CNN - Events and developments related to the crash of ValuJet Flight 592

Events and developments related to the crash of ValuJet Flight 592

June 17, 1996
Web posted at: 7:50 p.m. EDT

May 11

ValuJet Flight 592, a DC-9, crashes into the Florida Everglades at approximately 2:15 p.m. EDT, killing all 110 people on board
May 12

ValuJet in the middle of 120-day FAA safety review; FAA says airline is safe; records show eight recent aborted takeoffs or unscheduled landings; search for survivors of Flight 592 called off.
May 13
Divers find the plane's flight data recorder; ValuJet stock loses 20 percent of its value; largest piece of wreckage found so far only 8 feet long.
May 14
NTSB says, "There could have been an explosion," flight was carrying several dozen oxygen generators; preliminary flight data recorder data shows flight plummeted 7,500 feet in 40 seconds; searchers find no body parts larger than a knee.
May 15
Victims' families hold memorial service at crash site; FAA says ValuJet not authorized to carry oxygen generators.
May 16

FAA study says ValuJet more prone to accidents than almost all other airlines; plane's two engines recovered, show no signs of fire; oxygen generators mislabeled as empty, NTSB calls them "issue number one."
May 17

ValuJet cuts its flights in half; NTSB says less than 10 percent of plane parts have been found.
May 18
CNN learns mechanics found electrical problem in cockpit area of plane hours before the crash.
May 19
NTSB says more wreckage shows evidence of fire; searchers use radar for the first time to map crash site.
May 20

Search suspended because of stormy weather.
May 21

Divers enter crash crater for the first time, report, "There's no plane left," just pieces.
May 22
Investigators bring in a backhoe to dredge crash site; memorial service held in Atlanta, ValuJet's home city.
May 23

Department of Transportation bans oxygen canisters as cargo on passenger planes.
May 24
Remains of eight victims identified; only 20 percent of human remains recovered overall.
May 26

Cockpit voice recorder and two oxygen generators are recovered; experts say steering cables may have been damaged by fire, causing pilot to lose control of plane; hand search of crash site ends.
May 27
Cockpit voice recorder reveals crew was made aware of fire in passenger cabin six minutes into the flight, passengers were having trouble getting oxygen.
May 28

Heavy rain delays dredging of crash site.
May 29

Investigators recover six boat-loads of plane parts.
May 30

NTSB releases more details from cockpit voice recorder, crew heard an unidentified noise six minutes after leaving Miami, shortly afterward fire is reported; three ValuJet shareholders sue the airline claiming they were misled about safety.
June 1

Recovery workers begin using heavy equipment including a backhoe; remains of 24 victims identified so far.
June 3
Search divers find a crater within the main crash site that might contain major plane parts and human remains; salvage worker is charged with stealing airplane parts from crash site.
June 4
Divers not allowed into crash crater because of biohazard conditions caused by decaying body parts; ValuJet offers unpaid, temporary leaves to employees to save money.
June 5
Crucial fragments from the DC-9's main circuit breaker panel are recovered; more soot-covered oxygen generators recovered; investigator tells CNN evidence points to a major fire that started in the cargo bay and quickly spread to the passenger cabin; 70 percent of the plane's remains recovered so far.
June 10

NTSB says crash probably caused by "intense in- flight fire," possibly started in cargo area; search for wreckage called off, 75 percent of plane recovered; remains of bodies of 36 people identified; crash site to be closed to public for 90 days.
June 11
FAA report prepared before the crash says ValuJet had "ineffective (maintenance) control and procedures."
June 12

Families of three victims ask FAA to ground ValuJet, claiming airline poses a threat to passengers.
June 17

FAA grounds ValuJet citing "serious" maintenance deficiencies; ValuJet stock suspends trading on Nasdaq.

Feedback

Send us your comments.
Selected responses are posted daily.

Events and developments related to the crash of ValuJet Flight 592

June 11

Feedback

| CONTENTS | SEARCH | CNN HOME PAGE | MAIN US NEWS PAGE |