Aviation Accident Summary Archive

Agni Air Flight CHT crashed into a hill near Jomsom Airport during an attempted go-around following a technical indication regarding the landing gear. The aircraft impacted a rocky hill approximately 270 meters north of the aerodrome at an elevation 270 meters above the runway 24 threshold, killing 15 of the 21 people on board, including both pilots. Investigators determined the captain performed a sharp, non-standard left turn at low speed into rising terrain while attempting to divert back to Pokhara.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A Sukhoi RRJ-95B crashed into Mount Salak during a demonstration flight in Indonesia, killing all 45 people on board. The flight crew, distracted by conversation with a potential customer, ignored multiple Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) alerts, believing the database was faulty or that they were over flat terrain.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

Bhoja Air Flight 213 crashed during a night approach to Islamabad in severe convective weather, including a microburst. The flight crew, who were not adequately trained on the specific automated systems of this Boeing 737-200 variant, failed to recognize and recover from a wind shear encounter. The aircraft impacted the ground approximately 4.24 nautical miles from the runway threshold, killing all 127 people on board.

Pilot Error

A U.S. Navy F/A-18D Hornet crashed into the Mayfair Mews apartment complex in Virginia Beach shortly after takeoff following a rare dual engine failure. The crew, consisting of a fleet replacement pilot and an instructor, successfully ejected at approximately 50 feet above ground level just before the aircraft struck the residential buildings. While the aircraft was destroyed and several apartment buildings were heavily damaged, there were no fatalities among the crew or residents on the ground.

Engine Failure

UTair Flight 120 stalled and crashed shortly after takeoff from Tyumen, Russia, because the crew failed to de-ice the aircraft despite visible ice and snow contamination. The aircraft had been parked outside for eight hours in freezing conditions with mixed precipitation. During the initial climb, the crew retracted the flaps at a speed lower than required for an iced-wing configuration, leading to an immediate aerodynamic stall. The pilots failed to recognize the stall and applied incorrect control inputs, resulting in a steep roll and impact with a snowy field approximately 1.6 kilometers from the runway.

Pilot Error

JetBlue Flight 191 was forced to divert to Amarillo, Texas, after the captain suffered a severe mental breakdown during the flight. The captain began acting erratically, ranting about terrorists and the September 11 attacks, and eventually attempted to re-enter the cockpit after being locked out by the first officer. Passengers and crew members restrained the captain in the cabin while an off-duty pilot assisted the first officer in landing the aircraft safely.

Human Factors (Operational)

A Royal Norwegian Air Force C-130J-30 Super Hercules crashed into the western wall of Mount Kebnekaise, Sweden's highest peak, during the Cold Response 2012 military exercise. The aircraft was flying under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) when Swedish air traffic controllers cleared it to descend to Flight Level 70, an altitude lower than the surrounding terrain and below the Minimum Sector Altitude (MSA). The crew, lacking adequate map data for Swedish terrain and operating with a terrain warning system set to a tactical mode that suppressed alerts, flew into the mountain in instrument meteorological conditions. All five officers on board were killed, and the aircraft was destroyed by the impact and a subsequent avalanche.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A Gulfstream G-IV corporate jet overran the runway at Bukavu-Kavumu Airport after touching down 1,200 meters past the threshold of the 2,000-meter runway. The aircraft failed to stop, veered left, and plunged down a 20-meter embankment, breaking into two sections. The accident resulted in six fatalities: both pilots and two passengers died, along with two farmers on the ground who were struck by the aircraft. Investigators determined the crew conducted an unstable approach well above the normal glide path and failed to deploy ground spoilers after touchdown, leaving insufficient distance to stop the aircraft.

Pilot Error

A Yakovlev Yak-52TW crashed into Timona Park during an aerobatic flight after a loose screwdriver became lodged in the elevator control mechanism. The aircraft was performing a slow roll at approximately 2,700 feet when the tool, which had been left in the rear fuselage, shifted and jammed the elevator quadrant. This restriction prevented the pilot from recovering from the maneuver, resulting in a steep, high-speed dive into the ground. Both occupants were killed on impact.

Other

A scenic hot air balloon flight ended in disaster when the pilot allowed the aircraft to descend below the level of high-voltage power lines during a landing attempt. The basket became entangled in a 33,000-volt line, leading to electrical arcing that ruptured a fuel cylinder and ignited a catastrophic fire. The pilot attempted to out-climb the wires rather than using the rapid descent system, a decision investigators attributed to impaired judgment. All 11 people on board were killed, including two passengers who jumped from the burning basket before it plummeted to the ground.

Pilot Error

A Beechcraft Queen Air cargo flight crashed into a residential area and the Felixberto Serrano Elementary School shortly after takeoff from Manila, killing all three occupants and 10 people on the ground. The accident was triggered by a failure of the left engine due to oil starvation. The pilot, who had received inadequate emergency procedure training, failed to maintain control of the aircraft during the engine-out condition. The situation was further complicated by an air traffic control instruction to perform an early right turn that deviated from standard departure procedures, reducing the pilot's time to stabilize the aircraft.

Pilot Error

A Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee carrying Oklahoma State University women's basketball coaches Kurt Budke and Miranda Serna crashed into a wooded area in the Ouachita National Forest. The flight was a recruiting trip from Stillwater, Oklahoma, to Little Rock, Arkansas. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft spiraling or nose-diving before impact. All four occupants, including the pilot and his wife, were killed. The accident occurred approximately 45 miles west of Little Rock.

Pilot Error

LOT Polish Airlines Flight 16 performed a successful gear-up belly landing at Warsaw Chopin Airport after a total failure of the landing gear extension systems. The accident was initiated by a hydraulic leak in the center system shortly after takeoff, but the aircraft could have landed safely if the crew had noticed a tripped circuit breaker for the alternate extension system. All 231 occupants evacuated safely, though the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Human Factors (Operational)

Iran Air Flight 742 performed a successful emergency nose-gear-up landing at Mehrabad International Airport after the nose landing gear failed to extend. The crew, led by Captain Hushang Shahbazi, diverted from their original destination of Imam Khomeini International Airport to avoid closing its only runway. Despite the aircraft coming to a halt on its nose, all 113 occupants evacuated safely without injury.

Mechanical Failure

A Moremi Air Cessna 208B Grand Caravan crashed and burst into flames shortly after takeoff from Xakanaka Airstrip, killing the pilot and seven passengers. The investigation determined that the aircraft suffered a catastrophic engine failure when the compressor turbine blades failed due to sulphidation corrosion. The accident was exacerbated by the pilot's decision to exceed the maximum passenger limit for the specific airfield and the presence of tall trees near the runway, which the aircraft struck after losing power.

Engine Failure

Airlines PNG Flight 1600 crashed during a steep descent toward Madang after the flight crew inadvertently moved the power levers into the ground beta range while airborne. This action triggered a catastrophic double propeller overspeed, causing severe engine damage and a total loss of usable thrust. The crew, overwhelmed by deafening noise and smoke in the cockpit, failed to follow emergency checklists or feather the windmilling propellers effectively. The aircraft performed a forced landing on a riverbank, where it broke apart and was consumed by fire, killing 28 of the 32 people on board.

Pilot Error

Nusantara Buana Air Flight 823 crashed into a 70 degree slope in the Mount Leuser National Park after the crew elected to continue a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions. The aircraft impacted terrain at 5,055 feet altitude while the pilots were flying in cloud, resulting in the deaths of all 18 people on board. Investigators determined the crew lost situational awareness and visual reference to the ground, failing to take any recovery action before the impact.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

Buddha Air Flight 103, a Beechcraft 1900D, crashed into a hillside at Kotdanda while returning from an 'Everest Experience' sightseeing flight. The aircraft was operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) in deteriorating weather conditions when it entered a thick cloud bank and struck terrain approximately 5,400 feet above sea level. All 19 occupants, including 16 tourists and 3 crew members, were killed. Investigators determined the primary cause was the crew's decision to continue the flight under VFR into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), leading to controlled flight into terrain.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A highly modified P-51D Mustang racing aircraft, The Galloping Ghost, crashed into the spectator box seating area during the Reno Air Races after a mechanical failure of the left elevator trim tab. The failure caused an abrupt pitch-up maneuver that subjected the pilot to 17 g, resulting in immediate incapacitation and loss of consciousness. The aircraft then nosedived into the apron at over 400 mph, killing the pilot and 10 spectators on the ground. In addition to the 11 fatalities, at least 69 people on the ground were injured, with 16 of those sustaining serious injuries.

Human Factors (Maintenance)

A Yakovlev Yak-42D carrying the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl professional ice hockey team crashed during takeoff after failing to become airborne within the runway distance. The investigation determined that one of the pilots inadvertently applied braking force during the takeoff roll while attempting to pull back on the control column. This created a nose-down moment that countered the elevator's authority, preventing the aircraft from rotating. The plane eventually lifted off 400 meters past the runway end, struck a localizer antenna, stalled at a height of approximately 6 meters, and crashed into the banks of the Volga River. Of the 45 people on board, 43 died at the scene; one player died five days later, leaving the flight mechanic as the sole survivor.

Pilot Error

An All Nippon Airways Boeing 737-700 experienced a severe in-flight upset and near-inversion after the First Officer mistook the rudder trim switch for the cockpit door-lock selector. While the Captain was returning from the restroom, the First Officer attempted to unlock the door but instead applied full left rudder trim. The aircraft banked to a maximum of 131.7 degrees and entered a steep dive, losing 6,000 feet of altitude and reaching 2.68 G's before recovery. Two cabin crew members sustained minor injuries, but the aircraft landed safely at Haneda Airport.

Human Factors (Operational)

On September 2, 2011, a Chilean Air Force CASA C-212 Aviocar crashed into the sea while attempting to land at Robinson Crusoe Airport in the Juan Fernández Archipelago. The aircraft, carrying 21 people including popular television presenter Felipe Camiroaga and members of the NGO Desafío Levantemos Chile, encountered severe adverse weather conditions including strong crosswinds and wind shear. After two unsuccessful landing attempts, the aircraft performed a low-altitude turn between Robinson Crusoe and Santa Clara islands, where it encountered powerful down gusts and vortexes. The aircraft rolled past 90 degrees, became inverted, and struck the water at high speed, killing everyone on board. The accident remains one of the deadliest in the history of the Chilean Air Force.

Weather

A Boeing 737-200 combi crashed into a hill 1 nautical mile east and abeam the runway midpoint during an instrument approach in poor visibility. The investigation revealed that the aircraft drifted off course due to an inadvertent autopilot mode change and a significant compass error caused by proximity to the North Magnetic Pole. Despite the First Officer's repeated warnings that the aircraft was off track, the Captain continued the approach until a Ground Proximity Warning System alert triggered a late go-around attempt. The crash occurred during a military exercise, which facilitated an immediate rescue of the three survivors.

Human Factors (CRM)

Two Piaggio P.166S Albatross aircraft (registrations ZS-NJX and ZU-MMI) flying in formation crashed into a near-vertical escarpment on Mamotswiri Peak while returning from the Tzaneen Air Show. Both aircraft entered low cloud and struck the mountain at approximately 5,030 feet, roughly 300 feet below the ridge line. The investigation determined that the pilots attempted to fly under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) without adequate flight planning for the mountainous terrain and prevailing weather. All 13 occupants across both aircraft were killed, and both airframes were destroyed by impact forces and post-crash fires. The wreckage sites were located approximately 75 to 100 meters apart.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) · Multi-aircraft