Aviation Accident Summary Archive

A Douglas DC-8 carrying 248 U.S. Army soldiers stalled and crashed seconds after takeoff from Gander International Airport. The accident remains one of the most controversial in aviation history due to a split decision by the Canadian Aviation Safety Board (CASB) regarding the cause.

Weather

On November 25, 1985, a Soviet Antonov An-12BP transport aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air missile while en route from Cuito Cuanavale to Luanda via Menongue, Angola. The aircraft, officially registered to Aeroflot but operated by a Soviet military detachment supporting FAPLA forces, was struck by a missile at approximately 10,000 feet. The explosion caused a cargo shift of two heavy tank engines, which altered the center of gravity and led to a loss of control. Forty-seven seconds after the initial impact, the port wing separated, and the aircraft crashed, killing all 23 people on board. South African Special Forces later claimed responsibility for the shoot-down, stating they used a captured Soviet-made 9K31 Strela-1 (SA-9) system during a covert operation.

Military Action

EgyptAir Flight 648 was hijacked by three members of the Abu Nidal Organization shortly after departing Athens. A mid-air shootout between an Egyptian sky marshal and the hijackers caused rapid depressurization, forcing the aircraft to land in Malta. After a tense standoff during which the hijackers executed several passengers, Egyptian Unit 777 commandos launched a raid that resulted in a catastrophic loss of life. The use of excessive explosives and the resulting fire, combined with grenades thrown by the hijackers, led to the deaths of 60 people, making it one of the deadliest hijacking rescues in history.

Security / Sabotage

A Dassault Falcon 50 executive jet and a Piper PA-28-181 Archer collided at approximately 1,500 feet over a residential area while both were in contact with Teterboro Tower. The Falcon was executing a VOR-DME Alpha circling approach to position for a landing on runway 19, while the Piper was transiting the airport traffic area from west to east. The collision resulted from a breakdown in air traffic control coordination and the inability of the jet crew to see and avoid the light aircraft due to misleading traffic advisories and the physiological limitations of night vision. Both aircraft crashed into the towns of Fairview and Cliffside Park, destroying several homes. The accident resulted in 6 fatalities: 2 occupants of the Falcon, 3 occupants of the Piper, and one person on the ground.

Human Factors (Operational) · Multi-aircraft

Henson Airlines Flight 1517, operating as a Piedmont Commuter flight, crashed into the southwest face of Hall Mountain during an instrument approach to Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport. The aircraft struck terrain at an elevation of 2,400 feet in instrument meteorological conditions, killing all 14 people on board. The NTSB determined the flight crew committed a navigational error by using the incorrect navigational facility and failing to monitor their flight instruments. The investigation highlighted significant contributing factors, including non-standardized cockpit instrumentation across the airline's fleet, high ambient noise levels that hindered communication, and inadequate pilot training and experience.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

Midwest Express Flight 105 crashed shortly after takeoff from Milwaukee following an uncontained failure of the right engine. Although the aircraft remained controllable after the initial explosion, the flight crew failed to coordinate their response, leading to a high angle of attack, a significant loss of airspeed, and an accelerated stall. The aircraft rolled 90 degrees to the right and crashed into a wildlife preserve, killing all 31 people on board.

Human Factors (CRM)

Bar Harbor Airlines Flight 1808, a scheduled service from Boston to Bangor, crashed during an intermediate stop approach to Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport, killing all eight people on board, including 13-year-old peace activist Samantha Smith. The aircraft struck trees approximately 4,007 feet short of the runway threshold while in controlled flight. The NTSB determined that the crew attempted to continue an unstabilized approach after receiving a non-standard radar vector from air traffic control that resulted in an excessive intercept angle. The investigation also highlighted excessive cockpit noise levels in the Beechcraft 99, which likely hindered crew communication and coordination during the critical phase of flight.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

During takeoff from Manchester Airport, the left Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15A engine suffered an uncontained failure. A fragment of the number 9 combustor can was ejected, puncturing a fuel tank access panel on the left wing. Leaking fuel ignited, creating a massive fire that trailed behind the aircraft. The crew rejected the takeoff and turned off the runway into a light wind, which inadvertently drove the flames and toxic smoke directly into the rear fuselage. The fire rapidly penetrated the cabin, and 55 people died, primarily from toxic gas inhalation, due to restricted evacuation paths and the speed of the fire's spread.

Engine Failure

Improper repair of the aft pressure bulkhead led to explosive decompression and loss of all hydraulic systems on a domestic 747 flight.

Structural Failure

Delta Flight 191, a scheduled service from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles with a stop at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), encountered a severe microburst-induced wind shear while on final approach to Runway 17L at DFW. The aircraft was subjected to a rapid transition from a strong headwind to a massive downdraft and tailwind, causing a significant loss of airspeed and altitude. The L-1011 struck the ground north of the runway, collided with a vehicle on Highway 114, and impacted two airport water tanks before disintegrating. The accident resulted in 135 official fatalities: 134 of the 163 people on board and one person on the ground. Two additional passengers who initially survived died more than 30 days after the crash due to their injuries.

Weather

An Air Ohio charter flight, operating as Flight 21, crashed into Lake Erie after the pilot became unresponsive to Air Traffic Control instructions for approximately 40 minutes. The aircraft maintained a constant altitude and heading until it disappeared from radar, suggesting the pilot had fallen asleep or was otherwise incapacitated due to extreme fatigue. Investigators determined the pilot had not slept for approximately 30 hours prior to the loss of communication.

Human Factors (Operational)

A Piper PA-32-260 collided with a ground vehicle while taxiing for takeoff at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. The aircraft was moving northbound on a taxiway when it struck a vehicle traveling westbound on an intersecting access road. The driver of the vehicle sustained fatal injuries, while the pilot and the single passenger on board the aircraft were uninjured. The NTSB determined that the vehicle driver failed to yield at a stop sign and the pilot maintained an inadequate visual lookout.

Other

Aeroflot Flight 5143 stalled and entered a flat spin while cruising at 38,100 feet after the crew mismanaged a low-speed situation. The aircraft was flying at an abnormally low speed for its altitude, causing vibrations that the fatigued crew misinterpreted as engine surges. Instead of increasing thrust, they reduced power further, leading to a deep stall and a crash that killed all 200 people on board.

Pilot Error

A Piper PA-42 Cheyenne III crashed during a night VFR approach to Charlotte Douglas International Airport after the pilot attempted an ostentatious, high-speed maneuver. During the approach, the pilot was queried by the tower regarding his high speed and altitude, to which he responded by requesting a runway change from Runway 18 to Runway 36R. Witnesses observed the aircraft flying fast and low on the downwind leg before entering a steep descending turn. The aircraft struck a tree and a utility pole short of the runway, destroying the airframe and killing both occupants.

Pilot Error

Air India Flight 182 was destroyed by a bomb planted in a checked suitcase by Sikh militants. The aircraft exploded at 31,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, southwest of Ireland, killing all 329 people on board. It remains the deadliest terrorist attack in Canadian history and was the deadliest aviation bombing until the September 11 attacks.

Security / Sabotage

A Beech E18S was struck from behind by a landing Alabama Air National Guard RF-4C Phantom II after an air traffic controller forgot the Beechcraft was holding for takeoff on the active runway. The local controller had cleared the Beechcraft, operating as ABX 74, to taxi into position and hold on Runway 05 while simultaneously managing a military flight, Dixie 06, which was performing a low approach followed by a full-stop landing. Preoccupied by heavy traffic on another runway and lacking supervisory oversight, the controller failed to maintain visual separation, leading to the high-speed ground collision.

Human Factors (Operational) · Multi-aircraft

Aeroflot Flight 8381, a Tupolev Tu-134A, collided mid-air with a Soviet Air Force Antonov An-26 at 13,000 feet while descending toward Lviv. The collision occurred in overcast conditions due to significant air traffic control errors, including the misidentification of aircraft positions and improper coordination between civil and military sectors. Both aircraft lost their right wings and tails upon impact, crashing near the town of Zolochiv and killing all 94 people on board both planes (79 on the Tu-134 and 15 on the An-26).

Human Factors (Operational) · Multi-aircraft

Iberia Flight 610 struck a television antenna on the summit of Mount Oiz during its descent into Bilbao, leading to the loss of the left wing and a total hull loss. The investigation determined that the crew flew below the minimum sector altitude due to a combination of misinterpreting the altitude alert system and likely misreading the aircraft's drum-and-needle altimeter. All 148 passengers and crew were killed in the impact and subsequent fire.

Pilot Error

A Boeing 747SP plunged over 30,000 feet in less than two and a half minutes after the crew lost control following a flameout of the No. 4 engine. While cruising at 41,000 feet, the engine lost thrust, and the captain failed to provide manual rudder input to compensate for the resulting asymmetric thrust. The autopilot, unable to maintain level flight using only ailerons at low speeds, reached its limit and disconnected, causing the aircraft to roll and dive. The crew suffered spatial disorientation in the clouds and only regained control at 9,500 feet after breaking through the cloud base. Despite significant structural damage and high g-forces, the aircraft landed safely at San Francisco. While there were no fatalities, 24 people were injured, including two serious injuries involving a foot fracture and acute back strain.

Pilot Error

Aeroflot Flight 7841 crashed shortly after takeoff from Minsk-2 Airport following a dual engine failure caused by ice ingestion. The aircraft had been parked on the apron for approximately one week in wintry conditions. During the initial climb, ice entered both engines, leading to compressor stalls and total power loss. While investigators confirmed ice ingestion as the cause, they faced challenges definitively proving the ice's origin due to the extent of the damage, though the lack of pre-flight deicing was a primary factor. The crew attempted an emergency landing in a wooded area, but the aircraft struck trees and disintegrated, killing 58 of the 80 people on board.

Weather

Galaxy Airlines Flight 203 crashed shortly after takeoff from Reno when an unlatched air start access door caused severe airframe vibrations. The flight crew, distracted by the buffeting, reduced engine power to investigate the source of the vibration but failed to monitor their airspeed. The aircraft entered an aerodynamic stall at a low altitude and crashed into a field and RV dealership, leaving only one long-term survivor.

Human Factors (CRM)

Eastern Air Lines Flight 980 struck Mount Illimani at 19,600 feet while descending toward La Paz, Bolivia, in dark night conditions and bad weather. The aircraft was significantly off its cleared course for unknown reasons, possibly to avoid weather, when it impacted the glacier-covered peak approximately 25 miles from the airport. All 29 people on board were killed, and the wreckage was buried under deep snow and ice, preventing the recovery of flight recorders for decades.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

Aeroflot Flight 3519 crashed shortly after takeoff from Krasnoyarsk following an uncontained failure of the number 3 engine. The failure, caused by a manufacturing defect in a compressor disk, triggered an intense in-flight fire that eventually severed hydraulic lines and destroyed the aircraft's control systems. Despite the crew's attempts to return for an emergency landing, the aircraft became uncontrollable and struck the runway at a steep angle, leaving only one survivor.

Mechanical Failure

Provincetown-Boston Airlines Flight 1039 crashed shortly after takeoff from Jacksonville International Airport when the horizontal stabilizer and elevators separated from the aircraft in flight. The NTSB determined that a malfunction in the pitch control or trim system led to a pilot response that overstressed the elevator control rod, causing asymmetrical deflection and catastrophic structural failure of the tail section. All 13 people on board were killed when the aircraft struck the ground in an inverted, nose down attitude.

Mechanical Failure