Aviation Accident Summary Archive

A scheduled passenger flight struck a coastal cliff while attempting to land at Palana Airport in marginal weather conditions. The crew deviated significantly from the established instrument approach procedure, descending below the minimum safe altitude while in fog. The aircraft impacted the top of a rocky wall approximately 4 kilometers from the runway, causing it to disintegrate and fall into the sea and onto the shore. All 28 people on board, including the head of the local Palana government, were killed.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

Transair Flight 810 ditched in the Pacific Ocean after the flight crew misidentified which engine had failed and subsequently shut down the only functioning engine. Shortly after takeoff from Honolulu, the right engine suffered a turbine blade failure, causing a partial loss of thrust. During the ensuing emergency, the first officer mistakenly identified the left engine as the failed unit. The captain, distracted by radio communications and relying on the first officer's assessment, failed to verify the engine status. The crew operated the aircraft using only the damaged right engine while the healthy left engine remained at idle. As the right engine overheated and lost further power, the aircraft was unable to maintain altitude and ditched approximately 5.5 miles southwest of the airport. Both pilots were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Human Factors (CRM)

On June 17, 2021, a Robinson R44 crashed near Eidanger, Norway, after striking high-voltage power lines crossing the E18 motorway at a height of 13 meters. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The investigation by the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) concluded that the pilot continued the ferry flight from Kvinesdal to Kjeller despite deteriorating weather conditions, including heavy rain and thunderstorms. This behavior, characterized as pushing the weather, led the pilot to fly at a very low altitude with significantly reduced visibility and light, ultimately resulting in the wirestrike. No technical faults were found with the helicopter.

Under Investigation

A Nigerian Air Force Beechcraft King Air 350i crashed during its final approach to Kaduna International Airport, killing all 11 people on board. The flight was transporting high-ranking military officials, including Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, the Chief of Army Staff, to attend a recruit passing out parade. The aircraft reportedly encountered poor weather conditions before crashing and bursting into flames less than 10 kilometers from the airport.

Under Investigation

A Key Lime Air Metroliner and a private Cirrus SR22 collided in mid-air while on simultaneous approaches to parallel runways at Centennial Airport. The Cirrus pilot overshot the final approach course for runway 17R due to excessive speed, crossing into the path of the Metroliner which was established on final for runway 17L. Despite a massive hole torn through its fuselage, the Metroliner landed safely. The Cirrus pilot deployed the airframe parachute system, and the aircraft drifted to a safe landing in a nearby park. There were no injuries to the three people involved.

Pilot Error · Multi-aircraft

A Cessna T206H Stationair TC impacted the waters of the Nichupte Lagoon during a gender reveal flight near Cancun, Mexico. The investigation is ongoing and no cause has been determined. The aircraft was reportedly performing a stunt involving the release of colored smoke when it entered a steep descent and struck the water. Two occupants, identified as the pilots, were fatally injured, while two passengers survived with unspecified injuries.

Under Investigation

An Airbus AS350 B3 helicopter crashed into a ridgeline during a heli-skiing excursion after the pilot encountered whiteout conditions and lost visual reference with the terrain during a second landing attempt. The helicopter struck an outcrop approximately 15 feet below the top of a ridge at 5,500 feet and rolled roughly 900 feet down the mountain. Five of the six occupants were killed, including Czech billionaire Petr Kellner. The investigation revealed that the pilot lacked specific training for whiteout conditions and ridgeline landings, and that a series of communication failures between the lodge, the guiding company, and the operator delayed search and rescue efforts by over two hours.

Pilot Error

An Airbus AS350B helicopter crashed during takeoff from a private landing site in Touques after its main rotor blades struck tree branches. The pilot was attempting a vertical departure from a confined area restricted by trees, the tallest of which reached 23 meters. During the climb at a height of approximately 19 meters, the rotor made contact with the trees, causing the tail boom to separate and the aircraft to fall to the ground. Both occupants, including French politician and billionaire Olivier Dassault, were killed.

Pilot Error

A Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter crashed at night while attempting to arrive at a game ranch, resulting in the death of Motswana musician Sasa Klaas. The pilot, who survived with minor injuries, was flying at tree-top level in dark conditions without adequate night flying experience or visual references. The helicopter's tail rotor struck a tree, leading to a loss of control and a subsequent collision with the ground.

Human Factors (Operational)

A Turkish Air Force Eurocopter AS532UL Cougar (serial 95-0445) crashed into a hillside near Tatvan, Bitlis Province, during a flight from Bingöl. The accident resulted in the deaths of 11 Turkish servicemen, including Lieutenant General Osman Erbaş. The investigation concluded that the helicopter encountered sudden, severe weather conditions including thick fog and snow, leading to spatial disorientation. While two personnel survived the impact, the aircraft was destroyed.

Weather

A Let L-410UVP-E Turbolet crashed near Pieri Airstrip following a dual engine failure. Approximately ten minutes after departure, the aircraft suffered an initial engine failure while climbing. During the crew's attempt to return to the airstrip, the second engine failed, leading to an aerodynamic stall and a near-vertical impact. All ten people on board were killed.

Engine Failure

United Airlines Flight 328 suffered a contained right engine failure shortly after departing Denver, resulting in a massive debris field over residential Broomfield, Colorado. A fan blade in the Pratt & Whitney PW4077 engine fractured due to metal fatigue, leading to the separation of the engine's inlet and cowling and sparking an in-flight fire. Despite the severe damage and falling debris hitting homes and vehicles, the flight crew successfully returned the aircraft to Denver International Airport with no injuries to the 239 people on board or those on the ground.

Mechanical Failure

A Beechcraft Baron carrying members of the Palmas Futebol e Regatas football club crashed shortly after takeoff from a private airstrip in Porto Nacional, Brazil. The aircraft failed to gain sufficient altitude, struck the ground in a wooded area, and was destroyed by a post-crash fire. All six occupants, including four players, the club president, and the pilot, were killed.

Human Factors (Operational)

Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 crashed into the Java Sea shortly after departure from Jakarta following a severe thrust asymmetry that led to a loss of control. The investigation revealed that a faulty autothrottle system caused the left engine thrust lever to reduce while the right remained fixed. The flight crew failed to monitor the resulting roll and thrust deviation, eventually losing control of the aircraft during a climb. All 62 people on board were killed.

Human Factors (Operational)

A Volga-Dnepr Antonov An-124 suffered a catastrophic uncontained failure of its number 2 engine shortly after takeoff from Novosibirsk. Debris from the engine severed critical electrical and control lines, leading to a total loss of radio communications, ADS-B, and braking systems. The crew performed an emergency return and overran the runway by 300 meters, resulting in the collapse of the nose landing gear. All 14 occupants survived without injury.

Engine Failure

A Russian Mil Mi-24 helicopter was shot down by Azerbaijani forces using a man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) while flying in Armenian airspace near the border with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The helicopter was providing an aerial escort for a convoy from the Russian 102nd Military Base when it was struck by a surface-to-air missile. The aircraft crashed in a gorge near the village of Yeraskh, resulting in the deaths of two crew members and serious injury to a third. Azerbaijan immediately claimed responsibility, stating the shootdown was an accident caused by heightened combat readiness and the helicopter's low-altitude flight in the dark near a conflict zone.

Military Action

On November 8, 2020, a Quest Kodiak 100 crashed shortly after takeoff from La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, killing both occupants. The aircraft was conducting a humanitarian flight to Coban, carrying food and essential supplies for victims of Hurricane Eta. The Guatemalan UIA investigation concluded that the aircraft was significantly overweight and suffered a center of gravity shift during climb, leading to a loss of control.

Under Investigation

On October 10, 2020, an Alpi Pioneer 300 microlight and a Robin DR400-140 airplane collided head-on at approximately 1,200 feet near Loches, France. The investigation is currently ongoing, and while the French BEA has released a final report, the NTSB record for this event remains at the preliminary stage. All five occupants across both aircraft were fatally injured. The collision occurred in Class G airspace while both pilots were maneuvering to overfly the Loches chateau. Following the impact, both aircraft lost portions of their left wings and crashed to the ground.

Under Investigation · Multi-aircraft

A Ukrainian Air Force Antonov An-26Sh crashed during a training flight approach, killing 26 of the 27 people on board. The investigation identified a combination of technical failures—specifically in the engine control and temperature control systems—and systemic operational negligence, including unauthorized 'conveyor-style' touch-and-go landings and the presence of inexperienced cadets in the cockpit during a critical sensor malfunction.

Human Factors (Operational)

A South West Aviation Antonov An-26B cargo aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Juba Airport, killing nine of the ten people on board. The aircraft was reportedly overloaded with eight tons of cargo, significantly exceeding its maximum capacity of 5.5 tons. Investigators found the flight was operated illegally, as the aircraft lacked a valid airworthiness certificate and the airline did not hold a valid air operator's certificate.

Human factors

Air India Express Flight 1344, a repatriation flight under the Vande Bharat Mission, overran the runway at Kozhikode International Airport during its landing attempt in heavy rain and tailwinds. After aborting two initial approaches due to weather and visibility, the aircraft attempted a landing on Runway 10 but touched down approximately 1,000 meters beyond the threshold of the 2,850-meter tabletop runway. The aircraft failed to stop, plunged down a 35-meter embankment, and broke into sections. The investigation determined that the Pilot in Command (PIC) failed to adhere to standard operating procedures by continuing an unstabilized approach and ignoring a 'Go Around' call from the First Officer.

Pilot Error

A de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver and a Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser collided in mid-air approximately two miles northeast of Soldotna Airport. The DHC-2 was operating a Part 135 charter flight with six people on board, while the PA-12 was a private flight piloted by Alaska State Representative Gary Knopp. All seven occupants across both aircraft were killed. The NTSB investigation highlighted the failure of both pilots to see and avoid each other, exacerbated by the PA-12 pilot's known vision impairment and the lack of traffic advisory systems on the charter aircraft.

Human Factors (Operational) · Multi-aircraft

Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303 crashed into a residential area near Karachi after a series of catastrophic pilot errors. During an excessively high and fast approach, the crew disregarded multiple ATC warnings and automated alerts. In a state of high distraction, the pilots attempted to land with the landing gear retracted, causing the aircraft to skid on its engine nacelles for several hundred meters. The crew then initiated a go-around, but the engines had sustained terminal damage during the friction with the runway. Both engines failed during the climb, and the aircraft stalled and crashed into the Model Colony neighborhood while attempting to return for an emergency landing.

Pilot Error

A Kenyan-registered Embraer EMB-120RT Brasilia, operated by African Express Airways, was shot down by Ethiopian troops while on approach to Berdale, Somalia. The aircraft was performing a humanitarian cargo flight carrying medical supplies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Ethiopian soldiers, part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), mistakenly identified the aircraft as a potential suicide plane after it performed an unusual approach and go-around. All six people on board were killed when the aircraft was struck by a ZU-23 anti-aircraft cannon.

Military Action