The DC-10 Case

Book excerpt: Designed as a textbook for courses in ethics, this book provides the material needed to understand the accidents in which more that 700 people were killed -- accidents that many believe were the result of unethical actions and inactions by individuals, organizations, and government agencies. An introduction to ethical analysis and discussions of the ethical responsibilities involved are also provided. The case study offers material for a sustained inquiry into every level of ethical responsibility reflecting the rich ethical complexity of actual events. The DC-10 Case presents these issues through a collection of original and published articles, excerpts from official accident reports, congressional hearings, and other writing on the DC-10. The authors allow the readers to examine the ethical issues of airline safety as they actually occur, taking account of the circumstances in which they arise.