Alaska Airlines Flight 261

High school (ages 12+)
Transportation

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/alaska-airlines-flight-261

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 manufacturer and model?McDonnell Douglas MD-83
2. What is the date of accident?January 31, 2000
3. What happened to Alaska Airlines Flight 261?The airplane crashed into the Pacific Ocean after a mechanical problem made it hard to control. All 88 people on board were lost.
4. Why did the plane crash?A part of the airplane that controls the nose, called the jackscrew, broke because it had worn threads and was not properly lubricated or inspected.

Pitch Control: The aerodynamic control of an aircraft's nose-up or nose-down attitude, essential for stable flight.
Horizontal Stabilizer: A fixed airfoil at the tail of an aircraft that provides longitudinal stability and houses the elevator control surface.
Jackscrew Assembly: A mechanical device that converts rotational motion into linear motion, used in aircraft for actuating control surfaces.
Acme Threads: A type of screw thread characterized by a trapezoidal profile, known for its strength and efficiency in power transmission.