The pilot of United Flight 232 Al Haynes died on Sunday at the age of 87 after a short illness in Seattle.
Captain Haynes was credited with helping save the lives of 184 passengers and crew members after the plane lost an engine and hydraulics over northwest Iowa.
A potentially catastrophic situation handled with experience and absolute calm.
Woodbury County Emergency Services Director Gary Brown worked through the aftermath of the crash landing that brought him into the path of Al Haynes.
He spoke to Siouxland Public Media’s Sheila Brummer about the pilot who felt humbled by his achievements and worked to improve aviation safety for others.
Haynes would have been 88-years-old on Saturday.
Transportation experts have called the incident on July 19th, 1989 a “one-in-a-million” landing.
According to a pilot from United Airlines, flight simulations all ended with the plane plummeting from the sky.