Inside the Investigation of Korean Air Flight 801

Episode 81

Greg was the investigator in charge of the National Transportation Safety Board investigation of Korean Air Flight 801. He shares backstories not in the report to add to understanding of the accident and aftermath.

Flight 801 crashed on August 6, 1997, killing 229of the 254 people aboard. The aircraft crashed on Nimitz Hill in Guam while on approach to the airport.The NTSB final report cites poor communication between the flight crew as probable cause for the air crash, along with the captain's poor decision-making.

Learn more about:

• Delays in response to the accident scene


• Allowing families to grieve at the site


• Training shortcomings


• Crew resource management issues


• Delays in decision making and execution

Greg shares details about the role of the minimum safe altitude warning system (MSAW), the partial outage of the Guam ILS system, and cultural factors that impeded cockpit dynamics.

Photo Credit: Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael A. Meyers, U.S. Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.

Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.

Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to [email protected].

Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8