Aviation Accident Summary Archive

Air Midwest Flight 5481 crashed shortly after takeoff from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport due to a catastrophic loss of pitch control. The investigation revealed that the aircraft's elevator control system had been incorrectly rigged during a recent maintenance check, restricting nose-down travel. This mechanical deficiency was compounded by the aircraft being significantly overweight and having a center of gravity (CG) that exceeded the aft limit, leading to an unrecoverable pitch-up maneuver.

Human Factors (Maintenance)

An Aeromist-Kharkiv Antonov An-140 crashed into a mountain during a night-time approach to Isfahan, Iran, killing all 44 people on board. The flight was carrying Russian and Ukrainian aviation specialists to the inauguration of the Iranian-built version of the An-140. The investigation determined that the crew mismanaged their navigation systems, relying incorrectly on GPS data while failing to utilize other onboard instruments or follow standard approach procedures.

Human Factors (Operational)

During takeoff from Mombasa, Kenya, two shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles were fired at Arkia Israel Airlines Flight 582. Both missiles missed the aircraft, which was carrying 261 passengers and 10 crew members. The attack occurred almost simultaneously with a suicide car bombing at the Israeli-owned Paradise Hotel in nearby Kikambala. Despite the attempt, the flight continued to Tel Aviv and landed safely under Israeli Air Force escort.

Security / Sabotage

Laoag International Airlines Flight 585 crashed into Manila Bay shortly after takeoff when both engines failed due to the fuel valves being in the closed position. The flight crew attempted to return to Ninoy Aquino International Airport but, realizing they could not reach the runway, opted for a ditching in the sea. The aircraft broke up and sank in approximately 15 to 18 meters of water. While both pilots and 13 others survived, 19 people on board were killed. The investigation revealed that the pilots failed to ensure the fuel valves were open before takeoff and that the airline was operating scheduled services without proper authorization.

Pilot Error

Luxair Flight 9642 crashed into a field during a low-visibility approach to Luxembourg Findel Airport after the crew inadvertently triggered the propeller reverse pitch mechanism while still in flight. The pilots, rushing to descend after a late approach clearance, bypassed safety interlocks to reduce speed, causing a total loss of thrust and lift.

Pilot Error

Total Linhas Aéreas Flight 5561, an ATR 42 cargo flight, crashed near Paranapanema after suffering an uncommanded pitch trim runaway that sent the aircraft into a steep and high-speed descent. The investigation by CENIPA determined that a failure in the pitch trim system, likely involving relays or wiring, caused the elevator trim tabs to move to the full nose-down position. The crew, who had not been trained for a runaway trim scenario and lacked a specific emergency checklist for the event, were unable to regain control before the aircraft struck the ground at 366 knots.

Mechanical Failure

A Shangri-La Air DHC-6 Twin Otter crashed into a cloud-covered hill during its approach to Pokhara, killing all 18 people on board. The flight was a tourist charter returning from Jomsom, a route known for its challenging terrain through a deep gorge between Mount Annapurna and Mount Dhaulagiri. The accident occurred following three days of continuous heavy monsoon rains, which resulted in total cloud cover at the destination. The aircraft struck a hill approximately 5 kilometers southeast of Pokhara Airport.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A Russian Air Force Mil Mi-26 heavy-lift helicopter was shot down by Chechen separatists using a MANPADS surface-to-air missile during its final approach to Khankala Air Base. The missile struck the right engine, causing a fire and loss of control. The helicopter crashed into a defensive minefield surrounding the base, where fuel from ruptured tanks ignited in the cargo hold. The disaster remains the deadliest helicopter crash in history, exacerbated by the fact that the aircraft was severely overloaded with 147 personnel despite a standard capacity of approximately 80.

Military Action

Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise Flight 9560, a ferry flight with 16 crew members, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sheremetyevo International Airport when its horizontal stabilizers spontaneously moved to a full nose-up position. The aircraft reached a supercritical angle of attack, stalled, and impacted the ground approximately 700 meters past the runway end. Fourteen occupants were killed, while two flight attendants survived. While most reports indicate the aircraft exploded on impact, one surviving flight attendant disputed this. The Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) was unable to definitively determine whether the stabilizer movement was caused by a spontaneous electrical failure or accidental pilot input.

Unknown

A Ukrainian Air Force Sukhoi Su-27UB crashed into a crowd of spectators during an aerobatic display at Sknyliv Airfield, killing 77 people and injuring over 500. The aircraft was performing a rolling maneuver at low altitude when it descended too rapidly, clipped a tree and a parked Il-76, and cartwheeled into the audience. Both pilots ejected and survived. The disaster remains the deadliest air show accident in history.

Pilot Error

FedEx Express Flight 1478 crashed into trees and a construction vehicle during a night visual approach to Tallahassee Municipal Airport. Despite the aircraft being significantly below the glide path, the crew failed to recognize the danger indicated by the PAPI lights and the GPWS until impact. All three crew members survived the crash, though the aircraft was destroyed by impact and a post-crash fire.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A Boeing 707-123B cargo aircraft, owned by New Gomair and operated by Prestige Airlines, crashed two miles short of Bangui M'Poko International Airport's runway 35. The flight originated in N'Djamena, where the landing gear failed to retract after takeoff. The crew declared an emergency and diverted to Bangui. During the final approach, the aircraft suffered fuel exhaustion, likely due to the crew's efforts to lighten the plane or the increased drag from the extended gear. The aircraft descended into the Guitangola neighborhood, exploded upon impact, and killed 28 of the 30 people on board.

Engine Failure

A mid-air collision occurred over Lake Constance when a Bashkirian Airlines Tu-154 and a DHL Boeing 757 collided at Flight Level 350. The accident resulted from a conflict between Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructions and the Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS/TCAS). The ATC controller, working two stations simultaneously due to maintenance, instructed the Tu-154 to descend to avoid the DHL jet. Simultaneously, the TCAS on both aircraft issued Resolution Advisories (RAs): the DHL jet was told to descend, and the Tu-154 was told to climb. The Tu-154 crew followed the controller's instruction to descend instead of the TCAS climb command, placing both aircraft on a collision course.

Human Factors (Operational) · Multi-aircraft

A Royal Navy Westland Lynx HMA8 helicopter crashed into the Atlantic Ocean during a missile training exercise after suffering a catastrophic mechanical failure. The aircraft nosedived from approximately 400 feet following a reported bang from the starboard engine and a subsequent double engine failure. Two crew members were killed, while a photographer on board survived the impact and was rescued from the water. The wreckage was later recovered from a depth of 4,000 metres, marking the deepest aircraft salvage operation at the time.

Mechanical Failure

China Airlines Flight 611 disintegrated in mid-air at 34,900 feet due to a catastrophic structural failure of the rear fuselage. The investigation revealed that a tailstrike incident 22 years prior had been improperly repaired. Instead of replacing the damaged skin according to Boeing's Structural Repair Manual, maintenance crews installed a 'doubler' plate over the damaged area, leaving weakened metal and fatigue cracks hidden beneath. Over two decades of pressurization cycles, these cracks grew until the fuselage could no longer withstand the stress of flight.

Human Factors (Maintenance)

EgyptAir Flight 843 crashed into a hillside in the Nahli area while attempting to land at Tunis-Carthage Airport during adverse weather conditions. The Boeing 737-500 was performing a VOR/DME approach to runway 11 in fog, rain, and blowing sand when the crew initiated a premature descent. The aircraft impacted terrain at an elevation of 750 feet, between 6.4 and 6.6 kilometers short of the runway. The crash resulted in 14 fatalities, including three crew members and 11 passengers, while 48 occupants survived the impact and subsequent fire in the rear section of the fuselage.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

China Northern Airlines Flight 6136 crashed into the Bohai Bay after a passenger intentionally started a fire in the cabin using gasoline. The aircraft was on approach to Dalian when the crew reported a fire and subsequently lost control. All 112 people on board were killed. Investigation revealed that a passenger, Zhang Pilin, had purchased seven life insurance policies before boarding and used plastic bottles filled with gasoline to commit arson in an act of suicide for insurance fraud.

Security / Sabotage

EAS Airlines Flight 4226 overran the runway during a high-temperature takeoff from Kano, Nigeria, and crashed into a densely populated residential area. The aircraft failed to achieve sufficient lift after rolling into the dirt at the end of the runway, which caused the engines to ingest massive amounts of dust. The crash killed 71 people on board and 78 people on the ground, making it the deadliest accident involving the BAC One-Eleven.

Pilot Error

A Rockwell Commander 112TC private aircraft struck the 26th and 27th floors of the Pirelli Tower in Milan, killing the pilot and two people inside the building. The pilot had previously reported technical difficulties with the aircraft's landing gear while approaching Linate Airport. The impact caused an explosion and a significant fire, initially sparking international fears of a terrorist attack due to the proximity in time to the September 11 attacks. Investigators later ruled out terrorism, focusing on the pilot's attempts to troubleshoot a mechanical issue while flying over a densely populated urban area. The three fatalities consisted of the pilot and two lawyers working inside the tower.

Other

Air China Flight 129 crashed into a mountain during a circling approach to Gimhae International Airport in poor weather. The flight crew lost situational awareness while attempting to land on runway 18R, failing to track their timing and position during the base turn. This led the aircraft to fly beyond the protected airspace and into the side of Mount Dotdae. The accident was the first fatal crash for Air China and remains one of the deadliest aviation disasters on South Korean soil.

Pilot Error

Iran Air Tours Flight 956 struck the Sefid Kouh mountains during a non-precision approach to Khorramabad in poor weather conditions. The aircraft was destroyed on impact, killing all 119 passengers and crew. The investigation highlighted the crew's failure to maintain situational awareness and adhere to minimum sector altitudes while attempting to land in heavy fog and snow.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

TAME Flight 120 crashed into the Cumbal Volcano in Colombia while attempting a non-directional beacon (NDB) approach to Tulcán, Ecuador. The aircraft was flying significantly faster than the recommended approach speed and initiated a turn with an insufficient bank angle, causing it to overshoot its intended path and strike the volcano in foggy conditions. All 94 people on board were killed.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A Russian Interior Ministry Mil Mi-8 helicopter was shot down by a man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) while transporting high-ranking officials through Chechnya. The aircraft exploded and crashed near Shelkovskaya, killing all 14 people on board. The victims included Lieutenant General Mikhail Rudchenko, the Russian Deputy Interior Minister, and Major General Nikolai Goridov, the deputy commander of the Interior Ministry forces. The attack occurred during the guerrilla phase of the Second Chechen War and was attributed to Chechen separatists using a 9K38 Igla missile.

Military Action

Garuda Indonesia Flight 421 was forced to ditch in the Bengawan Solo River after both engines suffered a total flameout while flying through a severe thunderstorm. The aircraft encountered precipitation and hail densities that exceeded the engine's certification limits while at flight idle power. During attempts to restart the engines, the crew suffered a total loss of electrical power due to a poorly maintained battery, preventing the start of the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). The captain successfully ditched the aircraft in a shallow section of the river; however, the impact with the riverbed destroyed the rear cabin floor, resulting in the death of one flight attendant.

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