How Juliane Koepcke Survived the Crash of LANSA Flight 508

Despite the trauma she endured as a result of the plane crash, Koepcke returned to her parents’ native Germany, where she continued her education. In 1989, Koepcke married Erich Diller, a fellow scientist who shares her passion for the natural world.

Koepcke, now also sometimes known by her married name, Juliane Diller, became the director of Panguana, the research station that had been so important in her parents’ lives. In 2011, Koepcke wrote a memoir called “When I Fell From the Sky,” recounting her harrowing experience.

Curious Coincidence With Werner Herzog

The fact that Koepcke survived has fascinated people around the world, including authors and filmmakers. In 1998, she accompanied the German filmmaker Werner Herzog to the crash site.

Herzog was interested in telling Koepcke’s story via a documentary (“Wings of Hope”) not only because it was inspiring but also because he had narrowly missed a potentially similar fate.

While scouting locations for his 1972 film “Aguirre, the Wrath of God,” Herzog had originally been scheduled to be aboard the fated LANSA flight until a last-minute change in plans.

Many other books and movies have focused on Koepcke’s survival story, painting it as a picture of human resilience in the face of adversity and the will to survive against all odds.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.