Release #02.073g
August 23, 2002

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Steven Norris, a DHL captain and resident of Show Low, Az, was awarded a Superior Airmanship Award from the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) for preventing a catastrophic aircraft accident and in the process saving an untold number of human lives on Sept. 25, 2001. The award was presented on August 22, during the Association’s annual Air Safety Forum.

ALPA honored Captain Norris for his exemplary actions in safely avoiding a disastrous head-on collision with another aircraft in the middle of a runway. Along with Capt. Norris, the first officer and second officer of Flight 951, Blaine Comfort and William McDorman, also were honored with Superior Airmanship Awards.

Flight 951 had been cleared for takeoff at the Mexico City airport when, at approximately 115 mph (100 knots), Second Officer McDorman spotted another aircraft on the same runway. At this time all three crewmembers saw an Air France Boeing 777 that had taxied onto the runway. The crew immediately rejected the takeoff. Unfortunately, even with all four DC-8 engines in maximum reverse and with maximum brake applied, it quickly became obvious that the aircraft was not going to stop on the wet runway in time to avoid a collision with the other aircraft. The crew therefore elected to veer the DC-8 off the runway to the right. The aircraft departed the runway at a speed of about 104 mph (90 knots) and traveled through the muddy grass between the runways. Before coming to rest with the nose wheel on the south edge of a taxiway, the aircraft traveled about a thousand feet, crossing a service road and successfully averting several dangerous obstacles. The two aircraft cleared each other by approximately 100 feet.

Captain Norris has flown for DHL Airways, Inc., for 16 years and is currently based at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. He received his bachelor’s degree from Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio. He has one son, Jared, age 14. Captain Norris grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and currently resides in Show Low, Ariz. His father, Frank Norris (deceased), was a World War II and Korean War Air Force veteran and recipient of the Distinguish Flying Cross.

ALPA is the union representing most commercial airline pilots in North America and is the industry’s leading safety advocate. It represents more than 66,000 pilots at 43 carriers in the U.S. and Canada. Its website is http://www.alpa.org.

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ALPA Contacts: John Mazor, Anya Piazza (703) 481-4440