Investigation Summary
The disaster originated from a design flaw in the Boeing 747's engine pylon attachment system. The pylons were secured to the wing by fuse pins, designed to shear cleanly under extreme loads to prevent wing damage. However, the inboard midspar fuse pin on the number 3 engine developed fatigue cracks that went undetected during maintenance inspections. During the climb out of Amsterdam, this pin failed, causing the number 3 engine to pivot upward and outward. It struck the number 4 engine, ripping it and its pylon from the wing. The separation also destroyed approximately 30 feet of the wing's leading edge and severed hydraulic lines. While the crew initially maintained control at high speeds, the aerodynamic asymmetry became insurmountable as they slowed for an emergency landing. Below 260 knots, the lift differential between the intact left wing and the damaged right wing caused an unrecoverable roll, leading to a steep spiral into the Groeneveen and Klein-Kruitburg apartment blocks.
Final Conclusions
The Netherlands Aviation Safety Board (RvdL) concluded in report AAR 92-11 that the design and certification of the Boeing 747 pylon were inadequate to ensure the required level of safety. The investigation found that the inspection system failed to detect fatigue in the fuse pins. The resulting dual engine separation caused critical damage to the wing and flight control systems, making a safe landing virtually impossible. The board recommended redesigning the pylon attachment and improving inspection techniques for fuse pins.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
El Al Flight 1862: Two Engines Gone. One Neighborhood ... — A detailed look at the structural failure and aerodynamic challenges faced by the crew of El Al 1862 before its crash into the Bijlmermeer suburb.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Yitzhak Fuchs
First Officer
Arnon Ohad
Flight Engineer
Gedalya Sofer
Systems & Failure Modes
Engine Pylon Fuse Pins
Structural shear pins designed to allow an engine to separate from the wing during extreme turbulence or crash loads to protect the wing's integrity.
Hydraulic Systems
The separation of the engines severed hydraulic lines, leading to the loss of power to the outboard ailerons and preventing the extension of the right-wing flaps.
Leading Edge Flaps
Aerodynamic surfaces on the front of the wing; damage to these surfaces on the right wing significantly reduced lift on that side compared to the left wing.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was carrying 114.7 tons of cargo, including chemicals and 282 kilograms of depleted uranium used as a counterweight in the tail.
- 02The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was never recovered despite intensive search efforts.
- 03The flight data recorder (FDR) was recovered with the tape broken in four places, but data was successfully extracted.
- 04The crash destroyed a 30-meter wide section of the apartment complex, causing it to collapse.
- 05The total death toll was 43, though initial estimates were much higher due to the number of undocumented residents in the building.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Boeing Service Directive
Boeing issued a directive requiring all 747 operators to remove engines and pylons to inspect fuse pins for fatigue cracks and replace them if necessary.
Pylon Redesign
The engine pylon attachment system was redesigned to ensure that a single pin failure would not lead to the separation of the entire engine assembly.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Cargo Contents and Health Issues
Reference ↗Years after the crash, residents and first responders reported chronic health issues. It was later revealed the cargo included 190 liters of dimethyl methylphosphonate, a precursor for Sarin nerve gas, leading to a parliamentary inquiry.