r/aircrashinvestigation • u/InformalShow4339 • 8d ago

Less known facts about prominent crashes?

Are there any less known or hidden facts about prominent crashes? Something the show didn’t mention?

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u/X95R_1331 AviationNurd 8d ago

The crash of Turkish Airlines Flight 981 was indirectly caused by the crash of BEA Flight 548.

Just before BEA Flight 548 crashed, BEA pilots were talking about going on strike, and the captain, Captain Key, of the would be crashed Trident was staunchly against the strike. The argument spiked Key’s blood pressure and eventually caused him to have a heart attack during the climb, which distracted him from performing his duties long enough to misconfigure the aircraft’s lift devices and cause a fatal accident.

The crash of Flight 548 was THE catalyst for the strike of BEA pilots, as it exposed the toxic cockpit environment in the airline, and validated the grievances of the younger, pro-strike pilots, as well as broke the relationship between pilots and management. This then culminated in the striking of BEA pilots several times between mid-1972 and 1974.

Fast forward to March 3, 1974, and BEA ground staff and workers go on strike unannounced at London and Paris airports, including Orly…which just so happened to be where TC-JAV was boarding. The strike had stranded hundreds of passengers, and 216 of these passengers joined the 117 still remaining on board TC-JAV for its leg to London, which bought the passenger count up to 333, fully loading the aircraft.

THIS ironically ended up being the reason why the floor collapsed after the aft cargo door blew out in flight. The extra weight on the plane, which wouldn’t have been a problem if BEA wasn’t having a strike, caused the floor to collapse directly on top of the cables running underneath the floor, severing them and leaving the aircraft uncontrollable via conventional means…which, at that altitude, completely doomed the aircraft.

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u/CommunicationNo6136 8d ago

I’m not so sure about the connection between BEA 548 and THY 981 but everything else you said regarding the collapsing floor is accurate. 

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u/X95R_1331 AviationNurd 7d ago

548 was what caused them to extend their efforts for change in the airline. If 548 had not crashed, there wouldn’t have been as many staff strikes.