9 ▁desc ended ▁and ▁the ▁left ▁wing ▁struck ▁the ▁ground , ▁causing ▁the ▁wing ▁to ▁separate . ▁A ▁fuel - f ed ▁flash ▁fire ▁ign ited ▁in ▁the ▁left ▁wing ▁shortly ▁after ▁it ▁struck ▁the ▁ground , ▁causing ▁a ▁" fire ball " ▁inside ▁the ▁cabin . ▁The ▁left ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁DC - 9 ▁and ▁co ck pit ▁struck ▁the ▁ground ▁next ▁and ▁the ▁DC - 9 ▁continued ▁rolling , ▁invert ed . ▁As ▁the ▁DC - 9 ▁sk idd ed , ▁the ▁left ▁side ▁was ▁t ilt ed ▁over ▁and ▁the ▁tail ▁was ▁invert ed ; ▁this ▁action ▁caused ▁the ▁middle ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁DC - 9 ▁to ▁compress ▁and ▁cr ush ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁passengers ▁on ▁board . ▁ ▁A ▁total ▁of ▁ 2 5 ▁passengers ▁and ▁ 3 ▁crew ▁members ▁died ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁crash ; ▁the ▁final ▁two ▁fatal ities ▁succ um bed ▁while ▁hospital ized . ▁The ▁captain ▁and ▁first ▁officer , ▁one ▁flight ▁att endant , ▁and ▁ 1 1 ▁passengers ▁died ▁from ▁bl unt ▁tra uma . ▁ ▁In ▁addition , ▁ 5 ▁passengers ▁died ▁of ▁head ▁inj uries ▁secondary ▁to ▁bl unt ▁tra uma , ▁and ▁ 9 ▁passengers ▁died ▁of ▁as phy x ia . ▁ ▁The ▁remaining ▁ 5 2 ▁passengers ▁and ▁ 2 ▁flight ▁attend ants ▁surv ived . ▁ ▁Of ▁the ▁surv iving ▁passengers , ▁ 2 5 ▁received ▁minor ▁inj uries ▁and ▁ 2 7 ▁received ▁serious ▁inj uries . ▁Fitz sim ons ▁Army ▁Medical ▁Center ▁sent ▁its ▁personnel