Aviation Accident Summary Archive

Saudia Flight 163 is the deadliest aviation accident not involving a crash or mid-air collision. After a cargo fire broke out shortly after takeoff from Riyadh, the crew successfully returned the aircraft to the airport. However, the captain failed to order an immediate evacuation upon landing, and rescue crews were unable to access the cabin in time, resulting in the deaths of all 301 people on board due to smoke inhalation.

Human Factors (CRM)

Aeroflot Flight 4225 crashed shortly after takeoff from Alma-Ata when it encountered a severe atmospheric downburst while climbing through a thermal inversion. The aircraft lost airspeed rapidly, stalled, and impacted a farm, killing all 166 people on board.

Weather

Itavia Flight 870, a Douglas DC-9, suffered a catastrophic mid-air breakup and crashed into the Tyrrhenian Sea, killing all 81 people on board. The event, known as the Ustica Massacre, remains one of Italy's most enduring mysteries. While a technical commission initially suggested an onboard bomb in the rear lavatory, subsequent judicial investigations and statements by high-ranking officials have alleged the aircraft was accidentally shot down during a military dogfight involving NATO and Libyan fighter jets.

Other

Aeroflot Flight Sh-88, a Yakovlev Yak-40, crashed into a mountain slope while on a domestic scheduled flight from Leninabad to Dushanbe. The aircraft deviated from its assigned course during the flight, leading it into high terrain approximately 44 kilometres northwest of Dushanbe Airport. All 29 occupants on board were killed in the impact.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

Air Wisconsin Flight 965, a multi-stop service originating from Appleton, Wisconsin, crashed near Valley, Nebraska, after flying into a region of extreme thunderstorms that caused a dual engine flameout. The Swearingen Metro II encountered massive water ingestion while descending through 6,000 feet on its final leg from Minneapolis to Lincoln, leading to a simultaneous loss of power in both Garrett turboprop engines. Although the flight crew successfully initiated a relight of both engines, they were unable to maintain control of the aircraft at the low altitude. The aircraft struck a muddy field in a nose-down, right-wing-low attitude, bounced, and came to rest inverted. The investigation cited the crew's decision to continue into severe weather and the failure of air traffic control to disseminate critical weather warnings as primary factors.

Weather

A pilot intentionally crashed a single-engine aircraft into a commercial area of Barra do Garças in an attempted suicide attack against his mother-in-law's hotel. The pilot, Mauro Milhomem, had previously threatened to destroy the Hotel Presidente following a domestic dispute with his wife. During the flight, Milhomem maneuvered the Embraer EMB-721 Sertanejo at low altitude toward the hotel but lost control after striking a tree and utility poles. The aircraft ultimately crashed into a two-story building and an accounting office, killing the pilot and six others, including passengers and individuals on the ground.

Security / Sabotage

Dan-Air Flight 1008 struck the side of Mount La Esperanza while attempting to enter an unpublished holding pattern at Tenerife North Airport. The flight crew, confused by the air traffic controller's non-standard instructions and the lack of a published procedure, mistakenly turned the aircraft into an area of high terrain while flying in cloud. Despite a last-second Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) alert, the aircraft impacted the mountain at approximately 5,450 feet, killing all 146 people on board.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

Transbrasil Flight 303, on the penultimate leg of a multi-stop journey from Belém to Porto Alegre, crashed into Morro da Virgínia while conducting a non-precision NDB approach during a severe thunderstorm. The aircraft was being flown by an inspector pilot under supervision when electrical interference from lightning caused false NDB readings. Misjudging their position, the crew descended below the safety altitude and struck a hill 22 kilometers north of the airport. Only three of the 58 occupants survived the impact and subsequent explosion.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

LOT Polish Airlines Flight 007 crashed near Warsaw-Okęcie Airport following a catastrophic uncontained engine failure during a go-around. The failure occurred when the low-pressure turbine disc of engine number 2 disintegrated, sending high-velocity debris through the fuselage. This debris severed the rudder and elevator control rods, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable. The plane entered a steep dive and crashed into a moat at Fort Okęcie, killing all 87 people on board, including the U.S. amateur boxing team and Polish singer Anna Jantar.

Mechanical Failure

Advance Airlines Flight 4210 crashed into a seawall at Sydney Airport while attempting an emergency return following an engine failure during takeoff. The Beechcraft King Air 200 suffered a loss of power in its left engine shortly after takeoff. The aircraft climbed to a maximum height of approximately 150 feet AGL before leveling off and beginning a descent. The pilot attempted to return to Runway 34 but, while operating an overweight aircraft in high ambient temperatures (39C) and using a non-approved reduced power setting, was unable to maintain altitude. The aircraft struck the seawall 106 seconds after brake release, killing all 13 people on board.

Pilot Error

Iran Air Flight 291 crashed into the Alborz Mountains during a night approach to Tehran-Mehrabad Airport in poor weather. The accident occurred shortly after air traffic controllers had returned from a strike, during which time critical navigation aids including the Instrument Landing System (ILS) and ground radar were inoperative. The flight crew deviated significantly from their assigned course and failed to respond to internal warnings regarding incorrect navigation data, leading to a controlled flight into terrain.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A Turkish Airlines Fokker F28 Fellowship, named Trabzon, crashed into a hillside near the village of Kuyumcuköy during an instrument approach to Ankara. The aircraft was approximately 32 kilometers north-northeast of Esenboğa International Airport when it struck terrain at an elevation of 1,400 meters (4,600 feet). Investigators determined that the crew had deviated from the localizer course while conducting an ILS approach and were simultaneously experiencing severe turbulence. Of the 45 people on board, 41 were killed, including three crew members and 38 passengers.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A sightseeing flight to Antarctica crashed into the slopes of Mount Erebus after a flight path coordinate change was made without notifying the flight crew. The disaster is famous for the conflicting findings between the initial accident report and a subsequent Royal Commission of Inquiry.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

A Boeing 707 carrying Hajj pilgrims crashed in the mountains near Taif after a catastrophic in-flight fire broke out in the aft cabin. Despite attempts to return to Jeddah, the fire spread so rapidly that the crew was likely incapacitated by smoke, leading to a total loss of control.

In-flight Fire

American Airlines Flight 444 was an attempted bombing carried out by Ted Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber, using a mail-borne pipe bomb. The device was designed to detonate at a specific altitude and partially exploded in the aircraft's cargo hold during a flight from Chicago to Washington, D.C. The explosion caused a loss of cabin pressure and filled the passenger cabin with large quantities of smoke. The flight crew successfully performed an emergency landing at Dulles International Airport, and while 12 passengers required treatment for smoke inhalation, there were no fatalities.

Security / Sabotage

Western Airlines Flight 2605, nicknamed the Night Owl, crashed at Mexico City International Airport after the crew mistakenly landed on a closed runway in heavy fog. Despite being cleared for Runway 23 Right, the pilots followed the ILS for the closed Runway 23 Left, intending to sidestep at the last moment. However, they failed to transition or execute a timely go-around, touching down on the closed runway and striking a dump truck. The accident resulted in 73 fatalities, consisting of 72 of the 88 people on board and one person on the ground.

Pilot Error

Swissair Flight 316 overran the runway while landing at Athens-Ellinikon International Airport, resulting in a post-crash fire that killed 14 passengers. The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62 named Uri, touched down at an excessive speed of 146 to 150 knots following a non-stabilized approach. Estimates for the touchdown point range from 740 meters (official report) to 900 meters beyond the displaced threshold. Despite attempts to decelerate, the crew failed to fully utilize the wheel brakes and reverse thrust on the wet runway. The aircraft plunged off the end of the runway, coming to rest on a public road four meters below airport elevation, where it was destroyed by fire.

Pilot Error

Aero Trasporti Italiani Flight 12 crashed into the rocky mountainside of Conca d'Oru during a night approach to Cagliari-Elmas Airport, killing all 31 people on board. The crew lost situational awareness after performing an orbit to avoid thunderstorms, which resulted in the aircraft being significantly off course. While the captain believed the flight was over the sea, the aircraft was actually flying over mountainous terrain at an insufficient altitude. The DC-9 struck the terrain 18 kilometers southwest of the airport while the crew was preparing for final approach.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

Aeroflot Flight 5484 suffered a catastrophic mid-air breakup after the flaps were unexpectedly extended while cruising at 9,000 metres. The sudden deployment at high speed caused the aircraft to enter a steep dive, exceeding structural limits and resulting in the separation of the wings and fuselage. The investigation could not definitively determine if the flap extension was caused by an accidental pilot action or an electrical malfunction, as critical components of the control system were not recovered.

Mechanical Failure

Two Aeroflot Tupolev Tu-134 passenger jets collided at 27,600 feet over the Ukrainian SSR due to air traffic control errors. The collision resulted in the deaths of all 178 people on both aircraft, including 17 members of the Pakhtakor Tashkent football club.

Human Factors (Operational) · Multi-aircraft

Dan-Air Flight 0034 failed to become airborne during takeoff from Sumburgh Airport and crashed into the North Sea after the elevator gust locks re-engaged during the takeoff roll. The aircraft accelerated normally past its decision and safety speeds, but the pilots were unable to rotate the nose upward because the elevators were mechanically locked. The aircraft overran the runway, crossed a perimeter road, and broke apart as it entered the water approximately 50 meters offshore. While 30 people survived the initial impact and sinking, 17 others—consisting of 15 passengers and both pilots—drowned before they could be rescued from the freezing water and submerged cabin.

Human Factors (Maintenance)

Lufthansa Flight 527, a Boeing 707 cargo flight originating in São Paulo, crashed into mountainous terrain north of Rio de Janeiro after receiving improper radar vectoring and speed instructions from air traffic control during a scheduled stop. The controller, managing a high workload, instructed the crew (who had boarded in Rio) to increase speed while maintaining a low altitude of 2,000 feet, leading the aircraft toward rising terrain. The crew exceeded the terminal area speed limit of 250 knots, reaching 304 knots, and failed to challenge the incomplete ATC instructions. The aircraft struck the Serra dos Macacos mountainside just as the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) activated, killing all three crew members.

Human Factors (Operational)

A Garuda Indonesia Fokker F28, named Mamberamo, struck the slopes of the Mount Sibayak volcano during its approach to Medan. The aircraft was flying in poor visibility and low clouds when it impacted the mountain at 5,560 feet, well below the volcano's peak. All 61 people on board were killed in the crash, which was the second fatal F28 accident for the airline in 1979.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

Air New England Flight 248 crashed into a heavily wooded Boy Scout camp during an instrument landing system (ILS) approach to Barnstable Municipal Airport. The aircraft struck trees approximately 1.5 miles northeast of the runway in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts. The captain, who was a co-founder of the airline, was killed in the impact, while the co-pilot and eight passengers survived with various injuries. One uninjured passenger was able to navigate through dense brush to a nearby highway to flag down assistance, leading rescuers to the site.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)