Glenfair in Portland in Multnomah County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)
Flight 173 Memorial
Photographed By Craig Baker
1. Flight 173 Memorial Marker
On the night of December 28, 1978, United flight 173 with 189 aboard crash landed here, killing ten. We dedicate our thoughts to all who were aboard and remember those who perished.
Gabor Andor · Rosina Andor · Baby Rosina Andor · Gabriella Andor · Gwen Griffith · Forrest Mendenhall · Jasna Pepeonik · Anna Pepeonik · Raymond Waetjen · Joan Wheeler
Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Disasters. A significant historical date for this entry is December 28, 1978.
Location. 45° 31.344′ N, 122° 30.026′ W. Marker is in Portland, Oregon, in Multnomah County. It is in Glenfair. Marker is on Burnside Street, 0.2 miles west of 162nd Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 15845 E Burnside St, Portland OR 97233, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Oregon Korean War Veterans Memorial (approx. 4˝ miles away); Willamette National Cemetery Carillon Bells (approx. 4.6 miles away); Fishers (approx. 4.7 miles away in Washington); King 56 Aircrew Memorial (approx. 4.9 miles away); Sandy River Bridge (approx. 6.2 miles away); Crown Zellerbach Employee World War II Memorial
this page online
Regarding Flight 173 Memorial. The DC-8 aircraft experienced a landing gear problem while on approach to Portland International Airport. The aircraft circled for an hour while the 3-man crew attempted to locate the problem, until they ran out of fuel. Flight 173 crashed into a wooded section of a populated area of suburban Portland, about seven miles southeast of the airport. 10 people were killed. No one on the ground was injured.
The NTSB determined the cause was the failure of the captain to monitor the aircraft's fuel and failure to respond to crewmember's comments about low fuel. His inattention resulted from preoccupation with a landing gear problem.
The landing gear would have worked normally if they had landed at the airport.
Because of this incident, flight crews are now trained in Crew Resource Management. This new type of training addresses behavioral management challenges such as poor crew coordination, loss of situational awareness, and judgment errors frequently observed in aviation accidents. This crash is considered one of the most important in aviation history.
Photographed By Craig Baker
2. Flight 173 Memorial Marker
The marker is in the landscaping, near the rocks.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. - Six years earlier, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 also crashed because pilots were distracted by a landing gear issue, while landing in Miami.
Public Domain, 1978
3. Flight 173 Crash
Credits. This page was last revised on April 22, 2024. It was originally submitted on March 28, 2024. This page has been viewed 67 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 28, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
