United States
On January 31, 2000, an Alaska Airlines MD-83 aircraft operating Flight 261 crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Anacapa Island, California, after suffering a catastrophic failure in its horizontal stabilizer system. All 88 people on board died. The accident prompted rigorous investigations and led to safety reforms in aircraft maintenance procedures and design checks. It became one of the deadliest U.S. aviation disasters in modern times. The crash’s legacy includes changes in regulatory oversight and structural inspections across the airline industry.
