Harrowing cockpit audio revealed the moment an Alaska Airlines plane plummeted in the Pacific Ocean, a disaster that would go on to raise major questions not only about aviation safety but also about legal accountability and insurance claims related to medical emergencies in transit.
On January 31, 2000, Alaska Airlines Flight 261 was scheduled to travel from Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico,
To Seattle–Tacoma International Airport in Washington. This route is frequently used by travelers returning from medical diagnostic testing or chronic illness management retreats abroad.
While the aircraft successfully left Mexico, it never made it to its final destination after the plane started to experience technical difficulties during the flight.
Incidents like this often lead to substantial life insurance policy reviews, hospital cost investigations, and aviation liability claims.
