Aviation Accident Summary Archive

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)

Downeast Airlines Flight 46 crashed into a heavily wooded area 1.2 miles south-southwest of the Knox County Regional Airport during a non-precision instrument approach in heavy fog. The aircraft descended below the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) without the runway environment in sight, striking trees 80 feet above the ground. The investigation revealed a toxic management culture, inadequate pilot training, and chronic fatigue as significant contributing factors. Of the 18 people on board, only one 16-year-old passenger survived.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

During takeoff rotation, the No. 1 (left) engine and pylon assembly separated from the wing, flipping over the top of the aircraft. The separation severed hydraulic lines, causing the left wing's outboard leading-edge slats to retract uncommanded. This created an asymmetrical stall condition; while the right wing continued to produce lift, the left wing stalled at a higher speed than the crew was maintaining. The aircraft rolled violently to the left and crashed into an open field near a trailer park.

Human Factors (Maintenance)

Quebecair Flight 255 crashed shortly after takeoff from Quebec City when the right engine suffered a catastrophic uncontained failure. The low pressure impeller of the number 2 engine burst, causing the forward section of the engine to separate from the airframe. The resulting damage to the electronic gear selection circuitry prevented the crew from retracting the landing gear, which, combined with the aerodynamic drag of the exposed engine and a shift in the center of gravity, made the aircraft unable to maintain altitude. The aircraft struck a hillside approximately 1.3 kilometers from the airport while attempting an emergency return.

Mechanical Failure

An Interflug Ilyushin Il-18D freighter crashed during takeoff from Luanda after the crew attempted to reject the takeoff at a speed significantly exceeding V1 following an engine failure. The aircraft was operating a clandestine mission to transport weapons and ammunition from East Germany to ZAPU militants in Zambia, part of a larger operation intended to move 500 tons of equipment. During the takeoff roll, the number 2 engine failed, and despite having already passed the decision speed, the captain initiated emergency braking. The aircraft overran the runway, struck instrument landing system antennas, and burst into flames, killing all ten people on board.

Pilot Error

A Beechcraft B18S operated by Inter-Island Air crashed shortly after takeoff from Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, on March 26, 1979. The aircraft was reportedly on a flight to St. Croix when it encountered difficulties during the initial climb phase.

Engine Failure

Aeroflot Flight 1691 crashed during an emergency return to Vnukovo Airport after a false fire alarm triggered shortly after takeoff. The aircraft was significantly overloaded and the crew, facing icing conditions and a perceived engine fire, descended prematurely below the minimum decision altitude. The Tu-104 struck cables and terrain approximately 1.5 kilometers short of the runway, leading to a fire that killed 58 people. The accident directly resulted in the retirement of the Tu-104 from civil service in the Soviet Union.

Human Factors (Operational)

Air New Zealand Flight 4374 crashed into the Manukau Harbour during a visual approach to Auckland International Airport in heavy rain. The aircraft, a Fokker F-27 Friendship, was returning from Gisborne with two crew members and two engineers when it descended into the water approximately 1,025 meters west of the runway 05 threshold. The investigation determined that the crew likely suffered from a visual illusion caused by a rain shower obscuring the runway, leading them to believe they were at a safe altitude while failing to monitor their flight instruments. The captain and one of the engineers were killed, while the first officer and the second engineer survived.

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)