The 1935 plane crash that almost destroyed Boeing


Boeing, the world's largest aerospace company, has lost $29 billion in market value since Sunday's crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet, with all 157 people on board killed. Most countries and airlines have grounded their 737 MAX 8 aircraft, U.S. lawmakers and others have called for the FAA to follow suit, and Boeing's fastest-selling aircraft ever now faces uncertain skies.
Boeing has a lot riding on the 737 MAX. But 85 years ago, it bet everything on its Model 299, later called the B-17 — and it nearly lost everything when its "Flying Fortress" crashed during a key test flight. Two highly experienced test pilots died.
In 1934, the U.S. government forced Boeing to spin off United Airlines and United Technologies, and rival "Douglas was really starting to dominate the American aircraft industry," Roger Connor, a curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, told NPR's Hidden Brain in February. "Their DC-2 was becoming the hot passenger airliner and was quickly putting Boeing into the background in that industry."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Company founder Bill Boeing resigned in 1934, and Claire Egtvedt took over and essentially "bet the company" on the Model 299, a four-engine next-generation bomber, Boeing in-house historian Mike Lombardi recounted last year to Seattle's KIRO radio. The U.S. Army Air Corps, precursor of the Air Force, announced a head-to-head contest for a major government contract in 1935; Boeing, Douglas, and Martin entered bombers, and Boeing was the clear frontrunner. As Seattle historian Feliks Banel recounts, the Boeing plane crashed on its second flight, on Oct. 30, 1935.
"Everything the company had went into this prototype and there it was, a burning wreck on the field," Lombardi told Banel. "We didn't have an airplane to finish and Douglas won. So that was the end of the Boeing Company." The Army placed a large order for Douglas B-18 Bolo bombers — but using a loophole, it also ordered 13 Boeing B-17s in January 1936. That "relatively small contract literally saved the company," Banel said. The B-17 proved to be the superior aircraft, and more than 12,000 were built during World War II.
The crash of the Model 299 — attributed to human error and technological innovation — also led to the creation of the preflight checklist, Hidden Brain explains below. The Boeing part starts at the 3:40 mark. Peter Weber
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
June 28 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include stupid wars, a critical media, and mask standards
-
Thai fish pie with crispy turmeric potatoes recipe
The Week Recommends Tasty twist on the Lancashire hot pot is given a golden glow
-
Palestine Action: protesters or terrorists?
Talking Point Damaging RAF equipment at Brize Norton blurs line between activism and sabotage, but proscription is a drastic step
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores