WLS Channel 7 - Eyewitness News at 10pm - "The Crash of Flight 191" (Part 2, 1979)

Here's Part 2 of a special expanded edition of Eyewitness News at 10pm with Fahey Flynn and Joel Daly on WLS Channel 7, dealing almost entirely with the crash of American Airlines Flight 191 at O'Hare Field, the worst air disaster in U.S. history. Featuring Vivian Rosenberg and John Culea. Includes:

Tape coming in as Joel Daly mentions that only two people - both on the ground - were injured; one was being treated at Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, the other at Loyola University's burn unit.

Joel then introduces a report by Vivian Rosenberg on friends and relatives of American Airlines employees who perished in the crash. Features shots from American's VIP Admiral's Club lounge and the airport concourse; and an interview with Mary Rose Knoll of American Airlines who spoke of help from priests and Salvation Army volunteers to console loved ones.

Fahey then reports on the nearby trailer park which was in the vicinity of the crash site; a few residents suffered minor burns, but most were unhurt. This leads to a report from John Culea at the Oasis Trailer Park at 400 West Touhy. John mentions that the concern was for the nearby oil tank, and that "by the grace of God" (and the pilot veering away from the trailer park) that there were no serious injuries or death, even though several trailers were burned. Film footage in both black and white (amazing that black and white was still being used as late as 1979) and color is shown throughout the report. He shows a part of the DC-10 that landed in the area Features interviews with trailer park residents John Bielski and Donna Freer. John mentions the 1978 San Diego plane crash in his report. Joel speaks with John about what would have happened if the plane hit the nearby oil tank. Fahey also questions the reporter. At this point, the flight data recorder had been recovered.

Joel then goes into a network of pre-planned response to events like the Chicago plane crash, involving hospitals, rescue units, police and fire departments; a map showing area hospitals (Northwest Community, Alexian Brothers, Holy Family, Lutheran General and Resurrection) is shown on the monitor as he explains the protocols. Because of this network, the first units arrived two minutes after the crash. He then previews a story about past air crashes before the tape runs out.

This aired on local Chicago TV on Friday, May 25th 1979.

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