It was the afternoon of September 6, 1985. Milwaukee was warm. A Douglas DC-9, sporting the iconic blue and white livery of Midwest Express, taxied toward Runway 19R at Mitchell International Airport. Most people in the aviation world knew Midwest Express as the "champagne airline." They had those famous leather seats. They served fresh-baked cookies. It was basically the gold standard for luxury travel in the eighties. But on this Friday, things went south in a way that nobody saw coming.
Midwest Express Flight 105 was supposed to be a routine hop to Atlanta. Instead, it became the deadliest crash in Wisconsin history.
What Actually Happened on the Runway?
The takeoff started normally. Captain Danny Martin and First Officer William Steinbarth were at the controls. They had 31 passengers behind them. Everything seemed fine until the jet reached an altitude of about 450 feet. Suddenly, a massive "bang" echoed through the cockpit. The right engine, a Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17, had suffered a catastrophic failure.
Now, pilots are trained for engine failures. It’s part of the job. You’re supposed to keep the nose down, maintain airspeed, and fly the plane out of it. But Flight 105 didn't do that. The plane began a sharp, uncommanded roll to the right. Within seconds, the aircraft was nearly vertical. It dropped out of the sky and slammed into a wooded area near the airport. There were no survivors.
Honestly, the NTSB investigation that followed was a masterclass in forensic engineering. They found that a spacer sleeve in the engine had failed. It was a tiny part, but it caused a chain reaction that blew the engine apart. But the real question wasn't just why the engine broke. It was why the pilots couldn't keep the plane in the air.
The Controversy Behind the NTSB Findings
If you look at the official report, the NTSB didn't put all the blame on the hardware. They pointed a finger at "pilot's improper reaction." This is where things get messy and, frankly, a bit tragic. The investigators argued that the pilots reacted to the noise and the vibration by pulling back on the yoke too hard.
When you lose an engine on a DC-9, the plane wants to yaw toward the dead engine. If you pull up too much, you lose airspeed. If you lose airspeed, you stall. And if you stall while the plane is already asymmetrical, you're going to roll. The NTSB claimed the crew didn't follow the proper "engine failure at takeoff" procedures.
But here’s the thing. Many pilots at the time—and even today—argued that the NTSB was being too harsh. The noise was described as "explosive." There were reports of smoke and debris. In a split-second, high-stress environment, "proper procedure" feels a lot different than it does in a simulator.
Why We Still Talk About Midwest Express Flight 105
You've probably flown on a plane recently and noticed how quiet and routine everything feels. We owe a lot of that to the wreckage of Flight 105. This crash changed how we think about Crew Resource Management (CRM).
Before the mid-eighties, the "Captain is King" mentality was still a thing. If the Captain made a mistake, the First Officer often hesitated to speak up. The investigation into the Milwaukee crash highlighted how critical it is for both pilots to be on the exact same page during an emergency. It wasn't just about flying the plane; it was about communicating under extreme pressure.
Also, it changed the way engines were inspected. That spacer sleeve failure wasn't a fluke. It led to stricter mandates on how Pratt & Whitney engines were serviced. They found that metallurgical flaws could hide in plain sight if you weren't looking for them with the right tech.
The Legacy of the "Best Care in the Air"
It's weirdly bittersweet to think about. Midwest Express eventually became Midwest Airlines, and they kept their reputation for luxury for a long time. People loved those cookies. They loved the two-abreast seating. But the shadow of Flight 105 always loomed over the company’s history in Milwaukee.
It was a reminder that even the most prestigious airlines are vulnerable to physics and mechanical fatigue.
Understanding the Technical Failure
The JT8D engine was the workhorse of the era. It powered almost everything. When the 9th-stage compressor spacer cracked, it was like a grenade going off inside a metal tube.
- Component Fatigue: The part had been through thousands of cycles. Micro-cracks formed.
- Uncontained Failure: The casing couldn't hold the shrapnel.
- Aerodynamic Stall: The loss of thrust combined with the pilot's pitch-up input led to a "deep stall" or accelerated stall.
When a DC-9 gets into a high-angle-of-attack roll like that, it's almost impossible to recover at such a low altitude. They only had 450 feet. That's nothing. You have about three to five seconds to make the right move before the ground catches up to you.
Lessons for Modern Aviation Safety
We don't see crashes like Flight 105 as often anymore because of the "Swiss Cheese Model" of safety. Every hole in the cheese represents a potential failure. The goal is to never let the holes align.
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Because of Midwest Express Flight 105, we have:
- Better flight data recorders that capture more parameters.
- Simulators that more accurately mimic the "startle factor" of an engine blast.
- Improved metallurgical testing for engine components.
It’s easy to look back and judge the crew. But aviation experts generally agree that the crash was a combination of a freak mechanical failure and the terrifying reality of human performance limits.
Moving Forward: What You Should Know
If you are a student pilot or just someone interested in air safety, the case of Flight 105 is essential reading. It teaches us that "stick and rudder" skills are only half the battle. The other half is psychological—managing the panic when the world starts shaking.
For those visiting Milwaukee, there isn't a massive, glowing monument to Flight 105, but the local community hasn't forgotten. It’s a somber part of the city's identity.
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Next Steps for Aviation Enthusiasts:
- Review the NTSB AAR-87/01 report. It’s the official record and contains the full metallurgical analysis of the failed spacer.
- Study CRM Case Files. Look at how this crash compares to United 232 or Delta 191. You'll see a pattern of how communication evolved.
- Support local memorials. If you're near Mitchell International, take a moment to acknowledge the history of the site.
Safety isn't a destination; it's a constant, iterative process of learning from the times we got it wrong.