Heroic United Airlines Pilot Al Haynes Dies at 87
Al Haynes, the United Airlines pilot whose exceptional skill and calm under pressure saved 184 lives during a catastrophic emergency landing in Iowa in 1989, has passed away at the age of 87.
Haynes, a retired captain, gained worldwide recognition on July 19, 1989, when United Airlines Flight 232 suffered a catastrophic engine failure mid-flight. The DC-10’s rear engine exploded, severing hydraulic lines and rendering the aircraft nearly uncontrollable. Despite facing a seemingly impossible situation, Haynes and his crew worked together with remarkable composure, using only differential engine thrust to guide the crippled plane toward Sioux Gateway Airport.
The crash landing was devastating, with the aircraft cartwheeling upon impact and breaking apart. Tragically, 112 of the 296 passengers and crew onboard lost their lives. However, experts have repeatedly stated that without Haynes’ extraordinary leadership and the teamwork of his crew, none of the passengers would have survived.
In the years following the accident, Haynes became an advocate for aviation safety, sharing lessons from the disaster in lectures worldwide. He emphasized the importance of crew resource management (CRM), a training approach credited with saving lives during the Flight 232 emergency.
Born in 1936, Haynes served as a Marine Corps aviator before joining United Airlines in 1956. Colleagues remember him as a skilled pilot and a humble, compassionate individual. Even as he was hailed as a hero, Haynes consistently shared credit with his crew, air traffic controllers, and emergency responders.
Al Haynes’ legacy endures not only in the lives he saved but also in the improvements to aviation safety inspired by his heroism. He is survived by his family and remembered by a grat
eful world.