Two Men Uncover Mysterious Fate of Flight 980

3. Going Down

The last anyone heard from the jet was at 8:38 P.M. Eastern time and according to ground controllers, the flight was about 30 miles from the airport, cruising on track at roughly 20,000 feet. The flight was going swimmingly. It was cleared to descend to 18,000 feet when suddenly, it plowed straight into a mountain. Flight 980 struck Mount Illimani at an altitude of 19,600 feet. All passengers and crew were reportedly killed on impact.

4. The Fateful Crash

Eastern Air Lines Flight 980 would have been just about ready to land at the time of the crash. The descent would have been routine. Beverage carts would have been stowed, seat backs upright, and tray tables up locked tight. The crash would thankfully have happened quickly and come without much warning. The passengers might simply have felt the nose dip slightly and their seat belts tugging at their stomachs before the plane hit…