Aviation Accident Summary Archive

Voepass Flight 2283, an ATR 72-500 flying from Cascavel to São Paulo/Guarulhos, was dispatched with a known airframe de-icing malfunction into an area forecast for severe icing. During cruise at FL170, ice built up on the wings and tail, drag rose, and airspeed decayed. The performance-monitoring system issued repeated speed and performance alerts that the crew did not act on. The aircraft stalled during a right turn toward the SANPA waypoint, entered a flat spin, and impacted a residential area in Vinhedo. All 62 occupants were killed. CENIPA published the final report (A-116/CENIPA/2024) on 23 July 2026.

Other

On August 1, 2026, an Aerodiana Cessna 208B Grand Caravan crashed during a sightseeing flight over the Nazca Lines, killing all 13 people on board. The aircraft had departed from Pisco and was carrying 11 foreign tourists from Italy, Germany, and Spain. Approximately 50 minutes into the flight, the crew declared an emergency citing a loss of control before the aircraft impacted terrain near the village of Pueblo Viejo and caught fire. The investigation is currently focusing on severe weather conditions, specifically high velocity Paracas winds and dust induced low visibility, which had forced the closure of nearby airports in the days preceding the accident.

Under Investigation

On June 14, 2026, two helicopters collided mid-air over the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, killing all six people on board. The aircraft involved were a Bell 206B JetRanger III carrying five people and a Eurocopter AS 350B2 Esquilo with only the pilot on board. Following the collision, the Bell 206B exploded and crashed into a parking lot of a BYD electric car dealership, igniting a severe fire fueled by lithium-ion batteries that destroyed approximately 20 vehicles. The Eurocopter crashed approximately 100 meters away without catching fire. The victims included American musician Oliver Tree and Argentine YouTuber Gaspi.

Under Investigation · Multi-aircraft

On May 26, 2026, an experimental Fokker DR.I replica crashed and exploded during its pilot's first flight in the aircraft at Aero Estates Airpark. Witnesses observed the aircraft struggling to climb and performing low-altitude maneuvers before it pitched up, stalled, and completed approximately one and a half rotations into the runway. Post-accident examination identified a fractured throttle cable threaded rod end and the throttle slide in a fully closed position, though the engine was reportedly operating normally until immediately before impact.

Under Investigation

United Airlines Flight 169, a Boeing 767-400ER, struck a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike while on final approach to runway 29 at Newark Liberty International Airport. The aircraft descended below the intended glide path, causing the fuselage to impact the pole and debris to strike a southbound tractor-trailer on the highway below. Despite the impact, the aircraft landed safely and taxied to the gate; there were no injuries among the 231 occupants on board, while the truck driver sustained minor injuries.

Under Investigation

A Russian Air Force Antonov An-26 military transport plane crashed into a cliff face approximately 25 kilometers east of Sevastopol during a scheduled flight over the Crimean Peninsula. The aircraft was carrying 23 passengers and six crew members, all of whom were killed in the impact. The Russian Defense Ministry initially cited a technical malfunction, but subsequent investigative findings attributed the disaster to human error involving a premature descent during the landing approach.

Pilot Error

On 23 March 2026 a Colombian Air Force C-130H Hercules, FAC-1016, crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Leguizamo, Putumayo. Of the 126 people aboard, 69 were killed and 57 injured. FAC preliminary findings presented on 26 May 2026 state that the aircraft struck trees about four seconds after takeoff and that engines 1 and 2 lost power as a consequence of that impact; the aircraft was described as fully airworthy with no restrictive maintenance notes. The investigation remains open.

Under Investigation

Air Canada Express Flight 8646, operated by Jazz Aviation, collided with an airport firefighting truck while landing on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport. The firefighting vehicle, designated Rescue 35, was part of a convoy cleared by air traffic control using the callsign 'Truck 1 and company' to cross the runway to attend to an unrelated emergency involving a United Airlines aircraft. The collision destroyed the cockpit and forward galley of the CRJ900, resulting in the deaths of both pilots. One of the two flight attendants on board, seated in the forward jump-seat, was ejected onto the runway and survived with injuries. The NTSB investigation is currently examining why the runway safety systems failed to prevent the incursion and why the truck was cleared to cross while the aircraft was on short final approach.

Under Investigation

A Bolivian Air Force C-130H Hercules overran the runway at El Alto International Airport during a severe hailstorm, crashing through the perimeter fence and onto a busy highway. The aircraft was transporting a large shipment of newly printed banknotes for the Central Bank of Bolivia. The crash resulted in 24 fatalities, consisting of one crew member and 23 people on the ground, and 43 total injuries. Technical reports released shortly after the accident indicated the aircraft was loaded to its maximum capacity (19.2 tons of cargo), which, combined with the high altitude of El Alto (4,061 meters), may have made a safe landing physically impossible under the prevailing weather conditions.

Under Investigation

On 26 February 2026, the Swedish Navy patrol boat HSwMS Rapp neutralized a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launched from the intelligence-gathering vessel Zhigulevsk in the Øresund Strait. The drone, identified as a presumed Orlan-10, was approaching the port of Malmö where the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was anchored for the NATO exercise Lafayette 26. Swedish forces used electronic warfare equipment to jam the drone, causing it to disappear from radar approximately 6 to 7 miles from the carrier. Its final physical status remains unconfirmed, as it either crashed into the sea or returned to the Russian vessel after its flight path was disrupted. The incident was classified as a violation of Swedish airspace and access regulations.

Military Action

A Pelita Air Service Air Tractor AT-802 Fuelboss, registration PK-PAA, crashed into a mountainous area shortly after departing from Long Bawan Airport on February 19, 2026. The aircraft was operating a cargo flight returning to Tarakan after delivering fuel as part of the One Price Fuel program in the North Kalimantan border region. The sole occupant, Captain Hendrick Lodewyck Adam, was killed in the accident, and the aircraft was destroyed by impact and a post-crash fire.

Under Investigation

SATENA Flight 8849, a Beechcraft 1900D operated by SEARCA, crashed into mountainous terrain in the Catatumbo region of northeastern Colombia on January 28, 2026. The aircraft was performing a domestic scheduled flight from Cúcuta to Ocaña when it lost contact with air traffic control during its descent. All 15 people on board, including Colombian Congressman Diógenes Quintero and congressional candidate Carlos Salcedo, were killed. The wreckage was discovered in a rugged, densely forested area near Curasica, with the aircraft completely destroyed upon impact except for sections of the tail and fuselage, which remained relatively intact.

Under Investigation

A Robinson R44 Raven II sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Nakadake 1 crater of Mount Aso during a local tour, killing all three people on board. The accident was first detected when a passenger's iPhone automatically transmitted an emergency SOS signal after detecting high G-forces. Due to extreme environmental hazards, including volcanic gases, freezing temperatures, and high winds, rescue teams were unable to reach the wreckage, eventually using drones to confirm the presence of the three occupants nearly a month after the crash.

Under Investigation

An ATR 42-500 surveillance aircraft crashed into Mount Bulusaraung during approach to Makassar, killing all 10 people on board. The investigation revealed that the aircraft's GNSS system was operating in a degraded state, causing a position error of up to 15 nautical miles. The crew, unaware of the navigation discrepancy, followed air traffic control vectors that led them into mountainous terrain while flying below the 8,500-foot Minimum Sector Altitude. The accident was further compounded by the failure of the ground-based Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (MSAW) system to alert the controller, as it had not been configured for the local terrain since 2015. The accident highlights critical gaps in both onboard navigation monitoring and ground-based safety nets.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

On January 10, 2026, a Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R, a twin-engine piston aircraft, crashed shortly after takeoff from Juan Jose Rondon Airport in Paipa, Colombia, killing all six people on board. The aircraft, a Colemill Panther conversion, failed to gain altitude during its initial climb from runway 05. The aircraft impacted a farm field approximately 2 kilometers from the airport and was destroyed by a post-crash fire. The victims included popular Colombian singer Yeison Jimenez and three members of his team who were traveling to Medellin for a scheduled concert.

Under Investigation

A Harmony Jets Dassault Falcon 50 carrying a high-level Libyan military delegation crashed into Selamalmaz Hill near Haymana, Turkey, during an attempted emergency return to Ankara. The aircraft stopped climbing at 32,475 feet, and shortly thereafter, while at FL320, the crew reported a general electrical failure and declared a PAN-PAN emergency. All eight occupants, including the Libyan Army Chief of Staff General Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, were killed in the impact.

Under Investigation

A Cessna 550 Citation II business jet crashed and caught fire while attempting an emergency return to Statesville Regional Airport, killing all seven people on board, including former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle. Shortly after departure, the flight crew encountered multiple instrument failures, including the loss of altitude and heading data on the captain's Garmin GTN 750 display. During a visual approach in low visibility and heavy drizzle, the aircraft struck a 29-foot tall approach light station 1,380 feet from the runway threshold, followed by trees, before coming to rest in the runway overrun area. Although Biffle owned the aircraft, the NTSB identified him as a non-flying passenger in the cabin at the time of the accident.

Under Investigation

A Turkish Air Force C-130EM Hercules disintegrated in mid-air and crashed in eastern Georgia while returning from a logistics mission in Azerbaijan. All 20 personnel on board, including 10 flight crew and 10 F-16 maintenance specialists, were killed. ADS-B data showed the aircraft was cruising at 24,000 feet when it experienced a sudden, catastrophic descent exceeding 19,000 feet per minute. Video footage and wreckage distribution confirmed the airframe broke into three distinct sections before impact: the cockpit, the center fuselage with wings, and the empennage.

Under Investigation

UPS Airlines Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter, crashed into a mixed industrial and residential area in Louisville, Kentucky, on November 4, 2025. The accident sequence began during the takeoff roll when the number 1 (left) engine and its pylon assembly detached from the wing, leading to a loss of control seconds after liftoff. The crash resulted in the deaths of all three crew members and 12 people on the ground, including one victim who succumbed to injuries 51 days later (the official NTSB count as of January 2026 remains 14 total fatalities). Preliminary NTSB findings identified metal fatigue cracks in the left engine pylon's aft mount lugs, a failure mode reminiscent of the 1979 American Airlines Flight 191 disaster. The accident led to a temporary global grounding of the MD-11 fleet and the eventual retirement of the type by UPS.

Under Investigation

On 20 October 2025 at about 03:52 Hong Kong time, a Boeing 747-481BDSF (TC-ACF, operated by ACT Airlines for Emirates SkyCargo as UAE9788 from Dubai World Central) veered off the left side of runway 07L at Hong Kong abeam taxiway C6 during the landing roll, struck a stationary airport security vehicle and came to rest in the sea. The two occupants of the vehicle were killed; all four crew survived and the aircraft was destroyed. Hong Kong's AAIA published preliminary report PLR-2025-04 on 18 November 2025; it contains no analysis or findings.

Under Investigation

A Ghana Air Force Harbin Z-9EH helicopter crashed into a forested mountainside in the Ashanti Region on August 6, 2025, killing all eight people on board, including the Minister of Defence and the Minister for Environment. The aircraft was transporting high-ranking officials to an event regarding illegal mining in Obuasi when it disappeared from radar. The crash resulted in a post-impact fire that destroyed the airframe. Ghanaian authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.

Under investigation

Angara Airlines Flight 2311 crashed into a forest 15 kilometers southwest of Tynda Airport during an instrument approach in poor visibility, killing all 48 people on board. The investigation determined that the crew mistakenly used altitude values for QFE (height above airfield) while their altimeters were set to QNH (altitude above sea level). This barometric pressure setting error caused the aircraft to fly approximately 600 meters below its assigned flight path. The crew also manually disabled the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) audio alerts, which prevented the system from providing a timely warning before the aircraft impacted treetops.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A Bangladesh Air Force Chengdu FT-7BGI fighter jet crashed into the Milestone School and College campus in Dhaka shortly after takeoff, killing the pilot and 36 people on the ground. The aircraft experienced a loss of control during a routine training mission. While the pilot attempted to steer the jet away from populated areas, he was unable to maintain control or eject safely due to low altitude. The subsequent impact and fire caused high casualties among students and staff, exacerbated by the school building's lack of adequate emergency exits.

Pilot Error

A Beechcraft B200 Super King Air operated by Zeusch Aviation crashed and erupted into a fireball immediately after takeoff from London Southend Airport. The aircraft, which was performing a ferry flight to the Netherlands following a medical repatriation mission, experienced a loss of control shortly after lifting off from Runway 05. All four occupants, including two pilots and two medical staff members, were killed in the accident.

Under Investigation