10 Most Tragic Plane Disasters and Crashes of all time
Ever since the Wright brothers first soared high into the sky on those bird-like mechanical wings we call planes or airplanes, the aviation industry has gotten a lot safer with...
Category: Aviation Disasters
Here are some major aviation disasters from recent decades (up to my last update in 2022):
Air India Flight 182 (1985)
A bomb exploded on board, killing all 329 people. It was the deadliest terrorist act involving an airplane until September 11, 2001.
Tenerife Airport Disaster (1977)
A miscommunication led two Boeing 747 passenger jets to collide on the runway, killing 583 people. It remains the deadliest aviation accident in history.
Pan Am Flight 103 (1988)
A bomb exploded on board over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 on board and 11 on the ground.
American Airlines Flight 587 (2001)
Shortly after taking off from JFK Airport, the plane crashed into a residential area in New York, killing all 260 on board and 5 on the ground.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 (2014)
The plane mysteriously disappeared while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people onboard. Its whereabouts remain largely unknown.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 (2014)
The aircraft was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 passengers and crew.
Germanwings Flight 9525 (2015)
The co-pilot deliberately crashed the plane into the French Alps, killing all 150 on board.
Lion Air Flight 610 (2018)
Shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, the plane crashed into the Java Sea, killing all 189 passengers and crew. An issue with the plane’s MCAS system was identified.
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 (2019)
Similar to the Lion Air disaster, this Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board. This incident led to the worldwide grounding of the 737 Max fleet.
Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 (2020)
Shortly after taking off from Tehran, Iran, the plane was mistakenly shot down by the Iranian military, killing all 176 people onboard.
Note:
The above aviation disasters, while tragic, have led to significant investigations and changes in aviation policy, training, equipment, and procedures, underscoring the aviation industry’s commitment to improving safety.
