I would assume the pilots of those still had control to some extent?
Even in the case of Japan Airlines Flight 123 (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Air_Lines_Flight_123) the pilots still had some degree of control over the plane after its tail was ripped off due to a structural failure leading to explosive decompression at cruising altitude which also caused a total loss of all hydraulic systems.
Unfortunately what they had left (control over the engine thrust) was not enough, but they sure did their best. Apparently you can still control (to some extent) the plane using just the engines, with and the vertical stabilizer being completely gone, and no hydraulics. And this was in 1985.
I’m not saying that JAL 123 was in any way survivable (although some miraciously did survive), just pointing to the fact that even in the worst possible scenario there’s still probably a way to somehow control the plane.
One of the harrowing details is this quote: "The crew contacted United Airlines maintenance personnel via radio, but were told that the possibility of a total loss of hydraulics in a DC-10 was considered so remote that no procedure was established for such an event."
> One of the harrowing details is this quote: "The crew contacted United Airlines maintenance personnel via radio, but were told that the possibility of a total loss of hydraulics in a DC-10 was considered so remote that no procedure was established for such an event."
Has this even changed? What can you even do in the extremely unlikely scenario of loss of all hydraulic systems? I don't think it's even possible to train for such a scenario. You are truly on your own. What would the checklist even look like? "try doing the best you can with engine thrust alone, and may god help your soul"?
As far as I'm aware, the engineering has gotten better (introduction of hydraulic fuses that keep a closed loop in case there's indications of leakage), but truly, what can you even be expected to do without flight controls.
- Alaska Airlines Flight 261 - https://youtu.be/gAYzBJxOeLw?t=2106
- Lauda Air Flight 004: https://youtu.be/WsYU7tjOvm0?t=1196