ValueJet went under soon after one of their DC-9’s went down in the Florida Everglades due to a fire in the cargo area due to an illegally boarded oxygen canister. The company was saved and renamed as AirTran a number of years ago.

I think companies that are on poor financial ground can’t weather the aftermath of an accident. American and United lost a total of 5 aircraft in 2001 and none of their current financial troubles stem from that.

Pan Am went away thanks to the poor managing.