United Inspects, OKs Its 55 Other DC-10s : Probe of Crash Continues; Counselors Deal With Emotional Toll

In the aftermath of an engine explosion and crash-landing that killed 110 passengers of Flight 232 at Sioux Gateway Airport, United Airlines has conducted inspections of possible engine problems in all 55 of its remaining DC-10 aircraft, the airline disclosed Saturday.

The inspections--carried out even while emergency crews and safety investigators combed through miles of wreckage--turned up only a few “very minor” problems on the fleet of three-engine plans, said James Guyette, executive vice president of operations for the Chicago-based airline.

None of those problems called for the repair or replacement of any existing plane engines, and so far the airline is planning no changes in its pilot procedures or maintenance programs as a result of the crash, Guyette said.

“None, unless we have a reason to do so,” he said at a press conference here. “(But) a prudent person would be doing some additional looking” at the safety of the planes.

Probe Continues

Meanwhile, officials for the National Transportation Safety Board were continuing their investigation into what caused the crash of the 15-year-old jetliner, which was bound from Denver to Chicago on Wednesday afternoon when an engine explosion and a loss of hydraulic power sent it diving toward a crash-landing.

The safety board investigation is focusing on the engine explosion in the airline’s tail section. Investigators theorize that shards of metal from the engine may have ripped through nearby hydraulic lines, disabling all three of the craft’s hydraulic systems.

But investigators so far have little idea what may have caused the unusual engine explosion. Two photo reconnaissance planes equipped with infrared sensors combed a 16-square-mile area Saturday looking for engine parts that might help solve the mystery.

Ground crews also covered about a mile on land, but as yet “very little” has turned up, possibly because the engine parts may have fallen into corn fields, said Jim Burnett, head of the safety board investigating team. The search will continue today.

United officials, who had struggled to piece together a passenger list, said Saturday that 296 people were on board: 285 passengers and 11 crew members. Officials placed the death toll at 110.

After cranes were used to clear the last major chunks of wreckage, they said it was doubtful that any additional bodies would be found.

“Evidence strongly suggests there were no more missing people,” Guyette said.

Forty-three of the 186 survivors were still being treated at two Sioux City hospitals. Seven were reported in critical condition and two were listed as very critical. Authorities said they had learned the name of one elderly woman who was critically injured, and family members were flying in to confirm her identity, which was not released. She had been the only unidentified survivor.

At the same time, teams of volunteers and airline officials were beginning intensive counseling for many survivors as well as family members and friends of passengers.

At Briar Cliff College, where many of the survivors and family members were being housed, volunteer counselor Bob Sheehan said many victims were beginning to realize the magnitude of their loss.

“When I first got here, we were dealing with the shock of the survivors,” he said. “Most of the counselors are dealing with the death issue now. . . . We’re not talking about the accident any more, we’re talking about a person dying. Emotions come in waves. There are happy moments--remembering the happy things, the funny things--then all of a sudden something kicks in and they get very sad and there are a lot of tears.”

At one nearby restaurant, three family groups were seen putting tables together so they could sit and comfort one another.

Psychologists predicted that those who cheated death by surviving the crash will likely experience a variety of emotional disturbances, some of them potentially serious.

“I would say that a large percentage of those survivors are going to have at least temporary psychological difficulties,” said Dr. Chester Swett, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

‘Some Symptoms’

“Virtually everyone will have some symptoms within the first month that might be helped with some psychotherapy, and a small percentage might require more counseling,” he said.

Some may experience symptoms such as eating problems, poor sleep, bad dreams, irritability, jumpiness, detachment and even flashbacks, which can be triggered by the remotest reminder of the incident.

“Some people might go to the other extreme,” said Swett. “Instead of experiencing the situation there may be an ever-present tendency to avoid any experience that may resemble the event. They might avoid all thoughts and feelings. They might even have an amnesia about the event.”

United officials, saying they were sensitive to the problem, were taking “great pains” to collect the personal belongings of all the passengers--living or dead--so they can be returned to the individuals or their families, Guyette said. Dozens of workers, including police and National Guard troops, were sifting through debris looking for watches, rings and other items.

Eric Malnic reported from Sioux City and David Ferrell from Los Angeles.