The DC-10 had a poor safety record in early operations , especially due to a design flaw in the cargo doors . Its safety reputation was further damaged by the crash of American Airlines Flight 191 , which remains the deadliest aviation accident in the United States . Following the Chicago crash , the FAA withdrew the DC-10 's type certificate in June 1979 , which temporarily grounded all U.S. DC-10s . In August 1983 , McDonnell Douglas announced that it would end production of the DC-10 , citing a lack of orders . Airline industry consensus at the time was that the DC-10 had a poor reputation for fuel economy and for its overall safety . In spite of the DC-10 's early difficulties , it ultimately accumulated a good safety record , as design flaws were rectified and fleet hours increased , comparable to similar second-generation passenger jets as of 2008
American Airlines Flight 191
American Airlines Flight 191
McDonnell Douglas DC-10