Des Plaines in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

American Airlines Flight 191 Memorial

Photographed By Craig Baker, 2017

1. American Airlines Flight 191 Memorial Marker

Inscription.
We Remember Flight 191
Let us not forget the victims of May 25, 1979, who helped assure the safety of all who have boarded an airliner since that tragic event.

"When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure."
-Author Unknown

A special thanks to all who helped make this memorial possible, especially: Decatur Classical School, Chicago Public Schools; US Representative Jan Schakowsky; IL State Senator Dan Kotowski; the Des Plaines Park District; American Airlines; Project Citizen; Thomas A. Demetrio; Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago; Center for Civic Education; and Nilco, Inc.

Erected 2011.

Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Disasters. A significant historical date for this entry is May 25, 1979.

Location. 42° 0.581′ N, 87° 53.681′ W. Marker is in Des Plaines, Illinois, in Cook County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Touhy Avenue and Lee Street, on the right when traveling west. Located in Lake Park, south of the lake. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3120 Lee St, Des Plaines IL 60018, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. First McDonald's Franchise

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(approx. 2.6 miles away); Memorial Walkway (approx. 2.8 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 2.8 miles away); World War II Memorial (approx. 3.2 miles away); Alexander Robinson (approx. 3.8 miles away); Former Site of Eden Inn (approx. 3.9 miles away); Edison Park World War I Memorial (approx. 4 miles away); Horse-Shoe Inn (approx. 4 miles away).

Regarding American Airlines Flight 191 Memorial. Flight 191 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from O'Hare International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport. On the afternoon of May 25, 1979, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 was taking off from runway 32R at O'Hare when its left engine detached, causing loss of control, and it crashed less than one mile from the end of the runway. All 258 passengers and 13 crew on board were killed, along with two people on the ground. With 273 fatalities, it is the deadliest aviation accident to have occurred in the United States.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigation found that as the aircraft was beginning its takeoff rotation, the left engine separated from the left wing and landed on the runway. As the engine

American Airlines Flight 191 Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Craig Baker, 2017

2. American Airlines Flight 191 Memorial

separated from the aircraft, it severed hydraulic fluid lines that hold the wing's leading-edge slats in place, resulting in an uncommanded retraction of the outboard slats. As the aircraft began to climb, the left wing stalled, causing it to roll abruptly to the left before crashing in an open field by a trailer park near the end of the runway, 1¼ miles west of the memorial. The engine separation was attributed to damage to the pylon structure holding the engine to the wing, caused by improper maintenance procedures.

Inspection of DC-10 fleets revealed that several DC-10s at both American and Continental Airlines already had fatigue cracking and bending damage to their pylon mounts caused by similar maintenance procedures. In response to the accident, maintenance procedures were improved, better aircraft systems alarms were mandated, as were valves to prevent slat retraction in case of hydraulic line damage.

American Airlines Flight 191 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Michael Laughlin/Chicago Tribune, May 25, 1979

3. American Airlines Flight 191

Credits. This page was last revised on March 5, 2024. It was originally submitted on March 11, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 326 times since then and 104 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 11, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.