Crashing Immediately After Takeoff in Detroit | Alarming Silence | Northwest Airlines 255

I was working at a hospital in Ypsilanti when this happened. We were told there was a plane crash and to prepare for emergency arrivals. After about an hour we were told to stand down. No one was coming.

Never get too comfy in the cockpit... my instructor told me this when I was learning how to fly and I can never forget his words

My first cousin Ken Bell was unfortunately on this flight. I will never forget this day.

A good friend of mine died in this. He was flying back to Phoenix from his reunion in Michigan. He asked me to accompany him but I declined because my dad offered to take me to Vegas instead. He wasn’t even supposed to be on this flight but switched to come home early. Keith K. Rogers. RIP

I visited the crash site back in 1999. There are 154 trees planted there in memorial. A very surreal and sad experience. The sole survivor was 4 year old Celia Sheehan. Here brother and parents did not survive. Celia is now married and living elsewhere. RIP to all on board.

My friend and coworker was on that flight, ive never forgotten him or what happened, may you rest in peace, Patrick.

My friend was driving on west I 94 and saw the plane headed at her, She floored it and saw it hit I 94 in her mirror. she started crying and praying. she drove close to a mile before she took her foot off the floor. It's still with her like it was just this morning

My mom was pregnant with me and scheduled to be on this flight. A few hours before takeoff, she wasn't feeling well and decided to fly out the next day

I was a kid when this happen, my dad flew constantly out of Detroit for work; I remember this vividly when the emergency news flash came on announcing a flight had crashed on take off, my dad flew that evening and constantly booked on NW Airlines; there was panic in the house until my mom found his itinerary & the flight number was confirmed on the news. I feel horrible for the families who didn’t have that relief.

I am from Austria/Europe. In 1987 my two best friends and I were ready for the big adventure. We'd bought a where/ how often you wanna fly/stand by ticket with Northwest. Valid for one month. We did many criss- cross flights, be it only to get something to eat on board. Each of us only had a sleeping bag and a small bag. Many times times we had to transit over Detroit or Memphis as there were no nonstop flights available for us. We were standby travellers. Often we had to sleep at airports. Whenever we had to take off from Detroit I told my friends how dangerous it was. Just above the freeway. Two weeks later after we 3 had alreday arrived back to Austria the unimaginable happened. Northwest crashed onto this very same freeway I was so concerned of. Same type of aircraft. DC 9. We were shocked. We simply couldn't believe it.

I remember that evening very well. A friend of mine was a first responder to the scene and it wore on him so badly that PTSD affected him marriage, family and friends.

I was on I-94 passing the airport in my S10 pick up. I remember looking at my watch, because I was running late getting to Ann Arbor, and the crash happened right behind me. It was so shocking...I just remember seeing a flash in my rear view mirror and pulling off to the shoulder in disbelief. I’ve passed the airport for 33 years since and I’m always reminded of how horrible that was when I see a plane crossing over the highway into or out of the airport.

I will never forget when this happened! I was just a little girl & we lived in suburban Detroit. The only survivor happened to be a little girl who lost her whole family! My heart broke for her 😞

I was a new Flight Attendant with North west Airlines about 1 1/2 yrs...I was on a 757 going to LAX next for take off after 255...I was the lead Fight Attandant telling the Captain the cabin was secure for departure when it happened...I will never forget that night...after awhile we were taxied back to gate because some passengers wanted to deplane...Sona Roberts a news anchor for LA was on our fight...as we neared the terminal to park at gate seating areas in terminal were calm but other areas you could see people running for phone as news of disaster reached them it was like dominos falling...phone lines were so busy we could not get through to call our families till we got to LAX...It was hard on my parents because Fight Attendants get rescheduled sometimes and are certified on all aircraft..my wonderful Father never cried ...but when he finally heard my voice he cried in relief...I knew Flight Attendants on that flight and also a jumpseater who was going home...it's hard you never know when your time is...God Bless all that have departed...and the little girl that survived...

On the CVR, the pilot's last words were "I'm so sorry, we are going to crash". Heartbreaking.

I remember driving on I-94 after the crash and seeing all the bouquets of flowers on MB Road and on the grassy slopes near the overpass. Thousands and thousands of flowers COVERED the entire area. It was so powerful it brought me to tears.

The survivor has grown into a beautiful young woman. It is truly miraculous that she survived. Heartbreaking for the families of those lost. Thanks for presenting these stories with such respect.

I was a van driver and I often picked up packages from the airport for American Sunroof I was there the day that happened it was most horrific thing I ever seen in my life

I went to high school with two of the young men that died on this aircraft, rest in peace Randy and Keith.

Interviews with other pilots of the MD-82 at the time revealed that the aircraft's warning system would often produce various little "nuisance" warnings during taxiing to the runway. It actually worked extremely well, but it was annoying to pilots, because it was normally pretty harmless stuff. So they learned which breaker controlled this system and would often pull it to eliminate the nuisance warnings. Unfortunately, and in what proved to be a deadly coincidence for 156 people, this particular breaker in the MD-82 also controlled the takeoff warning system and would have alerted the pilots that their plane wasn't properly configured for takeoff. It is very likely that this breaker was simply pulled when the pilots boarded the plane. Had it been working properly a very loud warning would have sounded. It would have said "FLAPS" and "SLATS" quite loudly along with accompanying beeps. It also explains why the auto-throttle would not stick. It was never even engaged. This all was because the pilots failed to use the taxi check list due to being preoccupied with other matters.