On July 19, 1989, Captain Fitch was a passenger on United Airlines flight 232. He was returning to his home in Illinois on his weekly commute to his position as a flight instructor on the DC10 in Denver. A catastrophic failure in one of the engines on flight 232 cut all hydraulic controls in the airplane--a problem so unthinkable, that there was no procedure for dealing with it. Denny Fitch volunteered his assistance to the cockpit, and with Captain Al Haynes and the other 2 crew members, guided the plane to Sioux City, Iowa. In the crash landing, 112 souls perished. Because of the incredible teamwork and leadership of the men in the cockpit, the control tower, and personnel on the ground, 184 people survived.

Capt. Fitch retired in 2002 as a B-777 Captain, after 34 years with United Airlines. He received a B.S. degree from Duquesne University and his flight training from the United States Air Force. He is president of D.E. Fitch and Associates, an aviation consulting firm, specializing in Cockpit Resource Management and human factors. Captain Fitch's many commendations include "President's Award for Valor" from the Flight Safety Foundation; he was presented a commendation at the White House by President George H. Bush, and is the recipient of Senate Resolution 174, 101st Congress for his outstanding effort, poise and courage in assisting the crew of flight 232. He was a safety consultant to NASA as a member of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel; and has been inducted into the "Aerospace Laureate" section, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.