Aviation Accident Summary Archive

A Learjet 35A and a German Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon collided mid-air during a military interception exercise over Olsberg, Germany. The Learjet was simulating a hijacked civilian airliner (Renegade scenario) while two Typhoons practiced interception procedures. During a turn, the Learjet crew lost visual contact with the lead Typhoon but continued the maneuver with an excessive bank angle, leading to a collision. The Learjet crashed near a residential area, killing both crew members, while the damaged Typhoon managed to land safely at Nörvenich Air Base.

Human Factors (Operational) · Multi-aircraft

A Ukrainian Air Force Ilyushin Il-76MD transport aircraft was shot down by pro-Russian separatists while on final approach to Luhansk International Airport. The aircraft was carrying 40 paratroopers from the 25th Separate Dnipropetrovsk Airborne Brigade and nine crew members, all of whom perished when the plane crashed near the village of Krasne. The attack involved the use of man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) and heavy machine guns, marking the deadliest single incident for the Ukrainian military during the early stages of the Donbas conflict.

Military Action

A Gulfstream G-IV overran the runway and crashed into a ravine after the flight crew attempted to take off with the gust lock system engaged. The pilots failed to perform a pre-flight control check, which would have revealed that the elevator, ailerons, and rudder were locked. Despite realizing the controls were immovable during the takeoff roll, the crew delayed aborting the takeoff for approximately 10 seconds, by which point the aircraft could no longer be stopped on the remaining runway. All seven people on board, including Philadelphia Inquirer co-owner Lewis Katz, were killed.

Pilot Error

A Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force Antonov An-74TK-300 crashed during a final approach to Xieng Khouang Airport at approximately 06:15 local time, killing 16 of the 17 people on board. The aircraft was transporting high-ranking government officials, including the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, to a military ceremony. During the approach, the aircraft flew too low, causing the landing gear to clip trees approximately 1,500 to 2,000 meters short of the runway. The crash was determined to be a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) resulting from the crew's failure to maintain sufficient altitude during the approach.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A US Airways Airbus A320 crashed during a rejected takeoff after the captain attempted to abort the flight following rotation. The accident was initiated by a series of configuration errors, including the entry of the wrong departure runway into the flight management computer, which resulted in the loss of V-speeds and triggered a persistent 'RETARD' aural alert during the takeoff roll. Despite the warnings, the crew continued until rotation, at which point the captain abruptly reduced thrust to idle and forced the nose down, causing the aircraft to bounce and collapse its nose gear.

Pilot Error

An AgustaWestland AW139 crashed shortly after a night takeoff from a private site in dense fog, killing all four people on board, including Lord Ballyedmond. The investigation determined that the flight crew likely suffered from spatial disorientation, specifically a somatogravic illusion, as they transitioned to forward flight without external visual cues. The crew had expressed reluctance to fly in the prevailing weather conditions, but the flight proceeded after passenger delays. The helicopter pitched progressively nose-down until it impacted a field approximately 420 meters from the takeoff point.

Human Factors (Operational)

MH370 vanished from secondary radar 38 minutes after takeoff. The aircraft has never been found despite the largest and most expensive search in aviation history.

Unknown

Nepal Airlines Flight 183 crashed into a ridge at 7,190 feet during a domestic flight from Pokhara to Jumla, killing all 18 people on board. The aircraft encountered deteriorating weather conditions including icing and low visibility, prompting the crew to attempt a diversion to Bhairahawa. During the diversion, the Pilot-in-Command lost situational awareness and initiated a descent into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) without proper regard for the surrounding mountainous terrain. The aircraft struck a tree and then impacted a ridge, disintegrating upon impact.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

An Algerian Air Force C-130H-30 Hercules transport aircraft crashed into Mount Fertas during an instrument approach to Constantine in severe weather. The aircraft was transporting military personnel and their families from Tamanrasset with an intermediate stop at Ouargla. During the descent, the flight encountered strong winds, snow, and poor visibility. The aircraft impacted mountainous terrain approximately 30 kilometers south of the destination airport, breaking into three sections. Of the 77 occupants, only one soldier survived with serious head injuries.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A medical transport flight carrying a transplant team crashed in the Apuseni Mountains following a dual engine failure caused by severe atmospheric icing. Although five occupants survived the initial impact, the rescue operation was severely delayed by technical failures and poor coordination, resulting in two fatalities. One passenger, a medical student, died of hypothermia before rescuers reached the site, while the captain died from a combination of trauma and exposure. The investigation highlighted critical failures in the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) system, specifically a missing antenna cable, and a lack of effective inter-agency communication during the search and rescue phase.

Weather

An Irkut-Avia Antonov An-12 cargo flight crashed during a night approach to Irkutsk Northwest Airport, striking trees and a military hangar approximately 1.7 kilometers short of the runway. The investigation identified pilot error as a primary cause, compounded by poor visibility due to snow and a mechanical failure of the number two engine, which a 2016 judicial investigation ruled was a primary factor. All nine people on board, including six crew members and three technicians, were killed in the impact and subsequent fire.

Pilot Error

A police helicopter crashed through the roof of The Clutha pub in Glasgow after both engines flamed out due to fuel starvation. Despite having 76 kilograms of fuel remaining in the main tank, the transfer pumps required to move fuel into the supply tanks had been switched off. The pilot failed to land the aircraft within the time limits specified in the Pilot's Checklist after low fuel warnings were triggered. The investigation concluded that the pilot did not follow emergency procedures, leading to a total loss of engine power and a subsequent crash that killed all three occupants and seven people in the pub. Additionally, 31 people in the pub were injured.

Pilot Error

LAM Mozambique Airlines Flight 470 crashed into Bwabwata National Park in Namibia after the captain deliberately manipulated the autopilot settings to an altitude below ground level. The investigation by the Directorate of Aircraft Accident Investigations Namibia (DAAI) concluded that the captain remained alone on the flight deck after the co-pilot left to use the lavatory, subsequently locking the door and initiating a sustained controlled descent. All 33 people on board were killed in the high-energy impact.

Pilot Error

Tatarstan Airlines Flight 363 crashed during a go-around at Kazan International Airport after the crew experienced spatial disorientation. The aircraft entered a steep nose-up attitude following the application of go-around thrust, which the crew countered with an excessive nose-down input, leading to a near-vertical dive into the ground. The investigation revealed that the captain had obtained his pilot's license using falsified documents and lacked the necessary skills for upset recovery.

Pilot Error

Southwest Airlines Flight 3426 experienced a maintenance alert related to cabin pressure while descending toward Raleigh-Durham International Airport. During the resulting emergency descent, the captain inadvertently broadcast a message to the passengers over the public address system stating 'We're going down,' causing significant alarm in the cabin. The aircraft landed safely without further incident.

Mechanical Failure

Aerocon Flight 25 crashed and caught fire during a landing attempt at Riberalta Airport in heavy rain and poor visibility. The aircraft, a Fairchild Metro III, veered off the runway, overturned, and was consumed by fire. While 10 occupants survived, eight passengers perished in the blaze. The investigation determined that a tailwind windshear pushed the aircraft downward on short final, causing a loss of lift. The disaster also highlighted critical infrastructure failures, as the airport lacked functional firefighting equipment, forcing local civilians to attempt rescues with sticks and metal bars.

Weather

Two Cessna aircraft carrying skydivers collided at 12,700 feet during a formation flight, resulting in the destruction of the lead aircraft and a successful emergency landing for the trail aircraft. As the lead Cessna 182L prepared to drop four jumpers, the trailing Cessna 185F drifted into it from above and behind. The impact caused the Cessna 182L to break up in flight and catch fire. All nine skydivers and both pilots survived; one skydiver from the trail aircraft sustained serious injuries, while others received minor or no injuries.

Pilot Error · Multi-aircraft

Lao Airlines Flight 301 crashed into the Mekong River during a second approach attempt to Pakse International Airport in severe weather. The flight crew failed to properly execute a missed approach procedure after descending below the minimum descent altitude. During the go-around, the crew mismanaged the aircraft's vertical profile and flight director modes, leading to a steep climb followed by a sudden descent into the riverbank and water. All 49 people on board were killed.

Pilot Error

MASwings Flight 3002 crashed into a residential house during a second landing attempt at Kudat Airport after the crew failed to maintain control during a go-around in gusty wind conditions. The flight was a specific sector of a multi-stop route, originating from Kota Kinabalu. The aircraft was configured with full flaps (37 degrees) during the approach despite company procedures advising against it in gusty weather. When a sudden gust hit the aircraft at 20 feet, the crew initiated a go-around but failed to retract the flaps, resulting in high drag that prevented the aircraft from climbing. The Twin Otter struck trees and a house in Kampung Sin San, killing the co-pilot and one passenger, and injuring four others.

Pilot Error

Associated Aviation Flight 361 crashed shortly after takeoff from Lagos when the crew attempted to fly with a malfunctioning engine and improper flap configuration. The aircraft, a charter flight carrying the body of former Ondo State Governor Olusegun Agagu, suffered a low-altitude stall after the No. 2 engine failed to produce sufficient thrust and its propeller feathered during the takeoff roll. Despite receiving multiple aural warnings regarding flaps and auto-feathering, and the First Officer suggesting an abort, the Captain elected to continue the takeoff. The aircraft failed to gain altitude, veered right, and impacted the ground in a steep bank less than a minute after liftoff.

Pilot Error

A CHC Scotia Eurocopter AS332 L2 Super Puma crashed into the North Sea during a non-precision approach to Sumburgh Airport, resulting in four fatalities. The investigation determined that the flight crew failed to monitor their flight instruments effectively, allowing the airspeed to decay significantly without intervention. This led to a loss of control and a high rate of descent at an altitude from which recovery was impossible. The helicopter struck the water approximately two nautical miles west of the airport and subsequently capsized.

Pilot Error

UPS Airlines Flight 1354 crashed into a hill approximately one mile short of the runway during a night approach to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. The Airbus A300 struck trees and terrain after the flight crew continued an unstabilized approach and failed to monitor their altitude, descending below the minimum descent altitude (MDA) without the runway in sight. Both pilots were killed in the impact and subsequent fire. The NTSB investigation highlighted pilot fatigue and deficiencies in flight management computer (FMC) programming as primary factors in the accident.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

An Ethiopian Air Force Antonov An-12B military cargo plane crashed and burst into flames while attempting to land at Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu. The aircraft was transporting weapons and ammunition for the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) when it impacted to the left of runway 05. Four crew members were killed in the crash, while two others were rescued from the wreckage with injuries.

Under Investigation

Southwest Airlines Flight 345 suffered a nose landing gear collapse after the captain attempted to salvage an unstabilized approach by taking control of the aircraft at an altitude of only 27 feet. The aircraft struck the runway in a nose-down attitude, causing the nose gear to collapse upward into the electronics bay. The NTSB determined the probable cause was the captain's decision to transfer control at low altitude instead of performing a mandatory go-around when the approach became unstabilized. While there were no fatalities, 8 to 9 occupants sustained minor injuries during the subsequent emergency evacuation.

Pilot Error