Part 1/10:

The Tragic Tale of Air Florida Flight 90

Introduction

On a frigid January afternoon in 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 was set to depart from Washington D.C.’s Reagan Airport, bound for sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida. However, unbeknownst to the 79 passengers and five crew members onboard, this flight would soon devolve into a catastrophic reminder of the dangers inherent in aviation during winter weather.

With a massive snowstorm wreaking havoc across the east coast, the flight's pilots struggled against icy conditions, ultimately leading to a devastating crash into the Potomac River. This article chronicles the harrowing events that transpired, the missteps made by the flight crew, and the lessons learned from this tragic incident.

The Flight Crew's Background