 years after the crash of flight 261, it is far from clear that the FAA is any less understaffed than it was when it let safety at Alaska Airlines fall to pieces at the cost of 88 lives. A Warner Bros. That was the how but the bigger question was why. SkyWest 5154, you still got your eyes on him, sir?. And therein lay the problem: throughout the period leading up to the crash, Alaska Airlines slowly removed all the procedural layers of redundancy which were designed to prevent the jackscrew from deteriorating to the point of failure. As Fred Miller, father of crash victim Abby Miller-Busche, put it in a 2003 interview, It seems like such an unholy type of loss. The outcomes of wrongful death suits against Alaska filed by the victims families are unknown, but it has been reported that the airline eventually settled with the families out of court for a total of at least $300 million, all of which was covered by insurance. Steve Wilkie, 38, San FranciscoThe brand manager of the Levi Strauss Silvertab clothing line, Mr. Wilkie had recently received the companys exalted Koshman Award in recognition for his work on marketing in Europe. LOS ANGELES -- Federal authorities have arrested a former Alaska Airlines captain on federal charges of piloting a plane while intoxicated. Thompson was an Air Force veteran who had flown for Alaska Airlines for more than 17 years. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS. Craig Pulanco was working as a flight attendant aboard Flight 261. Although the exact identity of the Eskimo is unknown, some believe it to be the face of either Chester Seveck, a reindeer herder in Kotzebue, or Oliver Amouak, an Inupiat Eskimo. It can be interpreted (and alcoholics often reverse the order in their mind) that he therefore feels lost and is drinking and using drugs to run away from that sadness. Push and roll! Thompson shouted, trying to coordinate with Tansky to roll the plane right-side-up. Contact me via @Admiral_Cloudberg on Reddit, @KyraCloudy on Twitter, or by email at kyracloudy97@gmail.com. All rights reserved. Federal regulations limit alcohol levels to 0.04 for airplane crew members. He lived in Brier with his partner, Charlene Sipe. I dont know, my adrenalines going, said Thompson. David Hans Arntson, 60, was arrested Wednesday morning and arraigned in federal court in Los Angeles, according to a Department of Justice news release. She and her husband preached at The Rock Church Northwest in Monroe, home base for their Full Gospel non-denominational ministry. I dont anticipate any big problems once we get a couple of sub systems on the line. The flight departs from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and arrives in Haines, Skip to content Hes ah, down.. CNN has reached out to Alaska Airlines for comment. When greased regularly, the nut on the MD-80 series is designed to last for 30,000 flight hours before requiring replacement long enough that most planes will see only two or three different jackscrew nuts during their entire time in service. By nightfall, working with the help of flood lights from squid fishing boats, recovery workers managed to find just seven bodies. His attorney, Dyke Huish, said Arnston had a perfect safety record over his nearly 30-year career, and never tested positive for alcohol before that incident. Uh, its a lot worse than it was? Tansky asked. The pilot of Flight 261, Capt. Do smaller potatoes take less time to bake. First Officer William Tansky, 57, Alameda, Calif.The co-pilot on Flight 261, he was two years from retirement. According to court documents, Arntson piloted two Alaska Airlines flights on June 20, 2014. She had gone with her family to Mexico to celebrate the birthday of her mother, Jean Permison. January 22, 2016 Examined 9:54 Whats next for He was with his wife, Ileana, their 4-month-old daughter, Emily, and his mother and her longtime companion. He moved to San Francisco last year. WebAlaska Airlines Flight 261 was a flight from Licenciado Gustavo Daz Ordaz International Airport in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, to SeattleTacoma International Airport in Seattle, Washington, United States, with an intermediate stop at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, California. The longer it went without being greased properly, the faster the jackscrew wore down the threads on the nut. The seemingly simple task of greasing the jackscrew was not immune to this degradation of the maintenance environment. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) The pilot of an airplane in a fatal Alaska crash had six times the legal limit of alcohol in his system for flying, according to federal investigators. Many workers who greased jackscrews didnt apply additional grease to the screw itself after greasing the nut. He also served for a time with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The two worked together several years at the Roy Potter Insurance Agency. He was working in Microsofts games group as a temporary employee for ArtSource. He is a resident of Newport Beach, California. David Hans Arntson's deal includes a year in federal prison, He'll also get three years of supervised release. You got it? At 16:09, he said, Im gonna click it off. After four days in the woods, they were rescued and taken to Boise Memorial. Karl Karlsson, 51, Petaluma, Calif.The jovial former San Francisco police officer loved fun and parties. Barbara Hatleberg, 64, Eugene, Ore.The wife of Glenn Hatleburg, mother of three and grandmother of two, she was retired but used her skills at accounting and finance to volunteer in the office of her church. But as the airline began cutting costs over the following decade, one of the areas that got put on the chopping block was maintenance. Numerous people saw the plane flying parallel to a mountain ridge before it turned and descended. Were going to LAX, Thompson told the dispatcher. But in the end, Alaska all but got away with it. He was a favored friend in the neighborhood where he lived with his wife, Marilyn. Possibly. If a pilot is discovered to have a BAC of 0.04 or more, the FAA can have the pilots license suspended for a year or place criminal charges, even if they havent taken off in an aircraft. Neither the electric switches (which the pilots called pickle switches) nor the fully manual trim handles (referred to as the suitcase handles) could move the stabilizer. The flight, eventually bound for Seattle, crashed off the California coast on Jan. 31, 2000. Yeah, we are out of 26,000 feet, we are in a vertical dive not a dive yet, but uh, weve lost vertical control of our airplane., However, slowly but surely, Thompson and Tansky started to rein in their excessive speed and flatten out the slope of the dive. According to the plea agreement, both breathalyzer tests performed on Arnston were well above the federal limit of 0.04 percent for pilots, indicating blood alcohol concentrations of 0.134 and 0.142 percent, over three times the legal limit. Aloysius Han, 65, Oakland, Calif.A retired architect for Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Mr. Han often traveled to Mexico, where he owned a condominium and other property. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Average Alaska Airlines Pilot yearly pay in the United States is approximately $186,628, which is 234% above the national average. As flight 261 climbed through 23,400 feet at approximately 13:49 that day, the badly worn threads started to tear away from the nut, wrapping themselves around the jackscrew and causing the stabilizer to jam. She is survived by her mother, Dr. Claire Barnett of Seattle, a family-practice doctor. View on timesmachine. He worked at Travel Trends in San Francisco, and was traveling with a friend, James Luque. There is a long-held belief in many cultures that the number 13 is unlucky. More importantly, investigators felt that the pilots should not have attempted to troubleshoot the problem after exhausting the procedures in the checklist, considering that they didnt know the extent of the damage. Bradford Patrick Ryan, 33, RedmondThe trip to Mexico with his parents, Terry and Barbara Ryan, was meant in part to celebrate his graduation from Washington State University with a civil-engineering degree. Thats affirm, said Thompson. Blake Clemetson, 7, SeattleBlake was Corianders younger sister, the daughter of Dr. David Clemetson and his first wife, Dr. Claire Barnett. The revelations were in a report by the National Transportation Safety Board, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Market data provided by Factset. Alaska Airlines had hung him out to dry, and to add insult to injury, his blowing the whistle failed to prevent the crash of flight 261. Federal regulations limit alcohol levels to 0.04 for airplane crew members.Were the bodies of Flight 261 recovered? Federal regulations limit alcohol levels to 0.04 for airplane crew members.Were the bodies of Flight 261 recovered? You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Joyce Lake, 62, Corte Madera, Calif.She was the top seller at a local real-estate brokerage, an avid community activist and mother of three grown sons. Legal Statement. Larry Baldridge Jr., 34, Novato, Calif.A businessman with a knack for the Internet, he was working to set up venture-capital business with Michael Schwab, the son of legendary brokerage leader Charles Schwab. A JetBlue pilot was removed from the cockpit of a flight and taken into custody in the US after having a blood-alcohol level more than four times the federal limit for pilots. The US aviation industry has nevertheless managed to go a long time without another major crash, but as for whether something like Alaska 261 could happen again well, never say never. Had it been inspected after 7,200 flight hours instead of 9,550, the excessive wear would have been discovered before the crash. Michael Bernard, 30, SeattleA music lover, Mr. Bernard owned four guitars and cut a compact disc of original rock songs for his parents, Paul and Irene Bernard of Kirkland. In hindsight, the crew should have turned around and immediately landed back in Puerto Vallarta. Just do what you need to do there, SkyWest 5154. She was traveling with her husband, Terry, their two sons, and their sons friends. But over the next two decades, Alaska Airlines pursued an aggressive strategy of expansion, aiming to become an affordable option for travelers throughout the Western United States. Even though the pilots fought for control for a short period, an MD-80 will not A former Alaska Airlines pilot plans to plead guilty in California to flying with a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit for pilots. Stepping on the rudder pedals while upside down was no easy task. Gabriela Chavez, 33, Puerto Vallarta, MexicoA homemaker, wife and mother of one, Ms. Chavez was flying to San Francisco to visit her sister. Ryan Sparks, 20, EnumclawA graduate of Enumclaw High School, Mr. Sparks was traveling with his girlfriend, Meghann Hall, and her friend Rachel Janosik. When he landed in Orange County, he was selected for random drug and alcohol testing, according to a statement from the US Attorneys Office. Toxicology results showed that Weimers blood-alcohol was 0.238. Monte Donaldson, 31, SeattleA freelance landscaper, his passion was music and filmmaking. His son soon after comes to visit him, asking to interview him for a report, to find out more about his father, whom it seems has been absent through much of his life. FAA regulations say a pilot cannot have a blood or breath alcohol concentration of 0.04 or more, which is half the legal limit for driving in the United States. Before the flight, he told a friend that Weimer, an airline transport pilot, would be at the controls for the short sightseeing trip, according to the NTSB report. Do you poke holes in potatoes when boiling? Thankfully, Mr. Arntson was never involved in an accident, but his conduct could have resulted in tragic consequences.. We went to full nose down and Im afraid to try it again to see if we can get it to go in the other direction.. The eight-year-old McDonnell Douglas MD-83, registered as N963AS, outwardly seemed to be in good shape. Juan Marquez, 34, San FranciscoAn adult-education book salesman, he owned two condos in Puerto Vallarta with his partner, Dale Rettinger, and went there often to relax. Meanwhile, N963AS continued to fly, and maintenance workers continued to grease the jackscrew every eight months. Russell and Permison lived in a retirement community where they were beloved for their lively parties and volunteer work. LOS ANGELES -- Federal authorities have arrested a former Alaska Airlines captain on federal charges of piloting a plane while intoxicated. Robert Ost, 39, San Bruno, Calif.A veteran San Francisco firefighter and avid mountain climber, he considered risk part of his job and his life. Los Angeles controllers gave flight 261 permission to approach the airport, but Thompson asked to stay out over the ocean while they tested the controllability of their airplane. Minimum first-time offenses include fines, possible jail time and mantadory alcohol treatment classes, among other penalties. Federal regulations limit alcohol levels to 0.04 for airplane crew members.Were the bodies of Flight 261 recovered? Patty Williams, 63, Poulsbo, Kitsap CountyMrs. At Alaska Airlines, our roots trace back to the Great Depression and the resourcefulness of Mac McGee. Captain Thompson argued that conditions would be more suitable for landing at Los Angeles, and the dispatcher admitted that the reason they preferred San Francisco was because a diversion would disrupt flow, worsening mounting delays in Alaskas flight schedule. The pilots decided that Los Angeles looked better. Performing maintenance less frequently saved on labor costs and kept the planes in the air longer, thus increasing revenue. The rec room at the Karlsson home featured a jukebox, a pinball machine and a bumper-pool table. Market data provided by Factset. View on timesmachine. He had flown for four decades and worked for Alaska Airlines since 1985. Jacquelyn Choate, 17, Santa Cruz, Calif.She was returning from a vacation with her father, Toni Choate. AMERICAN AIRLINES PASSENGER BITTEN BY BROWN RECLUSE SPIDER ON PLANE, LAWSUIT CLAIMS. Fuck me, he said. Alaska Airlines 261 is a chartered flight operated by Alaska Airlines. He had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.134 percent and 0.142 percent, according to the DOJ. Indeed, by the end of the 1990s, what had once been a small regional carrier had successfully transformed itself into one of Americas largest airlines. Rodrigo Laigo, 53, Fairfield, Calif.An engineer for Arco, he was traveling with his wife, Naomi, on one of their many golf vacations. David Hans Arntson, 62, of Newport Beach, California, agreed to enter a guilty plea in US District Court this week. The FAAs special inspection report noted that the position of Director of Maintenance had gone unfilled since 1998; the Director of Operations position was empty; the Director of Safety was also the Director of Quality Control and the Director of Training and didnt report to high-level management; there was no maintenance training curriculum; on-the-job training was completely unstructured; the procedures in use didnt match those outlined in the maintenance manual; planes had been released from C-checks with paperwork incomplete; perishable and consumable materials had expired; shift turnover paperwork was missing, unsigned, or incomplete; work cards were not filled out properly; and more the list went on and on.