Every Air Crash Investigation episode, indexed
I keep this index only so I can keep track myself. A new series has started on National Geographic Türkiye, Uçak Kazalarının İzinde, and I wanted to follow this one before watching it.
Episodes follow the series’ production order, as on Wikipedia’s list; a channel or a streaming service may number them differently. Each one gives the accident, when and where it happened, the investigating agency’s report and its number, and, folded away so it doesn’t spoil the episode, what the investigation found. The rating is IMDb’s, and the watch link opens that season on JustWatch Türkiye.
Watching it dubbed in Turkish is hard. As of 8 Nov 2026, JustWatch Türkiye shows Turkish audio only on Disney+, for the first two episodes of season 19 here and seasons 20, 21 and 22; season 23 is there with Turkish subtitles. TOD lists one season with no language information. According to JustWatch, the rest isn’t on any platform in Türkiye.
The 15 highest-rated episodes
IMDb rating, at least 40 votes. Updated: 2026-11-07
Turkish airlines
- S05E03 American Airlines Flight 96 / Turkish Airlines Flight 981
- S05E08 Birgenair Flight 301
- S10E06 Turkish Airlines Flight 1951
30 episodes have a Turkish dub on Disney+, and 10 more Turkish subtitles. The rest aren't on any platform in Türkiye.
No episode matches.
Season 1 · 6 episodes
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United Airlines Flight 811 · Pacific Ocean near Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
United Airlines · Boeing 747-122 · 9 killed · NTSB/AAR-92/02
Shortly after leaving Honolulu, a section of the fuselage tore open and nine passengers were pulled out of the aircraft. The crew turned back and landed in Honolulu.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The forward cargo door opened in flight because of faulty wiring and a deficient door latch design.
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American Airlines Flight 1420 · Little Rock National Airport, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
American Airlines · McDonnell Douglas MD-82 · 11 killed · NTSB/AAR-01/02
During a night landing in a thunderstorm, the aircraft ran off the end of the runway and hit lights and a river bank. Eleven people died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew continued the approach in severe weather and the spoilers did not deploy after touchdown, so the aircraft could not stop.
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Swissair Flight 111 · Atlantic Ocean off Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada
Swissair · McDonnell Douglas MD-11 · 229 killed · A98H0003
Smoke appeared in the cockpit on a flight from New York to Geneva. The crew tried to reach Halifax, but the aircraft crashed into the sea.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Flammable insulation materials let an in-flight fire spread beyond the crew's control, and the fire damaged the aircraft's systems.
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Aeroperú Flight 603 · Pacific Ocean about 55 miles northwest of Lima, Peru
Aeroperú · Boeing 757-23A · 70 killed
Soon after takeoff from Lima at night, the instruments gave the crew confusing and conflicting information. The aircraft crashed into the sea.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Masking tape left over the static ports after maintenance blocked them and gave false airspeed and altitude readings.
Report (Peru DGAT Accident Investigation Commission) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Alaska Airlines Flight 261 · Pacific Ocean 2.7 miles north of Anacapa Island, California, United States
Alaska Airlines · McDonnell Douglas MD-83 · 88 killed · NTSB/AAR-02/01
The crew struggled with a jammed stabilizer on a flight from Puerto Vallarta to Seattle, then lost control and the aircraft fell into the sea.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The horizontal stabilizer trim jackscrew threads wore away because of inadequate maintenance and lubrication, and the assembly failed.
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Air Transat Flight 236 · Lajes Airport, Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal
Air Transat · Airbus A330-243 · 0 killed
Over the Atlantic, both engines stopped. The crew glided the aircraft to an emergency landing in the Azores. Everyone survived.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A fuel line leaked after an engine part was installed incorrectly, and the crew did not recognise the leak and transferred fuel into it.
Season 2 · 6 episodes
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British Airways Flight 5390 · Over Didcot, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom (landed at Southampton)
British Airways · BAC One-Eleven 528FL · 0 killed · AAIB 1/1992
At about 17,000 feet a cockpit windscreen blew out and the captain was pulled partly out of the aircraft. The first officer landed at Southampton. Everyone survived.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The windscreen was fitted with screws that were too small and too short, and could not hold against cabin pressure.
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Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529 · Near Burwell, Carroll County, Georgia, United States
Atlantic Southeast Airlines (Delta Connection) · Embraer EMB 120RT Brasilia · 9 killed · NTSB/AAR-96/06
A propeller blade broke off in flight and the crew tried to land in a field near Carrollton. Nine people died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A propeller blade failed from fatigue cracking that started at corrosion pits left undetected during overhaul.
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Air France Flight 8969 · Algiers, Algeria, to Marseille, France
Air France · Airbus A300B2-1C · 7 killed
Four armed men took over an Air France Airbus before departure from Algiers. After two days it ended at Marseille.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Not an accident investigation: the aircraft was hijacked by the Armed Islamic Group; the French operation to storm it at Marseille ended the hijacking.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937 / DHL Flight 611 (2002 Überlingen mid-air collision) · Near Überlingen, Lake Constance, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
BAL Bashkirian Airlines / DHL International Aviation ME · Tupolev Tu-154M / Boeing 757-23APF · 71 killed
Two aircraft collided at night at 36,000 feet over southern Germany while both were being guided by one air traffic controller. All 71 people on both aircraft died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Shortcomings in the air traffic control service and unclear procedures on how pilots should use the collision avoidance system (TCAS) against a controller's instruction.
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American Airlines Flight 965 · Near Buga, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
American Airlines · Boeing 757-223 · 159 killed · COL-95-34-GIA
On approach to Cali at night, the aircraft hit a mountain. Four people survived.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew lost their position awareness during the approach, did not abandon it, and flew into the mountain.
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Avianca Flight 52 · Cove Neck, Long Island, New York, United States
Avianca · Boeing 707-321B · 73 killed · NTSB/AAR-91/04
After long holding patterns near New York, the aircraft ran out of fuel and crashed on Long Island.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew did not manage the fuel properly and did not clearly tell air traffic control they had a fuel emergency.
Season 3 · 13 episodes
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Aloha Airlines Flight 243 · Near Kahului, Maui, Hawaii, United States
Aloha Airlines · Boeing 737-297 · 1 killed · NTSB/AAR-89/03
A large part of the upper fuselage tore away in flight. The pilots landed at Maui. One flight attendant was lost.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Fatigue cracking and bond failure in the fuselage lap joints went undetected because the airline's maintenance programme did not catch them.
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2003 Baghdad DHL attempted shootdown incident · Near Baghdad, Iraq
European Air Transport (DHL) · Airbus A300B4-203F · 0 killed
After takeoff from Baghdad a missile hit the left wing of a cargo aircraft. The crew lost all hydraulics but landed back at Baghdad using engine power only.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A shoulder-launched surface-to-air missile hit the wing; the crew steered with engine thrust alone.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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Japan Air Lines Flight 123 · Mount Takamagahara (Osutaka Ridge), Ueno, Gunma Prefecture, Japan
Japan Air Lines · Boeing 747SR-46 · 520 killed
Twelve minutes after takeoff from Tokyo a loud bang was heard and the aircraft became hard to control. It flew for 30 more minutes before crashing into a mountain. Four people survived.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A faulty repair of the aft pressure bulkhead (after a 1978 tail strike) failed; decompression destroyed the tail and hydraulic lines.
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Federal Express Flight 705 · Over Arkansas, landed at Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Federal Express · McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30F · 0 killed
A man on board attacked the three pilots with hammers during a cargo flight. The crew fought back and landed the aircraft in Memphis. Everyone survived.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A criminal act: an off-duty FedEx flight engineer tried to kill the crew to stage a crash for insurance money.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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Philippine Airlines Flight 434 · Over the Philippine Sea near Minami Daito, Okinawa, Japan (landed at Naha)
Philippine Airlines · Boeing 747-283B Combi · 1 killed
A bomb exploded under a seat in flight and damaged the floor and control cables. The pilots landed at Okinawa. One passenger died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A bomb planted by Ramzi Yousef, a test for a larger plot.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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Iran Air Flight 655 · Strait of Hormuz, near Qeshm Island, Iran
Iran Air · Airbus A300B2-203 · 290 killed
A passenger jet climbing out of Bandar Abbas was shot down by missiles from a US Navy ship. Everyone on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The USS Vincennes crew took the airliner for an attacking fighter and fired two missiles.
Report (US Department of Defense (Fogarty investigation)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Bristow Helicopters Flight 56C · North Sea about 6 miles southwest of Brae Alpha platform, United Kingdom sector
Bristow Helicopters · Eurocopter AS332L Super Puma · 0 killed · AAIB 2/1997
A helicopter heading to an oil platform lost its tail rotor in bad weather and ditched in the North Sea. All 18 on board survived.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A lightning strike damaged a tail rotor blade, which then failed; the carbon-fibre blade design was found vulnerable to lightning.
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EgyptAir Flight 990 · Atlantic Ocean about 60 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States
EgyptAir · Boeing 767-366ER · 217 killed · NTSB/AAB-02/01
The aircraft left New York for Cairo and later dived into the sea. All 217 people on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB found the relief first officer's flight control inputs put the aircraft into the dive, and could not determine why; Egypt disagreed and pointed to a mechanical fault.
Report (NTSB (Egypt's ECAA issued its own report)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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San Bernardino train disaster (SP 7551 East) · San Bernardino, California, United States
Southern Pacific Transportation Company · Freight train, 6 locomotives and 69 hopper cars · 6 killed · NTSB/RAR-90/02
A heavy freight train lost control coming down the Cajon Pass, derailed in a San Bernardino neighbourhood, and a fuel pipeline later ruptured. Six people died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The train weight was miscalculated and several locomotives had inoperative dynamic brakes; cleanup damage to the pipeline later caused its rupture.
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Aeroflot Flight 593 · About 20 km east of Mezhdurechensk, Kemerovo Oblast, Russia
Aeroflot (Russian International Airlines) · Airbus A310-304 · 75 killed
On a night flight from Moscow to Hong Kong, the aircraft stalled and crashed in Siberia. The captain's children had been in the cockpit.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The autopilot was disengaged while a child held the controls, and the crew then misjudged the recovery from the resulting stall.
Report (Air Transport Department, Russian Ministry of Transport) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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MS Express Samina sinking · Portes rocks, Bay of Parikia, Paros, Aegean Sea, Greece
Agapitos Lines / Minoan Flying Dolphins · Ro-ro passenger ferry MS Express Samina · 81 killed
A ferry carrying about 500 people hit rocks near Paros at night and sank within an hour.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The ferry hit the rocks while on autopilot with nobody watching, and open watertight doors let the water spread.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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Hinton train collision · Near Hinton (Dalehurst), Alberta, Canada
Canadian National Railway / VIA Rail · CN freight train and VIA Rail Super Continental passenger train · 23 killed
A freight train went through a stop signal and hit a passenger train head-on in the Alberta foothills.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The freight crew did not stop at the signal; the inquiry could not fully establish why (possible medical incapacity of the engineer).
Report (Commission of Inquiry (Justice Foisy)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 · Indian Ocean off Mitsamiouli, Grande Comore, Comoros
Ethiopian Airlines · Boeing 767-260ER · 125 killed
Hijackers took over the aircraft, which ran short of fuel and ditched in the sea close to a beach. 50 of 175 people survived.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Hijackers forced the aircraft off course until it ran out of fuel and ditched.
Season 4 · 10 episodes
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Air France Flight 358 · Toronto Pearson International Airport, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Air France · Airbus A340-313E · 0 killed · A05H0002
The aircraft landed in a thunderstorm, ran off the end of the runway into a ravine and caught fire. All 309 people got out alive.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew landed long on a wet runway in a storm and could not stop before the end.
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British Airways Flight 9 · Over the Indian Ocean south of Java, Indonesia (landed at Jakarta)
British Airways · Boeing 747-236B · 0 killed
All four engines stopped at night over Indonesia. The crew glided down until the engines could be restarted, and landed at Jakarta.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The aircraft flew through volcanic ash from Mount Galunggung, which stopped all four engines.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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Air Canada Flight 797 · Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Kentucky, United States
Air Canada · McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 · 23 killed · NTSB/AAR-86/02
Smoke from a fire in the rear toilet filled the cabin. The crew landed at Cincinnati, but 23 of the 46 people on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A fire of unknown origin in the rear lavatory; the crew underestimated how serious it was and the descent began late.
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Korean Air Flight 801 · Nimitz Hill, Asan-Maina, Guam, United States
Korean Air · Boeing 747-3B5 · 229 killed · NTSB/AAR-00/01
On approach to Guam in poor weather, the aircraft hit a hillside short of the airport. 26 people survived.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The captain did not brief and fly the non-precision approach properly and the crew did not monitor and cross-check him; fatigue and training contributed.
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United Airlines Flight 585 / USAir Flight 427 / Eastwind Airlines Flight 517 · Colorado Springs, Colorado; Aliquippa (near Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania; Richmond, Virginia, United States
United Airlines / USAir / Eastwind Airlines · Boeing 737-200 / Boeing 737-300 / Boeing 737-200 · UA585: NTSB/AAR-01/01
Three Boeing 737s suddenly rolled out of control, two of them crashed. The episode follows the search for what they had in common.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The 737 rudder power control unit could jam or move opposite to the pilot's command (rudder hardover), which was found to cause the crashes.
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China Airlines Flight 006 · Pacific Ocean about 300 nautical miles northwest of San Francisco, California, United States
China Airlines · Boeing 747SP-09 · 0 killed · NTSB/AAR-86/03
After an engine failed at altitude, the aircraft rolled over and dropped about 30,000 feet before the crew regained control. It landed in San Francisco.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The captain was distracted by an engine failure and relied too much on the autopilot, which hid the developing loss of control.
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Aeroméxico Flight 498 (1986 Cerritos mid-air collision) · Cerritos, California, United States
Aeroméxico / private Piper owner · McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 / Piper PA-28-181 Archer · 82 killed · NTSB/AAR-87/07 · DCA86AA041A
An airliner descending into Los Angeles collided with a small private plane and crashed into a neighbourhood in Cerritos.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The Piper entered the controlled airspace without clearance and neither crew saw the other aircraft in time; the NTSB also cited air traffic control shortcomings.
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1996 United States Air Force Boeing T-43 crash (IFO-21) · Near Dubrovnik Airport (hill north of the airport), Croatia
United States Air Force (76th Airlift Squadron) · Boeing CT-43A (737-200) · 35 killed
A US Air Force transport carrying a US trade delegation, including Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, hit a hill while approaching Dubrovnik in bad weather. Everyone on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew flew a non-precision approach not approved for such aircraft and descended too early; investigators also cited command failures and a flawed approach procedure.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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Flash Airlines Flight 604 · Red Sea near Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Flash Airlines · Boeing 737-3Q8 · 148 killed
After takeoff from Sharm El Sheikh at night, the aircraft banked steeply and crashed into the Red Sea. All 148 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The Egyptian report listed possible causes without a firm conclusion; the NTSB and BEA concluded the captain became spatially disoriented.
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Helios Airways Flight 522 · Near Grammatiko, Attica, Greece
Helios Airways · Boeing 737-31S · 121 killed
A passenger jet flew on autopilot for hours after its crew stopped responding, then crashed north of Athens.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The pressurisation system was left in manual after maintenance and the crew missed it; they lost consciousness from lack of oxygen and the aircraft later ran out of fuel.
Season 5 · 10 episodes
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Delta Air Lines Flight 191 · Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Texas, United States
Delta Air Lines · Lockheed L-1011-385-1 TriStar · 137 killed · NTSB/AAR-86/05
On approach to Dallas in a thunderstorm, the aircraft hit the ground short of the runway and crashed into a water tank.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew flew into a thunderstorm and met a microburst wind shear; training, procedures and hazard information were lacking.
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Air Canada Flight 143 · Gimli, Manitoba, Canada (flight Montreal to Edmonton)
Air Canada · Boeing 767-233 · 0 killed
The aircraft ran out of fuel in flight, and the pilots glided it to an old air force runway at Gimli. Everyone survived.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The fuel load was calculated with pounds instead of kilograms after the fuel gauges failed.
Report (Canadian Aviation Safety Board (Board of Inquiry)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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American Airlines Flight 96 / Turkish Airlines Flight 981 · Over Windsor, Ontario, Canada (landed Detroit); Ermenonville Forest, Oise, France
American Airlines / Turkish Airlines · McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 · AA96: NTSB/AAR-73/02
In two separate cases a rear cargo door of a DC-10 opened in flight. One aircraft landed safely, the other crashed near Paris.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The cargo door latch design was inadequate and could appear locked when it was not; the door then blew off and damaged the floor and controls.
Report (NTSB (AA96); French commission of inquiry (TK981)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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South African Airways Flight 295 · Indian Ocean about 250 km northeast of Mauritius
South African Airways · Boeing 747-244B Combi · 159 killed
A fire broke out in the cargo hold of a 747 flying from Taipei to Johannesburg via Mauritius, and the aircraft crashed into the ocean.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A fire started in the main-deck cargo hold; the inquiry blamed inadequate fire detection and suppression there but could not find the ignition source.
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Air Midwest Flight 5481 · Charlotte Douglas International Airport, North Carolina, United States
Air Midwest (US Airways Express) · Beechcraft 1900D · 21 killed · NTSB/AAR-04/01
Seconds after takeoff the commuter aircraft pitched up steeply, stalled and hit a hangar. All 21 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Elevator controls were rigged wrongly in maintenance, and the aircraft was overloaded and tail-heavy.
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Southern Airways Flight 242 · New Hope, Paulding County, Georgia, United States
Southern Airways · McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 · 72 killed · NTSB/AAR-78/03
In a severe thunderstorm both engines failed, and the crew tried to land on a country road in Georgia.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Both engines lost power after heavy rain and hail in the storm damaged their compressors.
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Air India Flight 182 · Atlantic Ocean about 190 km southwest of Ireland (off County Kerry)
Air India · Boeing 747-237B · 329 killed
A 747 flying from Canada to India via London broke apart and fell into the Atlantic. All 329 people on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A bomb in the forward cargo hold, planted by Sikh militants, exploded in flight.
Report (Court of Inquiry, Government of India (Justice Kirpal)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Birgenair Flight 301 · Atlantic Ocean about 26 km northeast of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Alas Nacionales (for Birgenair) · Boeing 757-225 · 189 killed
Right after takeoff from Puerto Plata at night, the instruments gave confusing readings and the aircraft crashed into the sea.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A blocked pitot tube gave a wrong airspeed, and the crew did not recognise the stall warning and did not follow stall recovery.
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Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 · Florida Everglades near Miami, Florida, United States
Eastern Air Lines · Lockheed L-1011-385-1 TriStar · 101 killed · NTSB/AAR-73/14
While the crew worked on a landing gear light problem, the aircraft slowly descended and flew into the Everglades.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew focused on a burned-out indicator bulb, stopped monitoring altitude and did not notice the descent.
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Gol Transportes Aéreos Flight 1907 · Over Mato Grosso near Peixoto de Azevedo, Brazil
Gol Transportes Aéreos / ExcelAire · Boeing 737-8EH / Embraer Legacy 600 · 154 killed · A-022/CENIPA/2008
A passenger Boeing and a small business jet collided at 37,000 feet over the Amazon. The jet landed safely, the Boeing crashed.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Air traffic control errors and the Legacy crew's errors (transponder off, wrong altitude) led to the collision, per CENIPA; the NTSB placed more blame on ATC.
Season 6 · 3 episodes
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BOAC Flight 781 / South African Airways Flight 201 / Aloha Airlines Flight 243 / British Airways Flight 5390 / United Airlines Flight 811 / Helios Airways Flight 522
A special that looks at accidents where the cabin lost pressure or the fuselage failed, from the Comet airliners to the Helios 737.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The special covers pressurization failures and explosive decompression across several accidents; each has its own investigation.
Compilation episode
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Alaska Airlines Flight 261 / Japan Air Lines Flight 123 / Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529 / Swissair Flight 111 / United Airlines Flight 585 / USAir Flight 427 / Eastwind Airlines Flight 517
A special about accidents that started with a small defect or error that nobody caught.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The special covers accidents traced to seemingly minor defects or errors; each has its own investigation.
Compilation episode
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Aeroperú Flight 603 / China Airlines Flight 006 / Aeroflot Flight 593 / Flash Airlines Flight 604 / Air Transat Flight 236
A special about accidents and incidents where crews and cockpit automation did not work together well.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The special covers problems in the interface between crew and avionics; each flight has its own investigation.
Compilation episode
Season 7 · 8 episodes
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China Airlines Flight 611 · Taiwan Strait, about 50 km north-east of Magong, Penghu Islands, Taiwan
China Airlines · Boeing 747-209B · 225 killed · ASC-AOR-05-02-001
A 747 flying from Taipei to Hong Kong breaks up in the air about 20 minutes after takeoff and falls into the Taiwan Strait.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The investigation found metal fatigue cracks in the rear lower fuselage that grew from an improper repair made after a tailstrike 22 years earlier.
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Pan Am Flight 103 · Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, United Kingdom
Pan Am · Boeing 747-121 · 270 killed · 2/1990
A 747 on its way from London to New York breaks apart over Scotland; its wreckage falls on the town of Lockerbie.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The investigation found that a bomb in the forward cargo hold destroyed the aircraft.
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Partnair Flight 394 · North Sea, about 18 km north of Hirtshals, Denmark
Partnair · Convair CV-580 · 55 killed · 1993/02
A turboprop flying from Oslo to Hamburg loses control and breaks up over the North Sea.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The investigation found that the tail fin failed because of counterfeit, substandard bolts and other fasteners that had been sold as aircraft-grade parts.
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Saudia Flight 763 / Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907 · near Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, India
Saudia / Kazakhstan Airlines · Boeing 747-168B / Ilyushin Il-76TD · 349 killed
A Saudia 747 and a Kazakh cargo Il-76 collide in the air near New Delhi, in the deadliest mid-air collision on record.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The Indian inquiry found that the Il-76 crew descended below their cleared altitude; weak air traffic control procedures and equipment also played a part.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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1975 Tan Son Nhut Lockheed C-5 crash · near Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Saigon, South Vietnam
United States Air Force · Lockheed C-5A Galaxy · 138 killed
A USAF C-5 carrying children and staff on the first Operation Babylift flight crashes during an emergency return to Saigon.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The Air Force investigation found that the rear cargo door locks failed and the door blew off, damaging the flight controls; the door's locking mechanism had been poorly maintained.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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Tuninter Flight 1153 · Mediterranean Sea off Sicily, Italy
Tuninter · ATR 72-202 · 16 killed
A Tuninter ATR 72 flying from Bari to Djerba loses both engines over the Mediterranean and ditches in the sea.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The investigation found that the aircraft ran out of fuel because a fuel quantity indicator for a smaller ATR 42 had been installed, so the gauge showed more fuel than there was.
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Adam Air Flight 574 · Makassar Strait off Majene, Sulawesi, Indonesia
Adam Air · Boeing 737-4Q8 · 102 killed · KNKT/07.01/08.01.36
An Adam Air 737 flying from Jakarta to Manado disappears from radar and crashes into the Makassar Strait.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The investigation found that the crew, busy with a faulty inertial reference system, unknowingly disengaged the autopilot and lost control of the aircraft.
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American Eagle Flight 4184 · Roselawn, Indiana, United States
Simmons Airlines for American Eagle · ATR 72-212 · 68 killed · NTSB/AAR-96/01 · DCA95MA001
An ATR 72 circling in a holding pattern near Chicago rolls over and dives into a field.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB found that freezing rain created an ice ridge beyond the de-icing boots, which caused the ailerons to snap and the autopilot to disconnect; ATR and the French authorities had not told operators enough about the risk.
Season 8 · 2 episodes
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1956 Grand Canyon mid-air collision / Aeroméxico Flight 498 / Avianca Flight 052 / Gol Transportes Aéreos Flight 1907 / 2002 Überlingen mid-air collision
A special about the role of air traffic control in accidents and about the planned US NextGen system.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The special covers mid-air collisions and other accidents involving air traffic control; each has its own investigation.
Compilation episode
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Southern Airways Flight 242 / Delta Air Lines Flight 191 / American Airlines Flight 1420 / British Airways Flight 9
A special about bad weather in aviation disasters and how weather information reaches pilots.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The special covers weather-related accidents and incidents; each has its own investigation.
Compilation episode
Season 9 · 8 episodes
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British Airtours Flight 28M (1985 Manchester Airport disaster) · Manchester Airport, England, United Kingdom
British Airtours · Boeing 737-236 Advanced · 55 killed · 8/1988
During takeoff from Manchester an engine fails, a fire starts and the crew stop on the runway, but the fire spreads into the cabin.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The investigation found that a combustor can in the left engine broke up, a piece punctured a wing fuel tank, and toxic smoke and slow evacuation killed most of the victims.
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Northwest Airlines Flight 255 · Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Romulus, Michigan, United States
Northwest Airlines · McDonnell Douglas MD-82 · 156 killed · NTSB/AAR-88/05 · DCA87MA046
An MD-80 lifts off from Detroit, rolls and hits light poles and the ground just beyond the runway; one person survives.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB found that the crew did not set the flaps and slats for takeoff, and the takeoff warning system did not sound.
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Air France Flight 296Q · Mulhouse–Habsheim airfield, Alsace, France
Air Charter International for Air France · Airbus A320-111 · 3 killed · f-kc880626
An A320 on a low flypast at an air show fails to climb and flies into trees past the end of the runway.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The official inquiry found that the crew flew too low and too slow and applied power too late; the captain disputes this and blames the flight control computers.
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USAir Flight 1493 / SkyWest Airlines Flight 5569 · Los Angeles International Airport, California, United States
USAir / SkyWest Airlines · Boeing 737-3B7 / Fairchild Metro III · 35 killed · NTSB/AAR-91/08 · DCA91MA018
A USAir 737 landing at Los Angeles runs into a SkyWest commuter plane waiting on the same runway.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB found that the controller assigned the landing aircraft to a runway where another was waiting, and that the tower had no backup procedures to catch the error.
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Korean Air Lines Flight 007 · Sea of Japan near Moneron Island, west of Sakhalin, Soviet Union
Korean Air Lines · Boeing 747-230B · 269 killed
A Korean 747 flying from New York to Seoul via Anchorage strays far off course and is shot down by a Soviet fighter.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
ICAO's 1993 re-investigation concluded the crew left the autopilot in heading mode (or inertial navigation was not engaged) so the aircraft drifted off course unnoticed.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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Air Ontario Flight 1363 / USAir Flight 405 · Dryden Regional Airport, Ontario, Canada / LaGuardia Airport, Flushing, New York, United States
Air Ontario / USAir · Fokker F28-1000 / Fokker F28-4000 · 51 killed · NTSB/AAR-93/02 · DCA92MA025 (USAir 405); Dryden: none
Two Fokker F28s crash just after takeoff in snow, three years apart: Air Ontario at Dryden, Ontario, and USAir at New York LaGuardia.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Both investigations found that ice on the wings was not removed before takeoff, which cut lift; the Dryden inquiry also faulted the airline and regulator, and the LaGuardia crew began takeoff after a long delay with no new de-icing.
Report (Commission of Inquiry (Canada) / NTSB) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Air Inter Flight 148 · Mont Sainte-Odile, near Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, France
Air Inter · Airbus A320-111 · 87 killed · f-ed920120
An A320 on approach to Strasbourg at night flies into a mountain ridge.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The investigation found that the crew probably set the autopilot to a vertical speed rather than a flight path angle, so the descent was much steeper than planned; the cockpit warning and ground proximity equipment also fell short.
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Chalk's Ocean Airways Flight 101 · Government Cut, Port of Miami, Florida, United States
Chalk's Ocean Airways · Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard · 20 killed · NTSB/AAR-07/04 · DCA06MA010
A seaplane leaving Miami for Bimini loses its right wing seconds after takeoff and crashes into the sea.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB found that fatigue cracks in the wing structure grew from an earlier improper repair that the airline's maintenance program did not catch, and the FAA missed the weaknesses in that program.
Season 10 · 6 episodes
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Crossair Flight 3597 · Bassersdorf, near Zurich Airport, Switzerland
Crossair · Avro RJ100 · 24 killed · 1793
A Crossair Avro RJ100 on a night approach to Zurich hits a wooded hill short of the runway.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The investigation found that the captain continued the descent below the minimum safe altitude without the required visual contact with the runway.
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British Airways Flight 38 · Heathrow Airport, London, England, United Kingdom
British Airways · Boeing 777-236ER · 0 killed · AAR 1/2010
A British Airways 777 from Beijing stops responding to thrust commands on final approach and lands short of the runway at Heathrow.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The AAIB found that ice crystals from the fuel clogged the fuel-oil heat exchangers of both engines, restricting fuel flow.
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Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 751 · Gottröra, Norrtälje Municipality, Sweden
Scandinavian Airlines System · McDonnell Douglas MD-81 · 0 killed · C 1993:57
Shortly after takeoff from Stockholm, both engines of an SAS MD-81 fail and the crew make a forced landing in a field.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The investigation found that ice from the wings was ingested by the engines, and the automatic thrust restoration system made the engine damage worse.
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Colgan Air Flight 3407 · Clarence Center, New York, United States
Colgan Air for Continental Connection · Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 · 50 killed · NTSB/AAR-10/01 · DCA09MA027
A Q400 approaching Buffalo suddenly pitches and rolls and falls onto a house.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB found that the captain responded incorrectly to the stick shaker stall warning, and that the crew had not monitored airspeed during the approach; fatigue and Colgan's procedures contributed.
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US Airways Flight 1549 · Hudson River, New York City, New York, United States
US Airways · Airbus A320-214 · 0 killed · NTSB/AAR-10/03 · DCA09MA026
Just after takeoff from LaGuardia an A320 loses power in both engines and lands in the Hudson River; everyone survives.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB found that a bird strike by Canada geese damaged both engines beyond their ability to run; the crew's decisions and training contributed to the survival of everyone aboard.
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Turkish Airlines Flight 1951 · near Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands
Turkish Airlines · Boeing 737-8F2 · 9 killed
A Turkish Airlines 737-800 from Istanbul stalls on approach to Schiphol and crashes in a field short of the runway.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The Dutch Safety Board found that a faulty radio altimeter made the autothrottle reduce thrust, and the crew did not notice the falling speed in time or recover correctly.
Season 11 · 13 episodes
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TAM Airlines Flight 3054 · Congonhas Airport, São Paulo, Brazil
TAM Linhas Aéreas · Airbus A320-233 · 199 killed · A-Nº 67/CENIPA/2009
On landing in rain, the aircraft ran off the end of the runway and hit a building beside the airport.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
One engine's thrust lever was left in climb position while the other was in reverse, and the aircraft could not be stopped on the wet, short runway.
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West Caribbean Airways Flight 708 · near Machiques, Zulia, Venezuela
West Caribbean Airways · McDonnell Douglas MD-82 · 160 killed · JIAAC-9-058-2005
During cruise in a thunderstorm the aircraft lost altitude and crashed in rural land.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew misread a stall as an engine failure and did not recover, after climbing to an altitude the aircraft could not hold.
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Arrow Air Flight 1285R · Gander International Airport, Newfoundland, Canada
Arrow Air · McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63CF · 256 killed · 85-H50902
A charter carrying US soldiers crashed just after takeoff from Gander.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The Canadian board found ice on the wings and wrong weight figures led to a stall; a minority report disagreed and blamed an on-board explosion.
Report (Canadian Aviation Safety Board (CASB)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Continental Express Flight 2574 · near Eagle Lake, Texas, United States
Britt Airways (as Continental Express) · Embraer EMB 120RT Brasilia · 14 killed · NTSB/AAR-92/04
The aircraft broke up in the air and fell into a field near the end of its flight.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Screws were left out of the left horizontal stabilizer's leading edge during maintenance the night before, and it came off in flight.
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Munich air disaster (BEA Flight 609) · Munich-Riem Airport, Munich, West Germany
British European Airways · Airspeed AS-57 Ambassador · 23 killed
The aircraft failed to take off on the third attempt and hit a house past the runway end.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The first German report blamed the crew for not checking for slush on the runway, which slowed the aircraft; a later UK review pointed to slush as the cause instead.
Report (German investigators; UK Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Northwest Airlines Flight 85 · over the Bering Sea, near Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Northwest Airlines · Boeing 747-451 · 0 killed
The lower rudder suddenly moved to full left deflection in flight; the crew diverted to Anchorage and landed safely.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A fault in the rudder's hydraulic power control module, with metal fatigue in the actuator part, caused the hardover.
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Korean Air Cargo Flight 8509 · near Stansted Airport, Great Hallingbury, Essex, England, UK
Korean Air Cargo · Boeing 747-2B5F · 4 killed · 3/2003
The freighter crashed into a field about a minute after takeoff at night.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The captain followed a faulty attitude indicator and the crew did not cross-check or challenge him.
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Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182 · North Park, San Diego, California, United States
Pacific Southwest Airlines / private Cessna 172 · Boeing 727-214 / Cessna 172 · 144 killed · NTSB-AAR-79-5
A jet on approach to San Diego collided with a small plane and fell into a residential area.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The jet crew lost sight of the Cessna and kept flying without confirming separation, while the Cessna had strayed from its assigned heading; ATC also did not stop it.
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Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 · near King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Nationair (for Nigeria Airways) · Douglas DC-8-61 · 261 killed
A fire started during takeoff with hajj pilgrims on board, and the aircraft crashed after returning toward the airport.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Under-inflated tyres overheated and burst, starting a fire in the landing gear that spread after the gear was retracted.
Report (Presidency of Civil Aviation (Saudi Arabia)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771 · near Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Pacific Southwest Airlines · British Aerospace 146-200 · 43 killed
The aircraft dived into a hillside at very high speed.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A passenger, a fired airline employee, shot the pilots and others on board with a smuggled gun.
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TACA Flight 110 · Michoud, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
TACA International Airlines · Boeing 737-3T0 · 0 killed
Both engines stopped in a thunderstorm and the captain landed on a grass levee.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Heavy rain and hail made both engines flame out; the engines could not be relit before the emergency landing.
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2001 Linate Airport runway collision (SAS Flight 686) · Linate Airport, Milan, Italy
Scandinavian Airlines / Air Evex · McDonnell Douglas MD-87 / Cessna Citation CJ2 · 118 killed · A-1/04
An airliner taking off in fog hit a business jet that had entered the runway.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The business jet took a wrong taxiway in fog onto the active runway; missing signage, markings and ground radar contributed.
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United Airlines Flight 232 · Sioux Gateway Airport, Sioux City, Iowa, United States
United Airlines · McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 · 112 killed · NTSB/AAR-90/06
The tail engine failed in flight and the crew crash-landed at Sioux City.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A fatigue crack in the engine's fan disk, from a defect in the titanium, broke it apart and cut all three hydraulic systems.
Season 12 · 13 episodes
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Reeve Aleutian Airways Flight 8 · near Cold Bay, Alaska, United States
Reeve Aleutian Airways · Lockheed L-188 Electra · 0 killed
A propeller came off in flight and tore the fuselage; the crew landed safely.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The propeller was lost into the sea and never found, so the cause was not determined.
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ValuJet Flight 592 · Everglades, near Miami, Florida, United States
ValuJet Airlines · McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 · 110 killed · NTSB/AAR-97/06 · DCA96MA054
Smoke filled the aircraft minutes after takeoff and it crashed in the Everglades.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Mislabelled oxygen generators in the cargo hold set off a fire that the aircraft was not equipped to detect or put out.
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Singapore Airlines Flight 006 · Chiang Kai-shek (Taoyuan) International Airport, Taiwan
Singapore Airlines · Boeing 747-412 · 83 killed
In a typhoon the aircraft took off from the wrong runway and hit construction equipment.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew began takeoff on a closed runway in poor visibility, with unclear taxi guidance and no runway-position confirmation.
Report (ASC (Taiwan; then ASC under the Executive Yuan)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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SilkAir Flight 185 · Musi River, near Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia
SilkAir · Boeing 737-36N · 104 killed
The aircraft dived from cruise altitude into the Musi River.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Indonesia's KNKT could not determine a cause; the NTSB concluded deliberate pilot action was most likely.
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TANS Perú Flight 204 · near Pucallpa Airport, Ucayali, Peru
TANS Perú · Boeing 737-2T4 Advanced · 40 killed · CIAA-ACCID-007-2005
The aircraft crashed in a swamp short of the runway while landing in a storm.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew continued the approach in a storm with degraded weather and no visual reference, and a downdraft was involved.
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1956 Grand Canyon mid-air collision (UA 718 / TWA 2) · over the Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States
United Airlines / Trans World Airlines · Douglas DC-7 / Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation · 128 killed · File No. 1-0090
Two airliners collided over the Grand Canyon.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Both crews flew in uncontrolled airspace by sight and neither saw the other in time; the Civil Aeronautics Board blamed visual separation and lack of ATC coverage.
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American Airlines Flight 191 · Des Plaines, near O'Hare International Airport, Illinois, United States
American Airlines · McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 · 273 killed · NTSB-AAR-79-17
The left engine tore off at takeoff and the aircraft rolled over and crashed.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The engine pylon was damaged by an improper maintenance procedure that used a forklift, and the engine separation cut hydraulics and slat warnings.
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United Airlines Flight 173 · Portland, Oregon, United States
United Airlines · McDonnell Douglas DC-8-61 · 10 killed · NTSB-AAR-79-7
The aircraft circled near Portland with a landing gear problem and crashed short of the airport.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
It ran out of fuel: the captain focused on the gear and did not heed the crew's fuel warnings.
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Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash (YAK-Service Flight 9633) · near Tunoshna Airport, Yaroslavl, Russia
YAK-Service · Yakovlev Yak-42D · 44 killed
A charter with a hockey team failed to climb after takeoff and crashed.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Investigators found the pilots were not properly trained on the type and one pilot had a foot on the brake pedal during takeoff.
Report (MAK / IAC (Interstate Aviation Committee)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Smolensk air disaster (Polish Air Force Flight 101) · near Smolensk North Airport, Smolensk Oblast, Russia
36th Special Aviation Regiment, Polish Air Force · Tupolev Tu-154M · 96 killed
The Polish presidential aircraft crashed on approach in fog.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The MAK report found the crew descended below minimums in fog without a visual reference; Polish investigators dispute parts of this.
Report (MAK / IAC (Interstate Aviation Committee)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 · Mediterranean Sea, off Beirut, Lebanon
Ethiopian Airlines · Boeing 737-8AS · 90 killed
The aircraft crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Beirut in a thunderstorm.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The Lebanese report found the crew lost control after a loss of situational awareness in the storm; Ethiopia disputed it.
Report (Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Lebanon)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Santa Bárbara Airlines Flight 518 · near Mérida, Venezuela
Santa Bárbara Airlines · ATR 42-300 · 46 killed
The aircraft flew into a mountain soon after takeoff.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew took off with inoperative navigation equipment after skipping checks, and strayed off course in terrain.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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Air France Flight 447 · South Atlantic Ocean, about 1,000 km off Brazil
Air France · Airbus A330-203 · 228 killed · f-cp090601
The aircraft disappeared over the Atlantic on a night flight from Rio to Paris.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
After the pitot probes iced up and the autopilot disconnected, the crew did not recognise the stall and kept the nose up.
Season 13 · 11 episodes
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British European Airways Flight 548 · Staines, Surrey, England, UK
British European Airways · Hawker Siddeley Trident 1C · 118 killed · 4/1973
The aircraft stalled and crashed shortly after takeoff from Heathrow.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The droops were retracted too early at low speed, and the stall warning was not heeded; the captain may have been incapacitated.
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Hughes Airwest Flight 706 · San Gabriel Mountains, California, United States
Hughes Airwest / US Marine Corps · McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 / F-4B Phantom II · 50 killed · NTSB-AAR-72-26
A jet airliner and a Marine fighter collided in the air.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The Phantom crew did not see the airliner in time while the airliner was in a collision course; the NTSB cited failure of see-and-avoid.
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Crossair Flight 498 · Niederhasli, near Zürich, Switzerland
Crossair · Saab 340B · 10 killed · 1781
The aircraft crashed two minutes after takeoff from Zürich.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Spatial disorientation of the pilots after a poorly managed flight path led to loss of control.
Report (SUST / BFU Switzerland (Büro für Flugunfalluntersuchungen)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Air Florida Flight 90 · Potomac River, Washington, D.C., United States
Air Florida · Boeing 737-222 · 78 killed · NTSB-AAR-82-8
The aircraft stalled after takeoff and hit a bridge into the Potomac River.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Ice on the wings and the crew's failure to use engine anti-ice gave wrong thrust readings, and the takeoff was continued.
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American Airlines Flight 587 · Belle Harbor, Queens, New York City, United States
American Airlines · Airbus A300B4-605R · 265 killed · NTSB/AAR-04/04
The tail fin came off after takeoff from JFK and the aircraft crashed into a neighbourhood.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The first officer's aggressive rudder inputs after wake turbulence overstressed the vertical stabilizer.
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1989 Hurricane Hunters NOAA 42 incident · near Barbados, Atlantic Ocean
NOAA · Lockheed WP-3D Orion · 0 killed
A hurricane research aircraft lost an engine to fire flying into Hugo and landed safely.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A sensor failure caused a loss of the engine's oil/torque protection, and the engine caught fire.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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Itavia Flight 870 · Tyrrhenian Sea, near Ustica, Italy
Itavia · Douglas DC-9-15 · 81 killed
The aircraft broke up over the Tyrrhenian Sea at night.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The cause is disputed: Italy's courts later concluded a missile or a collision, not a bomb or structural failure as first thought.
Report (Italian commission (Blasi) / Court of Palermo) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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XL Airways Germany Flight 888T · Mediterranean Sea off Canet-en-Roussillon, France
XL Airways Germany · Airbus A320-232 · 7 killed · d-la081127
The aircraft crashed into the sea during a post-maintenance test flight.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Water entered the angle-of-attack sensors during cleaning, froze, and the crew lost control during a stall test.
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Air Moorea Flight 1121 · off Moorea, French Polynesia
Air Moorea · de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter · 20 killed · f-qi070809
The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Moorea.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A worn elevator control cable broke after repeated overload, causing loss of control.
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Qantas Flight 32 · over Batam Island, Indonesia
Qantas · Airbus A380-842 · 0 killed
An engine disintegrated after takeoff from Singapore and the aircraft returned.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A misaligned oil pipe from manufacturing caused an oil fire in the engine and the turbine disc failure.
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Asiana Airlines Flight 214 / Air France Flight 358 / Reeve Aleutian Airways Flight 8 / Air Canada Flight 797 / US Airways Flight 1549
A special on how people survive aviation accidents, with demonstrations at a training centre.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Compilation: no single investigation.
Compilation episode Wikipedia ↗
Season 14 · 11 episodes
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Kegworth air disaster (British Midland Flight 092) · Kegworth, Leicestershire, England, UK
British Midland Airways · Boeing 737-4Y0 · 47 killed · 4/1990
After an engine problem the aircraft crashed onto a motorway embankment short of the runway.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew shut down the wrong engine; the damaged one then failed, and a fan blade fatigue fault was the original cause.
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Lauda Air Flight 004 · Phu Toei National Park, Suphan Buri province, Thailand
Lauda Air · Boeing 767-3Z9ER · 223 killed
The aircraft broke up in the air shortly after climbing out of Bangkok.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A thrust reverser deployed in flight and could not be controlled.
Report (Thai Aircraft Accident Investigation Committee) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Varig Flight 254 · near São José do Xingu, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Varig · Boeing 737-241 · 12 killed
The aircraft flew the wrong way for hours and landed on a jungle clearing.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew set the wrong heading and did not notice, and ran out of fuel.
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Copa Airlines Flight 201 · Darién Gap, near Tucutí, Panama
Copa Airlines · Boeing 737-204 Advanced · 47 killed
The aircraft dived and broke up in the air over the jungle.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Faulty instrument readings and inadequate crew training led to loss of control.
Report (Panamanian civil aviation authority; NTSB assisted) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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FedEx Express Flight 14 and FedEx Express Flight 80 · Narita International Airport, Chiba, Japan (Flight 80); Newark, New Jersey, United States (Flight 14, 1997-07-31)
FedEx Express · McDonnell Douglas MD-11F · 2 killed · AA2013-4-2 (JTSB, Flight 80); NTSB/AAR-00/02 (Flight 14)
Two MD-11 freighters bounced on landing and crashed 12 years apart.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Flight 80: a bounced landing and an incorrect pilot response; Flight 14: a similar bounced landing handled wrongly.
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1999 Martha's Vineyard plane crash · Atlantic Ocean off Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, United States
private · Piper PA-32R-301 Saratoga II · 3 killed · NYC99MA178
A light aircraft crashed into the sea on a night flight in haze.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The pilot lost control after spatial disorientation in dark, hazy conditions.
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Air France Flight 4590 · Gonesse, near Paris, France
Air France · Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde 101 · 113 killed · f-sc000725a
The Concorde caught fire on takeoff and crashed onto a hotel.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A metal strip on the runway burst a tyre, and debris ruptured a fuel tank, igniting the fuel.
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2008 Mexico City Learjet 45 crash · Mexico City, Mexico
Mexican Interior Ministry · Learjet 45 · 16 killed
A government jet crashed into a busy street in Mexico City.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Wake turbulence from a larger aircraft and crew error led to loss of control.
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Manx2 Flight 7100 · Cork Airport, Ireland
Flightline (for Manx2) · Fairchild SA227-BC Metro III · 6 killed · 2014-001
The aircraft crashed on a go-around in fog.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew continued an unstable approach in fog and lost control during the go-around.
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First Air Flight 6560 · near Resolute Bay Airport, Nunavut, Canada
First Air · Boeing 737-210C · 12 killed · A11H0002
A charter hit a hill short of the runway in poor weather.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew continued an approach with a wrong compass setting and weather below minimums.
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Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 · southern Indian Ocean (presumed), after departing Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia Airlines · Boeing 777-2H6ER · 239 killed · MH370/01/2018
The aircraft disappeared on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The cause is undetermined; the final report could not establish why it turned back.
Report (Malaysia ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team; ATSB for search) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
Season 15 · 10 episodes
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United Express Flight 5925 · Quincy Regional Airport, Adams County, Illinois, United States
Great Lakes Airlines (as United Express) · Beechcraft 1900C; Beechcraft King Air A90 · 14 killed · NTSB/AAR-97/04
A commuter turboprop landing at Quincy collided on the runway with a small King Air that was taking off from an intersecting runway. All 14 people on both aircraft died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB found that the King Air crew failed to make sure the runway was clear and to use proper communication procedures, so the two aircraft were on the same runway.
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Asiana Airlines Flight 214 · San Francisco International Airport, California, United States
Asiana Airlines · Boeing 777-200ER · 3 killed · NTSB/AAR-14/01
Asiana Flight 214 hit the seawall short of the runway while landing at San Francisco. Three passengers died and many were injured.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB found that the crew mismanaged the approach and the autothrottle mode, and did not monitor airspeed, so the aircraft fell below the target speed and struck the seawall.
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El Al Flight 1862 · Bijlmermeer, Amsterdam-Zuidoost, Netherlands
El Al Cargo · Boeing 747-258F · 47 killed · 92-11
After taking off from Schiphol, two engines on the right wing separated from a cargo 747. The aircraft crashed into apartment blocks in the Bijlmermeer district.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Investigators found that a fuse pin in the engine pylon failed from fatigue, which let the engine tear off and take the neighbouring engine with it.
Report (Netherlands Aviation Safety Board (Raad voor de Luchtvaart)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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UPS Airlines Flight 6 · Near Dubai International Airport, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
UPS Airlines · Boeing 747-44AF/SCD · 2 killed · AAIS Case Reference 13/2010
Shortly after take-off from Dubai the crew of a UPS cargo 747 reported a fire and tried to return. They could not land and the aircraft crashed. Both pilots died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The investigation concluded that a fire in cargo that included lithium batteries spread to the cargo compartment and damaged flight systems; smoke and loss of control followed.
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1961 Ndola Transair Sweden Douglas DC-6 crash · Near Ndola, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia)
Transair Sweden (chartered for the United Nations) · Douglas DC-6B · 16 killed · S/4940/Add.5
A DC-6 carrying UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld crashed during approach to Ndola on the way to ceasefire talks. All on board died, one of them days later.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
No single cause was settled. Inquiries could not establish it; the aircraft flew into trees on approach and sabotage or attack could not be ruled out or proven.
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Atlantic Airways Flight 670 · Stord Airport, Sørstokken, Vestland, Norway
Atlantic Airways · British Aerospace 146-200A · 4 killed · SL 2012/04
A BAe 146 landed at Stord, ran off the end of the runway and went down a steep embankment. Four of the 16 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The AIBN found the aircraft aquaplaned on a wet runway, with the landing made later and faster than ideal, so it could not stop in the available distance.
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Spanair Flight 5022 · Madrid-Barajas Airport, Madrid, Spain
Spanair · McDonnell Douglas MD-82 · 154 killed · A-032/2008
Spanair Flight 5022 stalled just after lifting off on its second take-off attempt, and crashed beside the runway. 154 of 172 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The pilots took off with the flaps and slats not set, and the take-off warning system, which would have alerted them, did not work.
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Garuda Indonesia Flight 200 · Adisutjipto International Airport, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Garuda Indonesia · Boeing 737-400 · 21 killed
Garuda Flight 200 touched down far too fast at Yogyakarta, bounced, ran off the runway and caught fire. 21 of 140 people died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSC found the aircraft was too high and fast on approach, and the captain did not go around despite repeated warnings from the co-pilot and the ground-proximity system.
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Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 2311 · Near Glynco Jetport (Brunswick Golden Isles Airport), Georgia, United States
Atlantic Southeast Airlines (as Delta Connection) · Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia · 23 killed · NTSB/AAR-92/03
An ASA turboprop nosed down and crashed on approach to Brunswick, Georgia, killing all 23 on board, including U.S. Senator John Tower.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB found the propeller control unit in the left engine malfunctioned, causing asymmetric thrust and loss of control, made worse by the crew's response.
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TAM Transportes Aéreos Regionais Flight 402 · Jabaquara district, São Paulo, Brazil
TAM Transportes Aéreos Regionais · Fokker 100 · 99 killed
A Fokker 100 crashed into houses seconds after taking off from Congonhas airport. All 95 on board and 4 on the ground died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The investigation found that the right thrust reverser deployed in flight after a fault in the system, causing loss of control that the crew could not recover from.
Season 16 · 10 episodes
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1999 South Dakota Learjet 35 crash · Near Aberdeen, South Dakota, United States
Sunjet Aviation · Learjet 35 · 6 killed · NTSB/AAB-00/01
A chartered Learjet carrying golfer Payne Stewart stopped responding to controllers after take-off, flew on autopilot for hours and crashed in South Dakota. All 6 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB concluded the crew and passengers became incapacitated because the cabin lost pressure; the exact cause of the decompression could not be determined.
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American Airlines Flight 77 · The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, United States
American Airlines · Boeing 757-200 · 189 killed
American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked and flown into the Pentagon during the 11 September attacks. All 64 on board and 125 people in the building died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Five hijackers took control of the aircraft and deliberately crashed it; the attack was investigated by the 9/11 Commission.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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KLM Flight 4805 / Pan Am Flight 1736 (Tenerife airport disaster) · Los Rodeos Airport (Tenerife North), Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
KLM; Pan Am · Boeing 747-206B (KLM 4805); Boeing 747-121 (Pan Am 1736) · 583 killed · A-102/1977 y A-103/1977
In fog, a KLM 747 began its take-off roll and hit a Pan Am 747 still on the runway. It remains the deadliest accident in aviation history.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The Spanish investigation found the KLM captain began take-off without take-off clearance, amid misunderstood radio communications and poor visibility.
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China Airlines Flight 120 · Naha Airport, Okinawa, Japan
China Airlines · Boeing 737-800 · 0 killed
A China Airlines 737 caught fire and exploded after it landed at Naha and parked at the gate. All 165 on board escaped.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A slat-track assembly bolt came loose and punctured a fuel tank; the maintenance procedure and a design flaw allowed the part to detach.
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Proteus Airlines Flight 706 · Quiberon Bay, off Lorient, Brittany, France
Proteus Airlines · Beechcraft 1900D; Cessna 177 Cardinal · 15 killed · F-JM980730 / F-JE980730
A commuter Beechcraft 1900D made a detour to look at an ocean liner and collided with a Cessna that was doing the same. All 15 on both aircraft died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The BEA found the 1900D crew deviated from their route for sightseeing and did not see the Cessna in time; there was no effective separation of the two flights.
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Trans-Colorado Airlines Flight 2286 · Near Bayfield, Colorado, United States
Trans-Colorado Airlines (as Continental Express) · Fairchild SA227-AC Metro III · 9 killed · NTSB/AAR-89/01
A commuter Metro III crashed on final approach to Durango. Both pilots and seven of the 15 passengers died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB found the crew did not follow proper approach procedures and descended below minimum altitude in poor visibility; poor crew coordination and company oversight contributed.
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Germanwings Flight 9525 · Prads-Haute-Bléone, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France
Germanwings · Airbus A320-211 · 150 killed · BEA2015-0125
Germanwings Flight 9525 began a steady descent from cruise altitude and flew into a mountain in the French Alps. All 150 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The BEA concluded the co-pilot deliberately flew the aircraft into the terrain, while suffering from a mental disorder; the captain was locked out of the cockpit.
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Garuda Indonesia Flight 421 · Bengawan Solo River near Surakarta (Solo), Central Java, Indonesia
Garuda Indonesia · Boeing 737-300 · 1 killed · KNKT/02.02/06.01.33
Garuda Flight 421 lost power in both engines in a severe storm and ditched in the Bengawan Solo river. One flight attendant died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Both engines flamed out after ingesting heavy rain and hail while the crew had throttled back to idle; the engines could not be restarted.
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Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 · Karimata Strait, Java Sea, Indonesia
Indonesia AirAsia · Airbus A320-216 · 162 killed
AirAsia Flight 8501 climbed into a storm cloud, then stalled and fell into the Java Sea. All 162 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A faulty rudder travel limiter unit failed repeatedly; the crew's reset of the flight computers disengaged the autopilot, and they did not recover from the stall.
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National Airlines Flight 102 · Bagram Airfield, Parwan Province, Afghanistan
National Airlines · Boeing 747-400BCF · 7 killed · NTSB/AAR-15/01
A cargo 747 stalled and crashed seconds after take-off from Bagram, killing all seven crew.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Heavy military vehicles in the cargo came loose and struck the aft pressure bulkhead, severing hydraulic systems and the horizontal stabilizer actuator, leading to a stall.
Season 17 · 10 episodes
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Northwest Airlink Flight 5719 · Near Chisholm-Hibbing Airport, Hibbing, Minnesota, United States
Express Airlines II (as Northwest Airlink) · British Aerospace Jetstream 31 · 18 killed · NTSB/AAR-94/05
A commuter Jetstream 31 flew into a hillside on approach to Hibbing. All 18 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB found the captain's unprofessional conduct and the crew's poor altitude and approach management, with deficient training, let the aircraft descend below the safe altitude.
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Comair Flight 3272 · Raisinville Township, near Monroe, Michigan, United States
Comair (as Delta Connection) · Embraer EMB-120RT Brasilia · 29 killed · NTSB/AAR-98/04
A Comair turboprop rolled and plunged nose-first while on approach to Detroit. All 29 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Ice built up on the wings during a holding pattern in icing conditions, and the autopilot masked the loss of control until the aircraft stalled; the crew had been delayed in descending.
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Air China Flight 129 · Mount Dotdae, near Gimhae International Airport, Busan, South Korea
Air China · Boeing 767-200ER · 129 killed · KAIB/AAR F0201
Air China Flight 129 hit a mountain while circling to land at Busan in poor weather. 129 of 166 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The investigation found the crew did not follow the published circling approach and did not heed the ground-proximity warnings; crew coordination was poor.
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TWA Flight 800 · Atlantic Ocean off East Moriches, New York, United States
Trans World Airlines · Boeing 747-131 · 230 killed · NTSB/AAR-00/03
TWA Flight 800 exploded in mid-air and broke up over the Atlantic shortly after leaving New York. All 230 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB found that an explosion of the centre fuel tank, probably from a spark caused by a short circuit in the fuel quantity indication wiring, destroyed the aircraft.
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Garuda Indonesia Flight 152 · Sibolangit, near Polonia Airport, Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia
Garuda Indonesia · Airbus A300B4-220 · 234 killed · KNKT/97.29/04.06.016
A Garuda A300 crashed into wooded mountains while approaching Medan in haze. All 234 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The investigation found that miscommunication with air traffic control and loss of crew awareness during a turn led to descent into terrain in low visibility.
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USAir Flight 1016 · Charlotte Douglas International Airport, North Carolina, United States
USAir · McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 · 37 killed · NTSB/AAR-95/03
USAir Flight 1016 crashed into a house and parking area while trying to land at Charlotte in a thunderstorm. 37 of 57 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB found the crew continued the approach into a thunderstorm; a windshear alert was not given in time and the crew's recovery was inadequate.
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TransAsia Airways Flight 235 · Keelung River, Taipei, Taiwan
TransAsia Airways · ATR 72-600 · 43 killed · ASC-AOR-16-06-001
TransAsia Flight 235 clipped a viaduct and fell into the Keelung River after take-off from Taipei Songshan. 43 of 58 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
One engine failed and the pilots shut down the working engine by mistake, leaving no power; the aircraft stalled.
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Metrojet Flight 9268 · Near Housna, North Sinai, Egypt
Kogalymavia (Metrojet) · Airbus A321-231 · 224 killed
Metrojet Flight 9268 broke apart in flight over the Sinai peninsula shortly after leaving Sharm el-Sheikh. All 224 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Egyptian investigators concluded an explosive device in the cargo hold destroyed the aircraft (a terrorist attack); Egypt itself later disputed this.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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LAPA Flight 3142 · Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, Buenos Aires, Argentina
LAPA · Boeing 737-204C · 65 killed · C.E. Nº 5.459.281 (FA)
LAPA Flight 3142 failed to lift off, ran off the runway and hit a road and a dual carriageway. 63 of 100 on board and 2 on the ground died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The JIAAC report found the crew attempted take-off with the flaps and slats retracted and ignored the configuration warning; the report put the blame on the pilots.
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Thai Airways International Flight 311 · Ghyangphedi, Langtang National Park, Nepal
Thai Airways International · Airbus A310-304 · 113 killed
Thai Flight 311 flew into a mountain while approaching Kathmandu in cloud. All 113 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The commission found the aircraft was off the intended approach path in poor visibility, with crew and air traffic control factors combining in the terrain collision.
Report (Commission for the Accident Investigation of TG 311 (Nepal)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
Season 18 · 10 episodes
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Emery Worldwide Airlines Flight 17 · Rancho Cordova (Sacramento Mather Airport), California, United States
Emery Worldwide Airlines · Douglas DC-8-71F · 3 killed · NTSB/AAR-03/02
An Emery cargo DC-8 crashed into a salvage yard shortly after taking off from Sacramento Mather. All 3 crew died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A pushrod in the elevator control system had come apart because a nut and bolt were missing after earlier maintenance, which made the elevator uncontrollable.
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TransAsia Airways Flight 222 · Xixi village, near Magong Airport, Penghu, Taiwan
TransAsia Airways · ATR 72-500 · 48 killed · ASC-AOR-16-01-002
TransAsia Flight 222 crashed into a village while trying to land at Magong in a typhoon. 48 of 58 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The ASC found the crew continued descent below minimum altitude without visual reference in bad weather, which led to controlled flight into terrain.
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Delta Air Lines Flight 1141 · Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Texas, United States
Delta Air Lines · Boeing 727-232 Advanced · 14 killed · NTSB/AAR-89/04
Delta Flight 1141 failed to climb after take-off from Dallas/Fort Worth and crashed beyond the runway. 14 of 108 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The pilots had not set the flaps and slats for take-off, and the take-off warning system did not sound; the crew had been talking during checks.
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Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 · Near Hrabove, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine
Malaysia Airlines · Boeing 777-200ER · 298 killed
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 broke up in mid-air over eastern Ukraine on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The Dutch Safety Board found the aircraft was hit by a 9N314M warhead from a Buk surface-to-air missile launched from eastern Ukraine.
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2012 Mount Salak Sukhoi Superjet crash · Mount Salak, West Java, Indonesia
Sukhoi (demonstration flight) · Sukhoi Superjet 100-95 · 45 killed · KNKT.12.05.09.04
A Sukhoi Superjet 100 on a demonstration flight descended into Mount Salak near Jakarta. All 45 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew was distracted and unaware of the terrain; the terrain warning system had been inhibited and its alerts were ignored, so the aircraft hit the mountain.
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VSS Enterprise crash · Mojave Desert near Koehn Dry Lake, California, United States
Scaled Composites (for Virgin Galactic) · Scaled Composites SpaceShipTwo (VSS Enterprise) · 1 killed · NTSB/AAR-15/02
The experimental rocket plane SpaceShipTwo broke apart in flight during a powered test flight. One pilot died; the other survived.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The co-pilot unlocked the feathering system too early; with no safeguard against it, aerodynamic loads deployed it and the vehicle broke up.
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Qantas Flight 72 · Indian Ocean, 80 nm from Learmonth, Western Australia, Australia
Qantas · Airbus A330-303 · 0 killed · AO-2008-070
Qantas Flight 72 suddenly pitched down twice in cruise, injuring many people. The aircraft then made an emergency landing at Learmonth.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A fault in one air data inertial reference unit sent false spikes in angle-of-attack data, and the flight control computers responded with abrupt pitch-down commands.
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Alitalia Flight 404 · Stadlerberg mountain, Weiach, Zurich, Switzerland
Alitalia · McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 · 46 killed
An Alitalia DC-9 flew into a mountain while approaching Zurich. All 46 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew did not fly the published approach correctly and lost awareness of their position, so the aircraft descended into terrain.
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China Airlines Flight 140 · Nagoya Airport, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
China Airlines · Airbus A300B4-622R · 264 killed · Report 96-5
China Airlines Flight 140 crashed on landing at Nagoya after the aircraft pitched up and stalled during a go-around. 264 of 271 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The co-pilot accidentally triggered the go-around mode; the crew and autopilot fought over pitch trim, and the aircraft climbed steeply and stalled.
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Continental Airlines Flight 1713 · Stapleton International Airport, Denver, Colorado, United States
Continental Airlines · Douglas DC-9-14 · 28 killed · NTSB/AAR-88/09
Continental Flight 1713 rolled over and crashed during take-off from Denver in snow. 28 of 82 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The captain took off after a long delay since de-icing, with ice on the wings, and the aircraft stalled.
Season 19 · 10 episodes
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Cathay Pacific Flight 780 · Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong, China
Cathay Pacific · Airbus A330-342 · 0 killed · Aircraft Accident Report 2/2013
An A330 flying from Surabaya to Hong Kong lost thrust on both engines on approach and landed hard and fast at Hong Kong; 63 people were injured in the evacuation.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Contaminated fuel from a superabsorbent polymer introduced during refuelling at Surabaya blocked the fuel system and starved the engines.
Report (Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (AIA)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish dub ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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2011 Reno Air Races crash · Reno-Stead Airport, Reno, Nevada, United States
Aero Trans Corp. (private owner/pilot, Reno Air Races) · North American P-51D Mustang 'The Galloping Ghost' · 11 killed · NTSB/AAB-12/01
During a race, a modified P-51 Mustang suddenly pitched up, rolled over and dived into the ramp in front of the grandstands, killing the pilot and 10 spectators.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Reused single-use locknuts in the elevator trim tab loosened, the trim tab fluttered and failed, and the pilot lost control.
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KLM Cityhopper Flight 433 · Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Haarlemmermeer, North Holland, Netherlands
KLM Cityhopper · Saab 340B · 3 killed
A Saab 340 turned back to Schiphol after a problem on takeoff, then crashed in a field short of the runway while going around; the captain and two passengers died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
After an engine problem, the crew's flight control inputs during the go-around with unequal engine thrust led to a loss of control.
Report (Netherlands Aviation Safety Board (Raad voor de Luchtvaart)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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American International Airways Flight 808 · Leeward Point Field, Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba
American International Airways · McDonnell Douglas DC-8-61F · 0 killed · NTSB/AAR-94/04
A cargo DC-8 crashed while trying to land at the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay; all three crew survived with serious injuries.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Fatigue impaired the crew's judgment; the captain lost airspeed in a steep turn on final and the crew failed to recover from the stall.
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Fine Air Flight 101 · Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida, United States
Fine Air · Douglas DC-8-61F · 5 killed · NTSB/AAR-98/02
A cargo DC-8 failed to climb after takeoff from Miami, crashed into a road and a parking lot and burned; four people on board and one on the ground died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The aircraft was loaded with its centre of gravity too far aft and the stabiliser trim was set wrongly, causing an extreme pitch-up on takeoff.
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TAROM Flight 371 · Balotesti, near Henri Coanda (Otopeni) Airport, Ilfov County, Romania
TAROM · Airbus A310-324 · 60 killed
Shortly after takeoff from Bucharest, an A310 went into a steep turn and dive and crashed; all 60 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A faulty autothrottle idled the left engine and the captain became incapacitated, while the first officer, unfamiliar with the attitude indicator, could not recover.
Report (Romanian Civil Aviation Inspectorate (Administrative Investigation Commission)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Continental Airlines Flight 1404 · Denver International Airport, Denver, Colorado, United States
Continental Airlines · Boeing 737-500 · 0 killed · NTSB/AAR-10/04 · DCA09MA021
On takeoff in a strong crosswind, a 737 veered off the runway, crossed a taxiway and a service road and ended up in a ravine, where it caught fire.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The captain stopped applying right rudder in a gusty crosswind; inadequate crosswind training was a contributing factor.
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Aeroflot Flight 821 · near Perm International Airport, Perm Krai, Russia
Aeroflot-Nord (as Aeroflot) · Boeing 737-500 · 88 killed
A 737 crashed at night on approach to Perm in cloud, killing all 88 on board.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The captain lost spatial orientation at night in cloud with the autopilot off; poor crew coordination and training on Western-style instruments contributed.
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LaMia Flight 2933 · Cerro Gordo, near La Union, Antioquia, Colombia
LaMia · Avro RJ85 · 71 killed · COL-16-37-GIA
A charter carrying the Chapecoense football team crashed into a mountain while approaching Medellin; 71 of 77 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The aircraft ran out of fuel after a flight plan with no reserve and a delay of about 36 minutes in declaring a fuel emergency.
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United Express Flight 6291 · Gahanna, near Port Columbus International Airport, Ohio, United States
Atlantic Coast Airlines (as United Express) · British Aerospace Jetstream 41 · 5 killed · NTSB/AAR-94/07
A Jetstream 41 crashed short of the runway while approaching Columbus, Ohio, and caught fire; five of the 25 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew flew a poorly planned, unstable approach and responded wrongly to a stall warning; inadequate training and procedures contributed.
Season 20 · 10 episodes
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Pakistan International Airlines Flight 268 · Bhattedanda mountain, near Kathmandu, Nepal
Pakistan International Airlines · Airbus A300B4-103 · 167 killed
An A300 crashed into a mountainside while approaching Kathmandu; all 167 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The investigation attributed the crash mainly to pilot error during the approach to Kathmandu.
Report (Nepal accident investigation with UK AAIB (ICAO Circular 296)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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West Air Sweden Flight 294 · near Lake Akkajaure, Norrbotten County, Sweden
West Air Sweden · Bombardier CRJ200 · 2 killed · RL 2016:11e
A cargo CRJ200 made a Mayday call at 33,000 ft, lost contact and crashed in remote mountains in northern Sweden; both pilots died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A failure in a redundant system, for which the operation had insufficient preconditions (procedures and design) to manage, led to loss of control.
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Uni Air Flight 873 · Hualien Airport, Hualien County, Taiwan
Uni Air · McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 · 1 killed · ASC-AAR-00-11-001
Shortly after landing, an explosion and fire broke out in the front cabin of an MD-90; one passenger died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Gasoline fumes leaking from badly sealed bottles in a passenger's luggage ignited, likely from a motorbike battery in an overhead bin.
Report (Aviation Safety Council (Taiwan)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish dub ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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1990 Detroit Metropolitan Airport runway collision · Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Romulus, Michigan, United States
Northwest Airlines · McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14 / Boeing 727-251 · 8 killed · NTSB/AAR-91/05
In heavy fog, a taxiing DC-9 strayed onto an active runway and was hit by a departing 727; eight people on the DC-9 died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The DC-9 crew lacked proper coordination, with a near reversal of the captain's and first officer's roles, and got lost on the airport surface.
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AIRES Flight 8250 · Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport, San Andres Island, Colombia
AIRES Colombia · Boeing 737-700 · 2 killed · COL-10-18-GIA
A 737 touched down well short of the runway at night in poor weather and broke into three pieces; two passengers died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew misjudged altitude on final approach and flew below the glide path.
Report (Aerocivil (UAEAC), Colombia) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish dub ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Sol Lineas Aereas Flight 5428 · near Prahuaniyeu, about 30 km southwest of Los Menucos, Rio Negro Province, Argentina
Sol Lineas Aereas · Saab 340A · 22 killed · C.E. N° 096/11
A Saab 340 on a night flight from Neuquen to Comodoro Rivadavia crashed in Rio Negro Province; all 22 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Severe icing exceeded the de-icing systems' capacity and, with inadequate speed management, the aircraft stalled and was not recovered.
Report (JIAAC (Argentina)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish dub ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Cougar Helicopters Flight 91 · Atlantic Ocean, about 55 km east-southeast of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Cougar Helicopters · Sikorsky S-92A · 17 killed · A09A0016
A helicopter carrying oil workers to offshore platforms ditched in the Atlantic and sank; 17 of 18 aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The TSB found 16 separate factors, none of them solely to blame.
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Trigana Air Flight 267 · Mount Tangok, Bintang Mountains, near Oksibil, Papua Pegunungan, Indonesia
Trigana Air · ATR 42-300 · 54 killed
An ATR 42 flying from Sentani to Oksibil crashed into a mountain on approach; all 54 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew deviated from the planned flight path; the aircraft had no working terrain warning (EGPWS).
Report (KNKT (Indonesia)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish dub ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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LAM Mozambique Airlines Flight 470 · Bwabwata National Park, near Divundu, Zambezi Region, Namibia
LAM Mozambique Airlines · Embraer 190 · 33 killed · ACCID/112913/1-12
An E190 cruising at 38,000 ft descended steadily into a national park in Namibia; all 33 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The captain, alone on the flight deck, made autopilot inputs that put the aircraft into a controlled descent until impact.
Report (DAAI, Ministry of Works and Transport (Namibia)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish dub ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Kenya Airways Flight 507 · Mbanga Pongo mangrove swamp, near Douala, Littoral Region, Cameroon
Kenya Airways · Boeing 737-800 · 114 killed
A 737 broke up and crashed into a swamp shortly after taking off from Douala at night; all 114 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew lost control through spatial disorientation; weak operational control and crew coordination contributed.
Report (CCAA (Cameroon)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish dub ↗ Wikipedia ↗
Season 21 · 10 episodes
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Loganair Flight 6780 · North Sea, about 7 nm east of Sumburgh Airport, Shetland, Scotland, United Kingdom
Loganair (for Flybe) · Saab 2000 · 0 killed · AAR 2/2016
A Saab 2000 was struck by lightning on approach to Sumburgh and plunged to within about 1,100 ft of the sea before the pilots recovered; all 33 aboard survived.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The autopilot stayed engaged after the lightning strike and its nose-down trim countered the pilots' nose-up inputs; the commander likely suffered cognitive tunnelling.
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Execuflight Flight 1526 · Akron, Ohio, United States
Execuflight · British Aerospace BAe 125-700A · 9 killed · NTSB/AAR-16/03
A business jet crashed into an apartment building while approaching Akron; all nine aboard died and no one on the ground was hurt.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew mismanaged the approach and deviated from company procedures, leading to an unstabilised approach and a stall.
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Comair Flight 5191 · Blue Grass Airport, Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Comair (Delta Connection) · Bombardier CRJ100 · 49 killed · NTSB/AAR-07/05
A regional jet took off from a runway that was too short, ran off the end and crashed; 49 of the 50 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew did not use available cues to confirm the runway before takeoff and chatted during taxi; the FAA's lack of runway-crossing clearance rules contributed.
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Lion Air Flight 610 · Java Sea, off Karawang Regency, West Java, Indonesia
Lion Air · Boeing 737 MAX 8 · 189 killed · KNKT.18.10.35.04
A new 737 MAX 8 crashed into the Java Sea about 11 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta; all 189 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The MAX's flight control software (MCAS) relied on one angle-of-attack sensor that had been wrongly calibrated, and crew guidance and maintenance gaps contributed.
Report (KNKT (Indonesia)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish dub ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 · over Pennsylvania, diverted to Philadelphia International Airport, United States
Southwest Airlines · Boeing 737-700 · 1 killed · NTSB/AAR-19/03
After the left engine failed in flight, debris broke a cabin window; the 737 depressurised and landed in Philadelphia, where one passenger died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A fatigue crack in a fan blade dovetail let the blade separate and strike the engine inlet, breaking a window.
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US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211 · Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, Nepal
US-Bangla Airlines · Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 · 51 killed
A Q400 from Dhaka landed at Kathmandu, skidded off the runway and burst into flames beyond the airport fence; 51 of 71 aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The captain became disoriented and the crew lost situational awareness.
Report (Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission (Nepal)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish dub ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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1991 Gulf War Boeing KC-135 accident · over Saudi Arabian desert, landed at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
US Air Force, 190th Air Refueling Wing (Kansas Air National Guard) · Boeing KC-135E Stratotanker · 0 killed
A KC-135 tanker lost both engines on its left wing over the Saudi desert during the Gulf War and made an emergency landing; all four crew survived.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The two left engines separated after the aircraft flew through the wake turbulence of a large aircraft (per Wikipedia; no agency finding found).
No public report Disney+ · Turkish dub ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Ansett New Zealand Flight 703 · Tararua Range, near Palmerston North, New Zealand
Ansett New Zealand · de Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 · 4 killed · AO-1995-011
A Dash 8 on approach to Palmerston North crashed into the Tararua Range; four of the 21 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The captain left the approach profile while dealing with a stuck landing gear and did not discontinue the approach; the first officer ran a procedure out of order.
Report (TAIC (New Zealand)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish dub ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Propair Flight 420 · Montreal-Mirabel International Airport, Mirabel, Quebec, Canada
Propair · Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner SA226 · 11 killed · A98Q0087
After a fire in flight shortly after departing Dorval, the crew diverted to Mirabel but the aircraft crashed during landing; all 11 aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Overheated left brakes on takeoff started a wheel well fire that destroyed warning systems and spread to the wing.
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UPS Airlines Flight 1354 · Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
UPS Airlines · Airbus A300F4-622R · 2 killed · NTSB/AAR-14/02
A UPS cargo A300 crashed and burned short of the runway while approaching Birmingham; both pilots died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew flew an unstabilised approach and descended below minimum altitude before the runway was in sight.
Season 22 · 10 episodes
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Flydubai Flight 981 · Rostov-on-Don Airport, Rostov Oblast, Russia
Flydubai · Boeing 737-800 · 62 killed
After a night go-around in poor weather, a 737 climbed steeply, then dived and crashed onto the runway; all 62 aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The captain lost situational awareness and spatial orientation at night in turbulence and mishandled the go-around, with incorrect aircraft configuration.
Report (Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish dub ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Martinair Flight 495 · Faro Airport, Faro, Algarve, Portugal
Martinair · McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30CF · 56 killed
A DC-10 crash-landed in a storm at Faro; the fuselage broke in two and caught fire, and 56 of the 340 on board died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A hard landing at a high sink rate in a gusty crosswind overloaded the right main gear beyond its limits; Portuguese and Dutch investigators differed on emphasis.
Report (DGAC (Portugal)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish dub ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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2008 Andersen Air Force Base B-2 crash · Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, United States
US Air Force, 509th Bomb Wing · Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit 'Spirit of Kansas' · 0 killed
Just after takeoff, a B-2 stealth bomber stalled and crashed on the runway; both pilots ejected.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Moisture in the air-data sensors distorted pressure readings, so the flight computers received wrong airspeed and angle-of-attack data.
No public report Disney+ · Turkish dub ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Trans-Air Service Flight 671 · over Drome department, landed at Istres-Le Tube Air Base, France
Trans-Air Service (for Kabo Air) · Boeing 707-321C · 0 killed · 5n-s920331
Two engines separated from the right wing of a 707 in flight; the crew made an emergency landing at Istres and all five aboard survived.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A fatigue crack in the pylon of the number 3 engine; the airworthiness directive's inspections could not detect such cracks.
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Alaska Airlines Flight 261 · Pacific Ocean, about 4.3 km north of Anacapa Island, California, United States
Alaska Airlines · McDonnell Douglas MD-83 · 88 killed · NTSB/AAR-02/01
An MD-83 lost pitch control and crashed into the Pacific while trying to divert to Los Angeles; all 88 aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Inadequate maintenance caused the horizontal stabiliser trim jackscrew's nut threads to wear out and fail in flight.
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TWA Flight 841 (1979) · over Saginaw, Michigan, landed at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, United States
Trans World Airlines · Boeing 727-31 · 0 killed · NTSB/AAR-81/08
At cruise altitude a 727 rolled and went into a spiral dive; the crew regained control and landed at Detroit with no one killed.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A leading-edge slat extended on one wing after the crew's handling of the flap and slat controls, and the captain's control inputs made it worse.
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American Airlines Flight 1572 · East Granby, near Bradley International Airport, Connecticut, United States
American Airlines · McDonnell Douglas MD-83 · 0 killed · NTSB/AAR-96/05
An MD-83 hit trees and an antenna short of the runway at Bradley and landed; one passenger had minor injuries.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew descended below the minimum descent altitude.
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Air Illinois Flight 710 · near Pinckneyville, Illinois, United States
Air Illinois · Hawker Siddeley HS 748 · 10 killed · NTSB/AAR-85-03
After an electrical problem, a HS 748 lost power and instruments and crashed at night in a pasture; all 10 aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The captain chose to continue to a more distant airport after losing both generators instead of returning.
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Flagship Airlines Flight 3379 · Morrisville, near Raleigh-Durham International Airport, North Carolina, United States
Flagship Airlines (American Eagle) · British Aerospace Jetstream 32 · 15 killed · NTSB/AAR-95/07
A Jetstream 32 crashed short of the runway on approach to Raleigh-Durham and burned; 15 of the 20 aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The captain wrongly believed an engine had failed and mishandled the go-around; the airline had not fixed known pilot performance problems.
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2020 Calabasas helicopter crash · Calabasas, California, United States
Island Express Holdings (Island Express Helicopters) · Sikorsky S-76B · 9 killed · NTSB/AAR-21/01
A charter helicopter flew into a hillside in fog near Calabasas; all nine aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The pilot continued under visual rules into cloud and became spatially disoriented; self-induced pressure and weak operator safety oversight contributed.
Season 23 · 10 episodes
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Corporate Airlines Flight 5966 (AmericanConnection) · near Kirksville Regional Airport, Adair County, Missouri, United States
Corporate Airlines (as AmericanConnection) · British Aerospace Jetstream 32 · 13 killed · NTSB/AAR-06/01
A scheduled flight from St. Louis crashed while approaching Kirksville at night; 13 of the 15 aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB blamed the crew for not following procedures on a night non-precision approach, including descending below the minimum descent altitude.
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Independent Air Flight 1851 · Pico Alto, Santa Maria Island, Azores, Portugal
Independent Air (for Dominair) · Boeing 707-331B · 144 killed · DGAC/GPI/RA-89/05
A charter flight from Bergamo to Punta Cana hit a mountain on Santa Maria island while approaching for a stopover; all 144 aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew descended to 2,000 ft, below the 3,000 ft minimum sector altitude, against procedure, and an incorrect altimeter setting from the controller made it worse.
Report (DGAC (Portugal)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish subtitles ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Japan Air Lines Flight 123 · Mount Takamagahara, Ueno, Gunma Prefecture, Japan
Japan Air Lines · Boeing 747SR-46 · 520 killed · 62-2
A domestic flight from Tokyo to Osaka lost its tail fin and hydraulics 12 minutes after takeoff and flew for about 30 more minutes before hitting a mountain.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A 1978 tailstrike repair to the rear pressure bulkhead was not done to Boeing's method; it failed from fatigue, the cabin decompressed and the tail and hydraulic lines were torn away.
Report (Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission (Japan)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish subtitles ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Airlines PNG Flight 1600 · near Madang, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea
Airlines PNG · de Havilland Canada DHC-8-103 (Dash 8) · 28 killed · AIC11-1010
A flight from Lae to Madang lost power in both engines in bad weather and crashed in forest near the Guabe River.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
On descent in bad weather the captain moved the power levers into the ground beta range in flight, causing propeller overspeed and loss of engine power.
Report (Accident Investigation Commission (Papua New Guinea)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish subtitles ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Air Astana Flight 1388 · near Lisbon, Portugal (landed at Beja Air Base)
Air Astana · Embraer ERJ-190LR · 0 killed · 08/ACCID/2018
Soon after takeoff from Alverca on a ferry flight, the aircraft became very hard to control; the crew landed it at Beja about 90 minutes later.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Aileron cables were installed crossed during maintenance, reversing the aileron controls.
Report (GPIAAF (Portugal)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish subtitles ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Sichuan Airlines Flight 8633 · near Xiaojin County, Sichuan, China
Sichuan Airlines · Airbus A319-133 · 0 killed · SWCAAC-SIR-2018-1
A cockpit windshield blew out at about 9 km altitude; the crew diverted and landed at Chengdu.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Moisture entered through a damaged seal and caused arcing in the windshield heating system, which weakened the glass until it failed.
Report (CAAC (China)) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish subtitles ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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2017 Sydney Seaplanes DHC-2 crash · Jerusalem Bay, Cowan Creek, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Sydney Seaplanes · de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver · 6 killed · AO-2017-118
A floatplane returning diners to Rose Bay crashed into Jerusalem Bay less than two minutes after takeoff.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Exhaust gas from cracks in the exhaust collector ring likely entered the cabin through firewall holes with missing bolts; carbon monoxide probably impaired the pilot.
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Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Flight 013 · Varna Airport, Varna, Bulgaria
Balkan Bulgarian Airlines · Antonov An-24B · 1 killed
Four armed men hijacked a flight from Sofia to Varna; the pilots secretly landed at Varna, where commandos stormed the aircraft.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Not an accident: a hijacking ended by a security-force assault; no accident investigation report exists.
No public report Disney+ · Turkish subtitles ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Atlas Air Flight 3591 · Trinity Bay, near Anahuac, Texas, United States
Atlas Air (for Amazon Air) · Boeing 767-375ER(BCF) · 3 killed · NTSB/AAR-20/02
A cargo jet approaching Houston in bad weather pitched steeply down and crashed into Trinity Bay.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The first officer responded inappropriately to an inadvertent go-around activation and became spatially disoriented; the captain did not monitor adequately.
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EgyptAir Flight 804 · Mediterranean Sea, about 290 km north of Alexandria, Egypt
EgyptAir · Airbus A320-232 · 66 killed · EGAI2016-01
A flight from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar over the Mediterranean with no mayday call.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Egypt's ECAA found an explosion and fire in the galley area; France's BEA instead found a fire probably started in the oxygen mask system.
Report (Egyptian Aircraft Accident Investigation Directorate) ↗ Disney+ · Turkish subtitles ↗ Wikipedia ↗
Season 24 · 10 episodes
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United Airlines Flight 811 · Pacific Ocean near Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
United Airlines · Boeing 747-122 · 9 killed · NTSB/AAR-92/02
Shortly after leaving Honolulu the forward cargo door came off, ejecting nine passengers; the aircraft returned and landed safely.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The cargo door opened suddenly because of faulty wiring and deficiencies in its design (NTSB's superseding 1992 report).
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PenAir Flight 3296 · Unalaska Airport, Dutch Harbor, Alaska, United States
PenAir · Saab 2000 · 1 killed · NTSB/AAR-21/05
A Saab 2000 overran the runway on landing, crossed a road and stopped at the edge of the bay; one passenger died the next day.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The landing gear manufacturer had wired the left main gear wheel speed transducers incorrectly during overhaul, so the brakes did not work as expected.
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Air Transport International Flight 782 · Kansas City International Airport, Missouri, United States
Air Transport International · McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63F · 3 killed · NTSB/AAR-95/06
A DC-8 on a three-engine ferry flight crashed on its second takeoff attempt; all three crew died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew continued the takeoff below rotation speed against procedure, and the airline's poor training left them not understanding the three-engine takeoff procedure.
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2019 Alaska mid-air collision · George Inlet, near Ketchikan, Alaska, United States
Mountain Air Service / Taquan Air · de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver / DHC-3 Turbine Otter · 6 killed · NTSB/AAR-21/04
Two sightseeing floatplanes collided in the air; the Beaver broke up and the Otter made an emergency landing on the inlet.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The NTSB cited the limits of see-and-avoid and the lack of traffic alerts on both aircraft.
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China Airlines Flight 676 · Dayuan, Taoyuan, near Chiang Kai-shek (Taoyuan) International Airport, Taiwan
China Airlines · Airbus A300B4-622R · 203 killed
On approach to Taipei the aircraft began a go-around, lost control and crashed into a residential area.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The Taiwanese report attributed the crash to pilot error during the go-around.
Report (Civil Aeronautics Administration, MOTC (Taiwan)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Pilgrim Airlines Flight 458 · Scituate Reservoir, near Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Pilgrim Airlines · de Havilland Canada DHC-6-100 Twin Otter · 1 killed · NTSB/AAR-82/07
After a fire broke out in the cockpit and cabin, the aircraft made a forced landing on a frozen reservoir; one passenger died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
In-flight fire from a defective windshield washer/deicing system leaking alcohol (summary from Wikipedia infobox, not verbatim NTSB wording).
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Colgan Air Flight 9446 · off Yarmouth, near Barnstable Municipal Airport, Massachusetts, United States
Colgan Air (US Airways Express) · Beechcraft 1900D · 2 killed
A repositioning flight crashed into the water shortly after takeoff from Hyannis; both pilots died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Maintenance staff incorrectly replaced the forward elevator trim cable and did not check it, and the captain skipped a preflight check that would have caught it.
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Saudia Flight 163 · Riyadh International Airport, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Saudia · Lockheed L-1011-200 TriStar · 301 killed
A fire broke out soon after takeoff; the aircraft returned and landed at Riyadh but all 301 aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The fire started in the rear cargo compartment and its source was not determined; the crew was slow to evacuate and the doors stayed closed (per Wikipedia, no formal probable cause stated).
Report (Presidency of Civil Aviation (Saudi Arabia)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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2019 English Channel Piper PA-46 crash · English Channel, off Alderney, Channel Islands
Private (registered to trustee Southern Aircraft Consultancy) · Piper PA-46 Malibu (N264DB) · 2 killed · AAR 1/2020
A light aircraft carrying footballer Emiliano Sala from Nantes to Cardiff disappeared from radar over the Channel; wreckage was later found on the seabed.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The pilot lost control in turns at speeds well above design limits and the aircraft broke up in flight.
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Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 · near Bishoftu, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Ethiopian Airlines · Boeing 737 MAX 8 · 157 killed · AI-01/19
The aircraft crashed about six minutes after leaving Addis Ababa for Nairobi.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Repeated uncommanded nose-down commands from MCAS, triggered by faulty angle-of-attack data, which the crew could not overcome.
Report (Ethiopian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (EAIB)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
Season 25 · 11 episodes
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Transair Flight 810 · Maamala Bay, off Oahu, Hawaii, United States
Rhoades Aviation (Transair) · Boeing 737-200 (freighter) · 0 killed
A cargo flight from Honolulu ditched in the ocean about 11 minutes after takeoff; both pilots were rescued.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Corrosion damaged the right engine's turbine blades and cut thrust, and the crew shut down the wrong engine.
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Air Tahoma Flight 185 · Florence, near Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Kentucky, United States
Air Tahoma (for DHL) · Convair 580 · 1 killed · NTSB/AAR-06/03
A cargo flight crashed about a mile short of the runway on approach; the first officer died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Fuel starvation: the captain did not follow approved fuel crossfeed procedures, causing both engines to flame out.
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Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 · Java Sea near Laki Island, Thousand Islands, Jakarta, Indonesia
Sriwijaya Air · Boeing 737-524 · 62 killed · KNKT.21.01.01.04
A domestic flight from Jakarta to Pontianak went down into the sea less than five minutes after takeoff.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A faulty autothrottle gave uneven engine thrust that the pilots did not detect or correct; upset-recovery training was inadequate.
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Luxair Flight 9642 · Niederanven, near Luxembourg Findel Airport, Luxembourg
Luxair · Fokker 50 · 20 killed
A flight from Berlin crashed into a field while landing at Luxembourg.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew accepted an approach clearance without being prepared and had no go-around plan, which led to improvised actions and an inadvertent override of a safety feature.
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Loganair Flight 670A · Firth of Forth, off Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Loganair (for British Airways) · Short 360-100 · 2 killed · AAIB Report 2/2003
A cargo flight lost power in both engines after takeoff from Edinburgh and ditched in the Firth of Forth.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
There was no practical procedure for fitting engine intake covers in bad weather, so snow entered the engines and both flamed out.
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China Eastern Airlines Flight 583 · Pacific Ocean near the Aleutian Islands, Alaska (emergency landing at Shemya), United States
China Eastern Airlines · McDonnell Douglas MD-11 · 2 killed · NTSB/AAR-93/07
An MD-11 pitched violently over the Pacific, injuring many on board, then landed at Shemya.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The flap/slat handle, poorly designed, was likely moved by the captain unintentionally, and the pilot's over-corrections made the aircraft oscillate.
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Midwest Express Airlines Flight 105 · Oak Creek, near General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Midwest Express Airlines · McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14 · 31 killed · NTSB/AAR-87/01
Shortly after takeoff from Milwaukee the aircraft came down in an open field; all 31 aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
After a right engine failure the crew mishandled the emergency; poor cockpit coordination and weak FAA oversight contributed.
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2020 Coulson Aviation Lockheed EC-130 crash · Peak View, near Cooma, New South Wales, Australia
Coulson Aviation · Lockheed EC-130Q Hercules · 3 killed · AO-2020-007
A firefighting Hercules crashed while dropping retardant during the 2019-20 bushfires; all three crew died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Wind shear and an increased tailwind likely stalled the aircraft at low height and speed during the drop.
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2002 Überlingen mid-air collision · Überlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
BAL Bashkirian Airlines / DHL International Aviation ME · Tupolev Tu-154M / Boeing 757-23APF · 71 killed
A passenger jet and a cargo jet collided in mid-air over southern Germany; everyone on both aircraft died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Shortcomings in the Swiss air traffic control service and unclear procedures on following TCAS versus controller instructions.
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Airborne Express Flight 827 · East River Mountain, near Narrows, Virginia, United States
ABX Air (Airborne Express) · Douglas DC-8-63F · 6 killed · NTSB/AAR-97/05
A post-maintenance test flight crashed into a mountain at night; all six aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Improper control inputs during stall recovery, missed by the other pilot, and the operator had no formal functional evaluation flight programme.
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1991 Los Angeles runway collision · Los Angeles International Airport, California, United States
USAir / SkyWest Airlines · Boeing 737-300 / Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner · 35 killed · NTSB/AAR-91/08
A landing USAir 737 collided on the runway with a SkyWest Metroliner and slid into a fire station building.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Inadequate tower procedures led the controller to lose situational awareness, compounded by weak FAA oversight of tower managers.
Season 26 · 10 episodes
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2001 Avjet Gulfstream III crash · near Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, Colorado, United States
Avjet Corporation · Gulfstream III · 18 killed · NTSB/AAB-02/03
A charter jet from Los Angeles struck terrain on final approach to Aspen; all 18 aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The crew flew below the minimum descent altitude without proper visual reference to the runway.
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Widerøe Flight 839 · Værøy Airport, Lofoten, Nordland, Norway
Widerøe · de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter · 5 killed · 1991/01
A Twin Otter crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Værøy; all five aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Wind above design limits cracked the rudder and tailplane during the climb, making the aircraft uncontrollable.
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Nürnberger Flugdienst Flight 108 · near Kettwig, Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany
Nürnberger Flugdienst (NFD) · Swearingen SA-227AC Metroliner III · 21 killed · 1 X 0001/88
A scheduled flight from Hannover to Düsseldorf broke up and crashed near Essen; all 21 aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Lightning knocked out the electrical system and instruments, the pilots became disoriented, and the aircraft broke up in the uncontrolled descent.
Report (Flugunfalluntersuchungsstelle, Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (West Germany)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Eagle Airways Flight 2300 · Woodbourne Airport, Blenheim, New Zealand
Eagle Airways (Air New Zealand Link) · Beechcraft 1900D · 0 killed
A flight from Timaru to Wellington made an emergency belly landing at Blenheim without its landing gear extended; all 17 survived.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
A fatigue crack in a landing gear actuator let hydraulic fluid escape, and the gear design left the crew unable to lower it.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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Airblue Flight 202 · Margalla Hills, near Islamabad, Pakistan
Airblue · Airbus A321-231 · 152 killed
A flight from Karachi to Islamabad crashed into the Margalla Hills while approaching in bad weather.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Controlled flight into terrain: poor judgment and serious procedural violations by the crew in bad weather.
Report (Pakistan CAA (Safety Investigation Board)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Aeroperú Flight 603 · Pacific Ocean, about 89 km northwest of Lima, Peru
Aeroperú · Boeing 757-23A · 70 killed
A night flight over the sea showed contradictory instrument readings and crashed into the Pacific after leaving Lima.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Maintenance tape left over the static ports gave false airspeed and altitude data, and the crew did not heed the ground proximity warning.
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Air Algérie Flight 6289 · Tamanrasset, Algeria
Air Algérie · Boeing 737-2T4 · 102 killed · 7t-z030306a
A domestic flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Tamanrasset; 102 of 103 aboard died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
An engine was lost at a critical moment, the gear stayed extended, and the captain took control before clearly identifying the problem.
Report (National Commission of Inquiry (Algeria)) ↗ Wikipedia ↗
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Yeti Airlines Flight 691 · Seti Gandaki gorge, Pokhara, Nepal
Yeti Airlines · ATR 72-500 · 72 killed
A flight from Kathmandu crashed into the Seti River gorge while approaching Pokhara.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
Both propeller condition levers were set to feather by mistake, cutting thrust and leading to a stall.
No public report Wikipedia ↗
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Air India Express Flight 1344 · Calicut (Kozhikode) International Airport, Kerala, India
Air India Express · Boeing 737-800 · 21 killed
A repatriation flight from Dubai overran the tabletop runway at Kozhikode and fell into a gorge.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The pilot flying did not follow SOPs, leading to an unstabilised approach and a landing long; the first officer did not take over for a go-around.
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Korean Air Cargo Flight 6316 · Xinzhuang, Minhang District, Shanghai, China
Korean Air Cargo · McDonnell Douglas MD-11F · 8 killed
A cargo flight crashed into an industrial area shortly after takeoff from Shanghai Hongqiao; 3 crew and 5 on the ground died.
What the investigation found (spoiler)
The first officer misread a 1,500 m altitude target as 1,500 ft, and the captain's abrupt control input led to an unrecoverable descent.