вЂњHe was very concerned that it was going to veer either into the river or into the terminal.вЂќ вЂњHe was caught in the moment of an emergencyвЂ¦ he did not know what his landing gear was going to do when he put that plane on the ground,вЂќ Whipple said. She said the pilot was only doing what he thought was right on the night of the crash. вЂњThis crash that happened right here in Portland, Oregon really did change the aviation industry.вЂќ Through that process, Whipple saw how changes evolved in the airline industry.

Her father was an attorney who sued United Airlines on behalf of a little girl whose family died on the flight. Julie Whipple is the Portland-based author of the book Crash Course: Accidents DonвЂ™t Just Happen. The NTSB continued in its synopsis of the crash: вЂњContributing to the accident was the failure of the other two flight crew members to fully comprehend the criticality of the fuel state or to successfully communicate their concern to the captain.вЂќ However, at that time in the airline industry, there werenвЂ™t established systems yet to make sure all the crew had a strong enough voice in emergency situations. His inattention resulted from preoccupation with a landing gear malfunction and preparations for a possible landing emergency.вЂќДЄt first blush, it appears that the captain was solely responsible for the decisions that led to the crash. This resulted in fuel exhaustion to all engines. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of the accident вЂњwas the failure of the captain to monitor properly the aircraftвЂ™s fuel state and to properly respond to the low fuel state and the crew memberвЂ™s advisories regarding fuel state. вЂњIt was a miracle in the midst of a tragedy.вЂќ вЂњI have grown and moved in ways that I never would have otherwise,вЂќ Ford Conner said of that night. Still, Ford Conner is grateful for her survival and for the last 40 years. She has tried therapy, drugs, hypnosis - but nothing has helped her feel confident about flying again. She suffered from PTSD at a time when people didnвЂ™t know much about it. But she recalls that being her last pleasant flying experience.

Portland accident report file