Airplanes may be known for being the most secure form of transport available to us, however, an aircraft accident is most of the time fatal, leaving no survivors. The first plane ever created was the work of the Wright brothers in 1903. Following World War I, aircraft technology continued to develop. Airplanes became present in all large-scale wars. It wasn’t until 1958 that the first commercial jet was successfully introduced to the world. Known as The Boeing 707, this aircraft was in service for more than 50 years till 2013. No matter how much technology develops, there are some things that are simply out of our reach. A plane crash is one of them, once it happens there is no going back. Thankfully they are not frequent. Keep reading to discover what are the most fatal airplane accidents that ever occurred,
The Deadliest Plane Crashes Written In History
Tenerife Crash
The Tenerife Crash, March 27, 1977, is considered the deadliest accident in aviation. Two Boeing passenger planes crashed on the runway at the Spanish airport “Los Rodeos” located on the island of Tenerife. Both flights were supposed to land at Gran Canaria Aiport. However, after a bombing attack in the said airport, both flights were told to land at “Los Rodeos”. There was a communication misunderstanding and a bad fog that day. As one plane was running in the runway to take off, so was the other. The crash was so strong that 583 people died. There ere only 61 survivors including both flights.
Tenerife Crash
American Airlines Flight 191
Considered America’s worst aviation disaster, this accident that took place on May 25, 1979, causes the death of all 271 people on board and two that were on the ground. The left engine detached from its wing and fell, causing the plane to roll in the air and eventually crush to earth just a mile away from the runway. The Chicago Tribune reported that the plane “burst into a pillar of flame and smoke that could be seen up to eight miles away,” After the accident, it was found that an aluminium component uniting the engine to the wing was cracked because of a shortcut taken by removing the plane’s engines for maintenance.
American Airlines Flight 191
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
298 people died on July 17, 2014, when the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down near the Russian border. The plane crashed into a field near Torez. It was believed at first that the plane had been shot down by pro-Russian forces in control of the region during the War in Donbas. In 2016, prosecutors concluded that the missile that shot down the plane than been carried from Ukraine to Russia.
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
Turkish Airlines Flight 981
On March 3, 1974, 366 people died in what remains the deadliest dingle-plane crash with no survivors. The plane crashed in a forest on the north of Paris because of eo f a design flaw. Approximately 10 minutes after the aircraft took off from Orly, the back left cargo door blow off because of baggage handlers unlocked, because of how the openings were secured…This event originated an explosive decompression in the cabin. The pilots lost control after picking up speed and ended up crashing into the trees at a speed of 490 mph.
Turkish Airlines Flight 981
Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision
The deadliest mid-air crash took the life of 349 people in November 12, 1996. The Boeing 747 was going to Dharhran from Delhi, while the Kazakhstan Airlines Ilyushin II-76 was headed towards Indra from Shymkent, when both planes collided, killing 312 people on the first flight and 37 on the other. The second plane, cut through the first’s wing, cauging the same to go into a very fast descending spiral. The captain of a passing US Air Force plane described the crash as a large cloud lit up with an orange glow”
Charkhi Dadri Mid Air Collision
Japan Airlines Flight 123
520 people died in this fatal airplane crash in 1985. Only 4 survived. The aircraft spiralled out of control and eventually crashed against Mount Takamagahara in Japan. There was a mechanical failure that caused an explosive decompression towards the back of the plane. The pilots were able to keep the plane in the air for 32 minutes right after the incident before crashing to said Mount. The 4 survivers were sat in the middle of the plane more towards the back. A month after the crash, a maintenance offiacl fro, Japan Airlines comitted suicide leaving the following note ” I am atoning with my death.
Japan Airlines Flight 123
Air India Flight 182
This terror attack that took place on June 23, 1985, took the life of 329 people. The Air India Boeing 747 crashed on the coast of Ireland when it was flying from Toronto to India, after a bomb that was placed in the cargo by Sikh extremists , exploded in the air. The person resposable if belived to ve “M Singh” who checked onto the flight with his suitcase but did not board the plane.
Air India Flight 182
Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight 163
The following, is the world’s deadliest aviation acccident not caused by a crash or a mi-flight break. The flight that was supposed to land in Jeddah, had to return to Riyadh shortly after for an emergency landing after a fire started in the cargo. Once the plane landed, the captain insetad of performing an emergency evacuation, he piloted the plane back to the airport. The aircraft could be accesed around 23 minutes after, once the engines stopped. But it was too late, by the time the doors were oepened all the passengers had died from smoke inhalation.
Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight 163
Iran Air Flight 655
290 people died in this tragic accident on July 3, 1988. During the midst of the Iran-Iraq War, a civilian ariline was shot down a missile fired from a US military cruiser killing all on board. The flight was in Iranian airspace and over Iranian terrotiry. However the US government mistook the plane for a figther plane. After attemtping to conatct them unsuccsugly , they started firing.firing. The US agreed to pay $213,103.45 compensation per passenger.
Iran Air Flight 655
Spanair Flight 5022
The flight was supposed to fly from Barcelona to Gran Canaria Aiport via Madrid’s airport, where the place crashed right after take-off killing 154 out of 172 people. The accident took place when while attempthign to take-off for the second time, the pilot failed to deploy the flaps and slats with are the deviced that keep the plane on the air. Once it was off the ground, the plane rolled to the right and crashed next to the runway. The wings were detached from the plane and the fusleage broke in 2 parts. The wings and the back of the fuselgae were caught on fire.
