Aviation Accident Summary Archive

On February 18, 2010, Andrew Joseph Stack III intentionally crashed his Piper PA-28-236 into the Echelon I office building in Austin, Texas, which housed offices for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The impact and subsequent fire killed the pilot and one IRS employee inside the building (a ground fatality), while injuring 13 others. Prior to the flight, Stack set fire to his own residence and posted a manifesto online detailing his grievances against the IRS and the federal government. The NTSB classified the event as an intentional act, and the FBI assumed jurisdiction over the criminal investigation.

Security / Sabotage

Trigana Air Service Flight 162 performed a forced landing in a field near Samboja after both engines failed due to fuel exhaustion. The flight was originally scheduled from Berau to Samarinda, but after the left engine failed during the final approach to Samarinda, the crew attempted to divert to Balikpapan. During the diversion, the right engine also failed. All 52 occupants survived the emergency landing, though two people sustained serious injuries. The NTSC investigation concluded that both engines flamed out due to a lack of fuel reaching the engines, describing fuel management as 'out of control' during the flight. A definitive analysis of whether this was caused by crew negligence or misleading fuel quantity indications was hindered by the fact that both the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder were inoperative.

Human Factors (Operational)

Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 crashed into the Mediterranean Sea shortly after takeoff from Beirut during a thunderstorm, killing all 90 people on board. The investigation determined that the flight crew mismanaged the aircraft's flight path through inconsistent control inputs, leading to a loss of control and a spiral dive. Contributing factors included spatial disorientation, chronic fatigue of the captain, and a breakdown in Crew Resource Management (CRM) as the first officer failed to intervene during the captain's erratic handling of the aircraft.

Human Factors (CRM)

Taban Air Flight 6437, operated by Kolavia, was destroyed during an emergency landing at Mashhad International Airport in thick fog. Despite visibility being significantly below minimums, the crew attempted an ILS approach to Runway 31R due to a passenger medical emergency. During the landing, the aircraft suffered a tail strike, veered off the runway (runway excursion), and caught fire after the nose gear collapsed and the right wing struck the ground. All 170 occupants survived, with 47 sustaining injuries.

Pilot Error

A Cargolux Boeing 747-400 freighter struck a maintenance van while landing on Runway 24 at Luxembourg Airport in low visibility. The aircraft's tire made contact with the roof of the vehicle. While the van sustained substantial damage, the driver suffered only minor injuries, and the aircraft taxied to the ramp with minor damage to one tire. The investigation identified a breakdown in coordination between Air Traffic Control and airport maintenance, exacerbated by the decision to conduct work on an active runway during low-visibility operations.

Human Factors (Operational)

A 23 year old Nigerian national attempted to detonate an improvised explosive device concealed in his underwear as Northwest Airlines Flight 253 approached Detroit. The device, containing PETN and TATP, failed to fully explode but caused a fire in the cabin. Passengers and crew quickly subdued the assailant and extinguished the flames, allowing the aircraft to land safely with no fatalities.

Security / Sabotage

American Airlines Flight 331, which originated at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with a stopover in Miami, overran the runway at Norman Manley International Airport during a landing in heavy rain and tailwind conditions. The aircraft touched down 4,100 feet beyond the runway threshold, leaving insufficient distance to stop. The Boeing 737 broke through the perimeter fence, crossed a road, and came to rest on a beach, breaking into three sections. Of the 154 occupants, 14 passengers were seriously injured, while 134 suffered minor or no injuries; there were no fatalities.

Pilot Error

On November 18, 2009, an IAI 1124A Westwind II air ambulance flight ditched in the Pacific Ocean after failing to land at Norfolk Island during deteriorating weather. The aircraft, which lacked sufficient fuel to divert to an alternate destination after multiple missed approaches, was intentionally ditched 6 kilometers west of the island in darkness. All six occupants, including a patient and medical staff, evacuated the sinking aircraft and were rescued by local fishermen after 90 minutes in the water. The accident became the subject of intense political scrutiny due to initial investigative failures by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).

Human Factors (Operational)

RwandAir Flight 205 crashed into the VIP terminal building at Kigali International Airport following an emergency landing caused by a jammed left engine thrust lever. After landing with the left engine stuck at takeoff power, the crew taxied to the apron and shut down the right engine and all hydraulic systems. Without hydraulic pressure to maintain the brakes, the aircraft jumped its chocks under the continuous thrust of the left engine, accelerated across the apron, and struck the terminal building. One passenger died from injuries sustained in the collision.

Human Factors (Operational)

An Ilyushin Il-76MD transport aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Mirny Airport when the crew attempted to fly with a partially locked control system. Despite a 'Lock On' warning light remaining illuminated during pre-flight checks, the captain dismissed it as a false alarm and initiated takeoff. The right aileron remained physically locked, causing the aircraft to bank uncontrollably to the right immediately after liftoff. The jet reached a bank angle of 90 degrees before impacting a slag heap approximately 2 kilometers from the runway, killing all 11 people on board.

Pilot Error

On October 29, 2009 (local time), a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130H Hercules and a U.S. Marine Corps AH-1W Super Cobra collided in mid-air over the Pacific Ocean. The HC-130 was conducting a search and rescue mission for a missing boat, while the Super Cobra was participating in a multi-aircraft training exercise. All nine personnel across both aircraft were killed. Investigations by the Coast Guard and Marine Corps identified significant failings in Navy air traffic control, which was responsible for the airspace, as well as limitations in the 'see and avoid' principle under the mission conditions.

Human Factors (Operational) · Multi-aircraft

A Britten-Norman Islander ditched in the Caribbean Sea after suffering a starboard engine failure shortly after departure. The aircraft was unable to maintain altitude on a single engine because it was overloaded by approximately 9 percent beyond its maximum structural take-off weight. While all nine passengers successfully evacuated the sinking wreckage and were rescued by nearby divers, the pilot was rendered unconscious upon impact and drowned as the aircraft submerged.

Human Factors (Operational)

Sudan Airways Flight 2241, a cargo flight operated by Azza Transport, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sharjah International Airport when the No. 4 engine core cowls separated and fell onto the runway. The cowl separation ruptured a flex line, causing an erroneous Engine Pressure Ratio (EPR) reading, which led the crew to believe the engine had failed. During an attempted return to the airport, the crew exceeded the aircraft's maximum bank angle, resulting in an unrecoverable stall and loss of control. All six crew members were killed when the aircraft impacted the desert approximately 1.6 kilometers from the runway.

Human Factors (Maintenance)

During a positioning flight from Durban, the aircraft suffered a catastrophic failure of the right-hand engine shortly before liftoff. As the crew climbed, they misidentified the failed engine and inadvertently shut down the remaining functional left-hand engine. The aircraft lost all power, stalled, and crashed into a school fence in the Merebank residential area. The captain was fatally injured, while the first officer, flight attendant, and one person on the ground sustained serious injuries.

Pilot Error

An Iranian Air Force Ilyushin Il-76MD, modified as an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) platform, crashed during a military parade flyby near Varamin. While the leading technical theory is that the radar dome detached and struck the tail fin following an engine fire, multiple official and secondary sources document a possible mid-air collision with an escorting HESA Saeqeh fighter (registration 3-7167). The detachment or collision caused a total loss of control, leading the aircraft to spiral into the ground, killing all seven crew members on the Il-76. The HESA Saeqeh involved in the potential collision reportedly survived with two crew members injured.

Structural Failure

Airlines PNG Flight 4684 crashed into a mountain near Isurava while attempting a visual approach to Kokoda Airport in poor weather conditions. The aircraft, a Twin Otter carrying Australian tourists and local guides, departed Port Moresby at 10:53 local time and was flying through the Kokoda Gap when it encountered low clouds and reduced visibility that obscured the surrounding high terrain. The investigation determined the accident was a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT), occurring because the crew continued a visual descent into a mountainous area despite weather conditions being below the minimum requirements for visual flight.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A Piper PA-32R-300 and a Eurocopter AS350BA tour helicopter collided in mid-air at approximately 1,100 feet over the Hudson River, resulting in the deaths of all nine people on board both aircraft. The collision occurred in a high-traffic VFR corridor where pilots were responsible for their own separation under the see-and-avoid concept. The investigation revealed that the Teterboro air traffic controller was distracted by a personal phone call, which led to his failure to correct the Piper pilot's incorrect radio frequency readback and his failure to provide timely traffic advisories. The Piper pilot, having failed to contact the next controller, was not receiving traffic alerts, while the helicopter pilot's visibility was limited by the aircraft's structure and the busy urban backdrop.

Human Factors (Operational) · Multi-aircraft

A Bangkok Airways ATR 72-500 veered off the runway during landing at Samui Airport, colliding with a meteorological office building that formerly served as the airport's control tower. The aircraft was conducting a non-stabilized approach in gusty wind conditions when it touched down at 117 knots and subsequently skidded into the structure. The captain was killed, and 41 others were injured, including the co-pilot and several passengers who sustained serious injuries. Investigators determined that the crew failed to execute a go-around despite receiving a Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) 'Sink Rate' alert during the final approach.

Pilot Error

On August 2, 2009, a Merpati Nusantara Airlines Twin Otter crashed into a mountain slope while attempting a visual approach to Oksibil Airport in Papua, Indonesia. The aircraft was operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) in an area of mountainous terrain and deteriorating weather. Despite warnings from another aircraft about low cloud bases and advice to take a detour, the crew elected to fly a direct route. The aircraft impacted terrain at 9,300 feet, approximately 6 nautical miles from its destination. All 15 occupants were killed. The investigation concluded that the pilots failed to maintain visual flight procedures while flying below the lowest safe altitude, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

Aria Air Flight 1525, an Ilyushin Il-62M, overran the runway at high speed during landing at Mashhad International Airport, resulting in 16 fatalities. The aircraft approached at 325 km/h, which significantly exceeded the recommended landing speed for its weight. After a long touchdown approximately 1,000 meters past the threshold, the crew failed to effectively deploy spoilers or maintain reverse thrust. The aircraft exited the runway at 200 km/h, crossed a ditch, and slammed into a concrete perimeter wall, which completely destroyed the cockpit and forward fuselage. The investigation highlighted severe breakdowns in Cockpit Resource Management (CRM), including unauthorized actions by the flight engineer and the distracting presence of the airline's CEO in the cockpit.

Human Factors (CRM)

Caspian Airlines Flight 7908 crashed into an open field near Jannatabad, Iran, after suffering a catastrophic uncontained engine failure in its number one (left) engine. The failure led to a fire and the destruction of critical flight control systems, causing the aircraft to enter a steep, high-speed descent. All 168 passengers and crew members were killed when the aircraft impacted the ground at high velocity, creating a 10-meter-deep crater.

Mechanical Failure

A Boeing 737-300 experienced a rapid decompression at 35,000 feet when a section of the fuselage crown skin ruptured, creating a hole measuring approximately 17.4 inches by 11.5 inches. The flight crew performed an emergency descent and landed safely at Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia, with no injuries to the 131 people on board. The investigation identified metal fatigue at a chemically milled step in the fuselage skin as the cause of the failure.

Structural Failure

A Pakistan Army Mil Mi-17 transport helicopter crashed in the tribal Khyber region while transporting security personnel. All 41 people on board were killed. While the Taliban claimed responsibility for shooting down the aircraft, military officials attributed the crash to a technical fault, potentially exacerbated by overloading and poor weather conditions in mountainous terrain.

Other

Yemenia Flight 626 crashed into the Indian Ocean during a night approach to Moroni, Comoros, after the crew's inappropriate flight control inputs led to an aerodynamic stall. The accident is notable for having a single survivor, 14-year-old Bahia Bakari, who was found clinging to wreckage nine hours after the crash.

Pilot Error