GRAPEVINE, Texas -- The crash of a Delta L-1011 at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Friday marred three of the best safety records in aviation.
The airline, the airplane and the airport all are ranked among the safest in the industry.
The crash was the first by a major carrier at the airport, which has been a favorite of pilots since it opened in December 1973.
A Delta plane had not crashed since July 1973 when 88 people were killed at Logan Airport in Boston.
Delta has 38 Lockheed L-1011s in service and James Ewing, Delta's director of public relations, said they have an excellent record.
'They are a marvelous airplane,' he said. 'It's incredible to me anything like this might have happened.'
Of the 250 three-engine L-1011s manufacturered from 1968 to 1983, all but three are still flying, Lockheed spokesman Rich Stadler said. Only one had crashed and that was blamed on pilot error.
