DFW plane crash: 40 years later, archival photos show Delta 191 aftermath
It was 40 years ago when one of the deadliest aviation accidents in U.S. history — and the worst ever in Texas — occurred at DFW Airport.
Just after 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2, 1985, Delta Flight 191, a Lockheed L-1011 wide-body aircraft with 163 people on board, was making its final approach into Dallas-Fort Worth from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, en route to Los Angeles.
As it neared the airport, the flight encountered a thunderstorm. Unbeknownst to the pilots, they were also heading directly into a wind shear, which suddenly pushed the aircraft downward.
The plane hit Texas 114 north of DFW Airport, striking a vehicle and killing its driver, before crashing into two water storage tanks on airport property and coming to rest near Runway 17, where it exploded into a ball of flames.
Of the 163 on board, 137 perished.
Those who survived, each in his or her own way, would never be the same.
Sisters of one crash victim recall the tragedy
Kathy Ford was 35 at the time of the crash and on her way home to Fort Worth from a business trip in Fort Lauderdale.
When the plane hit the ground, it broke in half, and Ford was reportedly one of only a few who were seated in the front section who survived. She suffered a catastrophic brain stem injury, and burns covered much of her body.
Forty years ago, a Star-Telegram reporter interviewed Ford’s family at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, where crash victims were taken. Speaking with the Star-Telegram again just a few days ago on July 22, Ford’s sister Carol Shaw recalled that night with vivid clarity.
“I was on the couch watching the news,” Shaw said. “I told my kids we needed to pray for these people. I had no idea that Kathy was on the flight.”
After receiving word about her sister, Shaw and other family members rushed to Parkland. By the time they got there, Ford was in surgery. It would be months before she was released from the hospital, though she never recovered. Ford died nearly 10 years later having never regained consciousness.
Susan Donahew, Ford’s other sister, was also interviewed by the Star-Telegram at Parkland on Aug. 4, 1985. She, too, shared her memories by phone on July 21.
When the crash occurred, Donahew and her husband were caring for Ford’s 12-year-old daughter, Jodi, while her mother was away. Donahew said her father, Bob Christy, broke the news to Jodi. The Star-Telegram’s 1985 coverage included a photo of Jodi anxiously awaiting word about her mother.
“We think about it very often,” Donahew said.
Donahew stays in close contact with Jodi and with Ford’s son, Jayme, both of whom live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Donahew and Shaw each said the children went on to live successful lives. Shaw said her own son, Steve, has always been apprehensive about flying. Jodi, on the other hand, worked as a flight attendant, Shaw said.
As if their lives weren’t upended enough by the tragedy of Delta Flight 191, roughly three months after the crash, on Thanksgiving Day 1985, Ford’s mother, Frances Christy, died.
Donahew and Shaw said she never got over losing her oldest daughter. They believe that their mother ultimately succumbed to a broken heart.
This year, the remaining family members are planning a memorial dinner at Joe T. Garcia’s in Fort Worth in recognition of the 40th anniversary of the crash. There, they’ll share stories about their sister and their mother, reminiscing about the good times they had together.
“It was really hard for a long time,” Donahew said. “But we are past that.”
“I want to talk about Kathy,” said Shaw. “I want to bring her name up. I want to know she’s not forgotten.”
This story was originally published August 1, 2025 at 11:55 AM.