Air Florida Flight 90

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/air-florida-flight-90

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the aircraft model?Boeing 737-200
2. What is the date of accident?January 13, 1982
3. What happened to Air Florida Flight 90 on January 13, 1982?The plane tried to take off in a blizzard, had ice on its wings, and crashed into the 14th Street Bridge and then into the Potomac River.
4. Why did the pilots let the ice build up on the plane?They forgot to turn on the engine's ice protection system and did risky moves like reverse thrust and trying to use another plane's heat, which is not safe in heavy icing.

Hypothermia: A dangerous drop in body temperature caused by prolonged exposure to cold.
Crew Resource Management (CRM): A system for improving aviation safety by optimizing teamwork and communication among the flight crew.
In-flight icing: The accumulation of ice on an aircraft while it is flying, which can severely affect performance.