Plane Crashes That Changed the Skies Forever

Taking off from Detroit, the McDonnell Douglas MD-82 failed to climb properly and slammed into a road just beyond the runway. It struck vehicles and burst into flames. Of the 155 people onboard, only one — a 4-year-old girl — survived. Two motorists on the ground were also killed.

Investigators found that the crew had not extended the wing flaps and slats before takeoff, and the warning system failed to sound. The crash shocked the United States, both for its scale and the miracle survival story. Flight 255 remains one of the most tragic aviation disasters in U.S. history.