Anatomy of a Tragedy: A Deep Dive into the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 Investigation
This report provides a detailed analysis of the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crash on January 31, 2000. The incident involved a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 that plunged into the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the loss of all 88 people on board. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation identified the primary cause as the catastrophic failure of the horizontal stabilizer jackscrew assembly. Investigators determined that insufficient lubrication led to excessive wear and the eventual stripping of the acme nut threads. The NTSB's final report criticized both Alaska Airlines' maintenance procedures and the FAA's oversight for allowing extended lubrication intervals on the critical component.
Official Source: https://p2p.onecause.com/impactplayer/personal-event/airplane-full-investigation-guide-what-caused-alaska-flight-261-to-crash