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Crash of Flight 111
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Classroom Activity
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Objective
To learn about the techniques and reasoning used to determine the
cause of the 1998 crash of Swissair Flight 111.
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teams 1-4: copy of the "Piecing It All Together" student handout
(PDF
or
HTML)
- teams 5-6: notebook paper
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To determine the cause of the Swissair Flight 111 crash,
investigators meticulously studied salvaged plane parts and
computer models and tested different features of the plane. In
this activity, students will track the evidence scientists found
and the information and conclusions they gathered from that
evidence.
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Organize the class into six teams and provide each team member
with copies of the student handout.
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Assign four teams to take notes on the information learned and
conclusions drawn for the following numbered areas on the
chart—team 1: numbers 1-4; team 2: numbers 5-7; team 3:
numbers 8-10; team 4: numbers 11-13. Have team 5 take notes on
the recommendations made by the Transportation Safety Board of
Canada and team 6 take notes on each of the specialists who took
part in the investigation.
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After they watch the program, ask students to compare their
charts or notes with those of other team members and resolve any
differences among their recorded information.
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Hold a class discussion about the investigation. First discuss
with students what specialists were involved in the
investigation and what each specialist did. Then review the
information discovered and conclusions drawn in the
investigation. Using the chart in the
Activity Answer below, help resolve any
differences among student answers. What were the key pieces of
evidence? After four and a half years of searching, what
explanation did investigators find for the crash? What
recommendations did investigators make to ensure future safety?
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As an extension, have students research the status of the safety
measures recommended by the Transportation Safety Board of
Canada after completion of the investigation into the crash of
Swissair Flight 111.
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Steps Taken
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Information Learned
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Conclusion Drawn
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1. Listened to communications during the emergency.
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Smoke was in the cockpit.
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Fire may have been the cause of the crash.
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2. Analyzed flight data recorder.
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Recorder did not capture data from final six minutes of
flight.
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An event occurred that shut off the data recorder.
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3. Heated paint samples identical to those on Swissair Flight
111.
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Metal changes color based on the heat intensity it has been
exposed to.
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The darker the metal, the closer it was to the fire; high
temperatures only found in plane's forward section.
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4. Studied remnants of kitchen galley.
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Heat damage came from top down, not bottom up.
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Ovens not responsible for fire.
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5. Noticed melted plastic drip marks on carpet in flight
cabin.
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Extreme heat from above melted the plastic.
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Area where plastic melted was extremely hot.
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6. Sorted through 240 kilometers of wire.
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Twenty-three wires showed indications of electrical arcing.
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Fire may have been caused by an electrical system failure.
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7. Retrofitted an MD-11 for smoke and air flow tests.
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How air circulates in the MD-11.
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Fire was probably raging unseen in attic.
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8. Conducted flame tests on metallized Mylar.
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Mylar readily ignited.
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Mylar may have provided fuel for the fire.
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9. Conducted flame tests on ventilation end caps.
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End caps readily ignited.
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Fire was exposed to the plane's fresh air supply; a blast of
air would have fanned the flames.
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10. Studied wiring in computer image of plane.
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Entertainment system wiring found in probable fire area.
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Entertainment wiring could have been cause of fire.
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11. Found entertainment wire with arc and brackets near wire.
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Brackets showed no evidence of arcing.
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Unclear whether this wire may have caused fire.
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12. Surveyed all wires near newly found arc wires.
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Surrounding bundle of wires indicates fire damage.
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Arced wire may have caused the fire.
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13. Retraced flight path of Swissair Flight 111.
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Pilots had to fly by instruments alone; "black hole effect"
makes horizon seem to disappear.
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Co-pilot trying to see out of right window may have veered
plane into a right roll and crashed it into the water.
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The key clues in the investigation were the wire with evidence of
two arcing events and the flammable Mylar insulation. The spark
likely caused the Mylar insulation to catch fire. The fire then
likely moved above the ceiling toward the back of the plane. When
the air recirculation ducts were turned off, the fire likely moved
into the cockpit ceiling, causing the autopilot to malfunction. Heat
then melted the plastic cockpit liner, and fire came through the
opening. This is probably when the pilot and co-pilot simultaneously
issued emergency alerts.
Investigators recommended an integrated fire-fighting philosophy
that included adding smoke detectors and video cameras to seek out
hidden fires before they spread, increased visibility of standby
instruments, a streamlined pilot's smoke checklist, increased
cockpit voice recorder recording time and backup power supplies,
seeking out cracks in wire, and creating a standard to prevent
future cracks from occurring. Investigators also recommended removal
of all flammable materials, including the Mylar insulation.
Web Sites
NOVA Web Site—Crash of Flight 111
www.pbs.org/nova/aircrash/
In this companion Web site to the NOVA program, learn about the
possibility of wireless black boxes, find out what happens inside an
investigation, discover post-crash safety measures, and explore the
anatomy of a jetliner.
Aviation Safety Network Accident Description
www.aviation-safety.net/specials/sr111/main.htm
Features a preliminary accident description of Swissair Flight 111
and lists significant smoke- and fire-related incidents and Swissair
accidents since 1945.
The Crash of Swissair 111
www.swissair111.org/
Includes news articles and discussion groups about the crash and
investigation.
The Herald: Swissair Flight 111
www.herald.ns.ca/swissair/Swissair.html
Provides photos and news stories from the local paper that covered
the investigation.
Indepth: Swissair Flight 111
www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/show_swissair.html
Contains the transcript from the flight data recorder, a timeline of
the investigation, and recommendations issued by the Transportation
Safety Board of Canada.
Swissair Flight 111 Investigation Report
www.tsb.gc.ca/en/reports/air/1998/a98h0003/01report/index.asp
Details the Transportation Safety Board of Canada's complete report
of the investigation into the crash of Swissair Flight 111.
Books
Faith, Nicholas.
Black Box: The Air-Crash Detectives—Why Air Safety Is No
Accident.
Osceola, Wisconsin: Motorbooks International, 1997.
Provides an in-depth look at air-crash detectives and their
investigations of fatal plane crashes.
Gaffney, Timothy R.
Air Safety: Preventing Future Disasters. Berkeley Heights,
NJ: Enslow 1999.
Examines the causes of plane crashes, including human error,
weather, mechanical failure, and terrorism, and explores current
views on preventing future accidents.
The "Piecing It All Together" activity aligns with the following
National Science Education Standards.
Grades 5-8
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Science Standard E:
Science and Technology
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Understandings about science and technology:
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Perfectly designed solutions do not exist. Risk is part of
living in a highly technological world. Reducing risk often
results in new technology.
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Technological solutions have intended benefits and unintended
consequences. Some consequences can be predicted, others cannot.
Grades 9-12
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Science Standard E:
Science and Technology
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Understandings about science and technology:
Classroom Activity Author
Developed by WGBH Educational Outreach staff.
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