The Most Recent Fatal Airline Events
The following are the most recent fatal airliner mishaps, listed with the most recent event first, from around the world. In each event, at least one passenger was killed. These events include all jet passenger flights and turboprop accidents involving models with more than 10 passengers seats and which are used in airline service in North America and western Europe. These events include passenger fatalities due to hijackings, sabotage, or military action. Some non-airline fatal events are included, but only fatal airline events are numbered.
- 21 February 2008; Santa Bárbara Airlines ATR 42; near Mérida, Venezuela:
The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Mérida to Caracas, Venezuela.
It crashed into a mountain about six miles (10 km) from the airport, at about the 12,000 foot level of the mountain.
All 43 passengers and three crew members were killed.
Fatal events involving the ATR 42 and ATR 7217 January 2008; British Airways 777; London, England: The aircraft touched down about 1000 feet short of runway 27L at London's Heathrow Airport. The aircraft skidded just over 1000 feet, tearing off its landing gear and coming to rest on the tarmac just to the right of the end of the runway. This was a scheduled international flight that was arriving from Beijing, China. There were at least two serious injuries, a broken leg and a concussion, but no fatalities among the 16 crew members and 136 passengers. This was the first serious accident for the 777 since it began commercial service in 1995.
Fatal British Airways Events
Accident investigation details and updates
Accident Investigation Podcast Update #3 - 20 February 2008
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Accident Investigation Podcast Update #2 - 25 January 2008
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Accident Investigation Podcast Update #1 - 23 January 2008
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Initial Podcast About the Event (MP3) - 17 January 2008Map of Accident Area at London's Heathrow Airport
12 January 2008; Senator Barack Obama; Gulfstream 2; Chicago, IL: United States Senator and presidential candidate Barack Obama was a passenger in a Gulfstream 2 aircraft that collided with another aircraft on the ground at Midway Airport in Chicago. Senator Obama, members of his campaign staff, and Secret Service agents had just flown in from Nevada, where he had been campaigning. The left wingtip of the Gulfstream hit the right wingtip if a parked and unoccupied Cessna 208 aircraft. The impact was so minor that no one on the plane noticed any damage until later. Additional Resources
Additional details about the event
Podcast About This Event
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10 January 2008; Air Canada A319; near Cranbrook, Canada: The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Victoria, BC to Toronto, ON. The aircraft had a possible encounter with moderate to severe turbulence while in the vicinity of the Canadian Rockies. The crew diverted to Calgary, where injured passengers and crew members were treated for minor injuries. The aircraft was not seriously damaged, and there were no fatalities among the five crew members or 83 passengers. This was not a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com, and was included because of the significant media coverage generated by the event.
Podcast About the Event
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Related Resources: Turbulence Risks
4 January 2008; Transaven Let 410; near Los Roques , Venezuela: The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Caracas to Los Roques, Venezuela, The crew reported engine failure during approach to Los Roques, after which contact with the aircraft was lost. There were two crew members and 12 passengers on board, and their fates are at present unknown.
Because this event did not involve an aircraft used by passenger airlines in the the U.S., Canada, Australia, or western Europe, it is not counted as a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
2 January 2008; Iran Air Fokker 100; Tehran, Iran: The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Tehran to Shiraz, Iran. The aircraft skidded off the runway during takeoff attempt. There was reportedly landing gear damage and a post-crash fire, but all six crew members and 53 passengers were able to escape. It was snowing at the time of the takeoff. A video featuring this event is below.
You can also see this video and many other aviation crash videos at the AirSafe.com Crash Videos site at http://planecrashes.blogspot.com/
Because this event did not cause a passenger fatality, it is not counted as a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
Fatal Iran Air Events
- 30 November 2007; Atlasjet MD83; near Keciborlu, Turkey: The plane was on a domestic flight from Istanbul to Isparta when it disappeared from radar screens.
The crew had requested permission to land shortly before the aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain near the town of Keciborlu, about 12km (7.5 miles) from the Isparta
airport.
All seven crew members and 50 passengers were killed.
Description: Audio (MP3), Video (MP4, WMV, YouTube)
Fatal Events Involving MD80 Series Aircraft
Fatal Events Involving Atlasjet
Fatal Events Involving MD80 Series Aircraft - 16 September 2007; One-Two-Go Airlines MD82; Phuket, Thailand: The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Bangkok (DMK) to Phuket (HKT). After landing, the aircraft skidded off the runway, impacted several trees, and caught fire.
There was reportedly heavy rain and poor visibility at the time of the crash.
There were at least 89 deaths, including 85 of the 123 passengers and five of the seven crew members.
Fatal Events Involving Asian Airlines
Fatal Events Involving MD80 series aircraft.20 August 2007; China Airlines 737-800; Naha, Japan: Shortly after landing at Naha on the island of Okinawa, the left engine caught fire and the crew initiated an emergency evacuation. Although the aircraft was destroyed by fire, all 157 passengers (including two toddlers) and eight crew members survived. Because this event did not result in a passenger death, it does not constitute a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
Fatal China Airlines Events9 August 2007; Air Moorea Twin Otter; Moorea, Frech Polynesia: The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Moorea (MOZ) to Tahiti (PPT) and crashed into the ocean shortly after takeoff. The single crew member and all 19 passengers were killed. Because this event did not involve an aircraft commonly used for scheduled commercial airline service in the US or Europe, this does not constitute a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
- 17 July 2007; TAM Linhas Aéreas A320-200; São Paulo, Brazil:
The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Porto Alegre (POA) to the Congohas Airport in São Paulo (CGH).
According to the airline, one of the two thrust reversers had been deactivated prior to the flight.
The aircraft landed at a higher than normal speed and departed the runway. After the aircraft crossed a major road to the left of the runway, it crashed into a concrete building and caught fire.
All six crew members and 181 passengers were killed, as well as several people on the ground.
A320 Fatal Events
Fatal Events Involving TAM
Map of the area of the accident10 July 2007; Cessna 310; Sanford, FL: The aircraft was on an unscheduled domestic flight from Daytona Beach, FL to Lakeland, FL. According to media reports, the pilot reported smoke in the cockpit, declared an emergency, and attempted to divert to Orlando-Samford International Airport (SFB). The aircraft crashed into a pair of houses in a residential neighborhood about five miles (eight km) from the airport. The two occupants of the aircraft and at least three people on the ground were killed.The aircraft was registered to a company associated with the NASCAR auto racing association.
Because this event did not involve an airline passenger flight, this does not constitute a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
Fatal US Events involving Cessna 310 aircraft from 1964 to 2007 - 28 June 2007; TAAG Angola Airlines 737-200; M'Banza Congo, Angola:
The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Luanda to M'Banza Congo.
The aircraft crashed and broke apart during the landing.
One of the seven crew members and four of the 71 passengers were killed, as well as one other on the ground.
737 Fatal Events27 June 2007; PMT Air An24; near Phnom Damrey, Cambodia: The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville. The aircraft crashed a Phnom Damrey Mountain at a height of about 1640 feet (500 meters). All six crew members and 16 passengers were killed.
Because this event involved a propeller driven aircraft not normally used in airline service, this does not constitute a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com. - 5 May 2007; Kenya Airways 737-800; near Douala, Cameroon:
The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from Douala, Cameroon to Nairobi, Kenya.
The aircraft crashed into a swampy area near the airport less than one minute after takeoff.
The aircraft departed just after midnight local time and the aircraft sent at least one communication to the control tower prior to the crash.
All nine crew members and 105 passengers were killed.
737 Fatal Events
Fatal Events Involving Kenya Airways - 17 March 2007; UT Air Tupolev 134A; Samara, Russia:
The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Surgut to Samara.
During approach, visibility was limited due to weather conditions.
The aircraft touched down about 400 meters short of the runway, broke up, and caught fire.
All seven crew members survived, but six of the 50 passengers were killed.
Fatal Events Involving Airlines of the Former Soviet Union -
7 March 2007; Garuda Indonesia Airways 737-400; Yogyakarta, Indonesia:
The aircraft had been on a domestic flight from Jakarta and overran the runway after landing at Yogyakarta.
The aircraft went through the airport's perimeter fence, crossed and road and an embankment, and caught fire as it came to rest in a nearby rice paddy.
One of the seven crew members and 20 of the 133 passengers were killed.
Fatal Events Involving the Boeing 737
Fatal Events Involving Garuda Indonesia Airways -
1 January 2007; Adam Air 737-400; near Polewali, Indonesia:
Air traffic control lost contact with the aircraft while it was at cruising altitude about halfway into its scheduled two-hour flight from Surabaya to Manado.
Wreckage from the aircraft was later found in the ocean about 80 km (50 miles) off the west coast of Sulawesi island.
All six crew members and 96 passengers were killed.
Fatal Events Involving the Boeing 737 -
29 October 2006; ADC 737-200; Abuja, Nigeria: The aircraft crashed
shortly after takeoff on a scheduled domestic flight from Abuja to Sokoto.
There was a storm in the area at the time of the crash.
Four of the five crew members and 92 of the 100 passengers were killed. One person on the ground was also killed.
Fatal Events Involving the Boeing 73711 October 2006; Cirrus SR-20; New York, NY: New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle and his flight instructor Tyler Stanger were killed when their aircraft crashed into a 50-story building on the upper east side of Manhattan. There were no fatalities on the ground. Because this event did not cause a passenger fatality on an airliner, it is not counted as a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com. This event is being treated as a major accident investigation by the NTSB, which is unusual for events involving a single private aircraft. It is likely that this treatment is due to the ongoing security concerns surrounding aircraft crashes into buildings in large U.S. cities.
More Details on the Lidle Accident
Celebrity Plane Crashes - 29 September 2006; Gol Linhas Aereas 737-800; near Peixoto de Azevedo, Brazil:
The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Manaus to Brasilia when it had a midair collision in the area of São Félix do Xingu with an Embraer ERJ135 Legacy 600 executive jet operated by ExcelAire. The ExcelAire Legacy 600 jet had been on a flight from São José dos Campos to Manaus. After the collision, which damaged the left wing, left stabilizer, and left elevator of the executive jet, the crew of the damaged ExcelAire aircraft was able to land at a nearby military airfield at Cachimbo, Brazil. The 737 subsequently experienced an inflight breakup and crashed about 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of the Peixoto de Azevedo municipality. The Legacy 600 was on the first leg of a delivery flight to the U.S. The 737 aircraft was also relatively new, having come into service with the airline less than three weeks before the crash.
All six crew members and 148 passengers on the 737 were killed. The two crew members and five passengers on the Legacy 600 were not injured.
Fatal Events for Airlines of Latin America
Fatal Events Involving the Boeing 737
Fatal Events Involving Embraer Aircraft
Fatal Events Involving a Midair Collision - 1 September 2006; Iran Air Tours Tupolev 154M; near Mashad, Iran:
The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Bandar Abbas to Mashad.
After landing, the aircraft departed the runway and caught fire.
All 11 crew members survived, but 28 of the 137 passengers were killed.
Fatal events involving Iran Air and Iran Air Tours - 27 August 2006; Delta Connection (Comair) CRJ-100; Lexington, KY:
The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Lexington, KY to Atlanta, GA.
The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, about one half mile (800 m) from the end of the departure runway.
The event occurred shortly before sunrise, and there was no reported precipitation at the time of the event.
The aircraft took off on a shorter runway that is typically used by smaller private aircraft rather than the airport's main runway.
Two of the three crew members and all 47 passengers were killed.
Fatal events involving Delta Airlines
Fatal events Canadair CRJ aircraft
Fatal events with a sole survivor - 22 August 2006; Pulkovo Airlines Tupolev 154M; near Donetsk, Ukraine:
The aircraft departed on a scheduled domestic flight from Anapa to St. Petersburg.
About 30 minutes after takeoff and at an altitude of about 36,000 feet (11,000 meters), the crew reported an emergency.
Another transmission was reportedly received before the aircraft crashed.
The crash occurred about 30 miles (48 km) north of the Ukrainian city of Donetsk.
All 10 crew members and 160 passengers were killed.
Fatal events involving airlines of the former Soviet Union - 10 July 2006; Pakistan International Airlines F27; Multan, Pakistan: Shortly after takeoff from Multan Airport on a scheduled domestic flight to Lahore, the aircraft reportedly experienced engine problems. The aircraft lost altitude, struck a power line and crashed in a field near the airport. All four crew members and 41 passengers were killed.
- 9 July 2006; Sibir Airlines A310-300; Irkutsk, Russia: The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from Moscow to Irkutsk. Weather at Irkutsk included a low overcast, rain, and thunderstorms in the area.
The aircraft landed on the runway, but was unable to stop on the runway. After departing the runway, the aircraft collided with a concrete structure, broke up, and caught fire.
Five of the eight crew members, and 119 of the 195 passengers were killed.
Fatal A310 Events - 3 May 2006; Armavia Airlines A320; near Sochi, Russia:
The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from Yerevan, Armenia to Sochi. At the time of the crash, visibility was limited due to darkness, a low overcast cloud layer, and light rain showers. The crew reportedly abandoned the first landing attempt due to the weather conditions. While the crew was maneuvering for a second landing attempt on a different runway, the aircraft crashed into the Black Sea about 6 km (3.8 miles) from the airport.
All eight crew members and 105 passengers were killed.
Fatal A320 Events
Fatal Events for Airlines of the former Soviet Union - 19 December 2005; Chalk's Ocean Airways Grumman G-73T Mallard; Miami, FL:
The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from Miami to the island of Bimini in the Bahamas.
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft experienced an apparent structural failure that resulted in the right wing separating from the aircraft.
The aircraft crashed into Biscayne Bay just off Miami Beach.
Both crew members and all 18 passengers, including three infants,were killed. - 10 December 2005; Sosoliso Airlines DC9-32; Port Harcourt, Nigeria:
The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Abuja to Port Harcourt. During the approach, experienced reduced visibility and variable winds due to thunderstorm activity. The aircraft impacted the ground about 500 meters short of the runway and subsequently broke up and caught fire. In addition, the runway and approach lights were not on at the time of the crash.
All seven crew members and 101 of the 103 passengers were killed.
Fatal DC9 Events8 December 2005; Southwest Airlines 737-700; Chicago, IL: The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from Baltimore to Chicago's Midway Airport. After landing, the crew was unable to stop the aircraft on the runway, going off the runway, through the airport's barrier fence and onto a nearby street. At some point during this event, the nose wheel collapsed. The aircraft struck at least two vehicles, with the impact causing fatal injuries to a six year old boy who was a passenger in one of the vehicles. None of the five crew members or 95 passengers were seriously injured. This was the first serious accident involving the 737-700. Because this event did not cause a passenger fatality, it is not counted as a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
7 December 2005; American Airlines 757; Miami, Fl: The aircraft had arrived from Medellin, Colombia, and was on a roughly two hour stopover in Miami before continuing to Orlando. It is alleged that one of the passengers, a 44-year old U.S. citizen, claimed to have a bomb in his carry on luggage. Air marshals confronted the man on the jetway and shot him after he appeared to reach into his bag. The man died sometime later as a result of his wounds. No explosive was found in the bag. It was reported that this passenger had previously arrived in Miami on an American flight from Quito, Ecuador and had cleared U.S. customs before boarding the Orlando flight. No one else was injured in this event. This is the first time sine 9/11 that air marshals have fired a weapon on or near an aircraft. Because this passenger death was due at least in part to the deliberate actions of that passenger, this does not constitute a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
Fatal 757 Events - 22 October 2005; Bellview Airlines 737-200; near Lissa, Nigeria:
The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Lagos to Abuja and air traffic control lost contact with the aircraft about five minutes after takeoff.
The aircraft crashed about 30 miles (48 km) from Lagos near the town of Lissa.
All six crew members and 111 passengers were killed.
Fatal 737 Events
Fatal Events for Airlines from Africa and the Middle East21 September 2005; JetBlue Airways A320-200; Los Angeles, CA:
Shortly after takeoff on a domestic scheduled flight from Burbank, CA to New York, the crew became aware of a problem with the front landing gear. The wheels on the landing gear were locked in an incorrect position, leading the crew to divert to Los Angeles for an emergency landing. The landing, broadcast live by CNN and many other television networks, was visually spectacular but did not result in any serious damage to the aircraft. There were no injuries among the 140 passengers and six crew members.This event was not considered an accident by either the FAA or NTSB and is in fact an airliner landing on a malfunctioning landing gear occurs several times a year around the world. This event was considered to be a significant event by AirSafe.com because of the extraordinary media attention paid to the event both during the emergency and in the days following. One reason for the interest was the fact that many of the passengers were able to view live images of their aircraft until shortly before landing.
Fatal Airbus A320 Events 8 September 2005; Saudi Arabian Airlines 747-300; Colombo, Sri Lanka:
While taxiing for takeoff on an international flight from Colombo to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, air traffic controllers received an anonymous telephone call concerning a possible bomb on the aircraft. The crew was informed about this call and elected to perform an emergency evacuation. As a result of the evacuation, there were 62 injuries among the 430 passengers and 22 crew members. One of the passengers died as a result of injuries received during the evacuation, and 19 passengers were hospitalized. No explosive devices were found after a search of the aircraft.
Fatal 747 Events
Fatal Events for Airlines of Africa and the Middle East- 5 September 2005; Mandala Airlines 737-200; Medan, Indonesia:
The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, hitting several houses in a residential area about half a kilometer from the runway.
The aircraft was on a domestic flight from Medan to Jakarta.
All five crew members and 97 of the 112 passengers were killed. About 47 people on the ground were also killed.
Fatal 737 Events
Fatal Events for Airlines of Asia - 23 August 2005; Transportes Aéreos Nacionales de la Selva (TANS) 737-200; Pulcallpa, Peru:
The aircraft was on a domestic flight from Lima to Pulcallpa when the aircraft encountered severe weather conditions during the approach.
The aircraft caught fire after crashing and breaking up in a swampy area about three miles (4.8 km) from the Pulcallpa airport.
Four of the six crew members and 35 of the 92 passengers were killed.
Fatal 737 Events
Fatal Events for Airlines from Latin America and the Caribbean - 16 August 2005; West Caribbean Airways MD82; near Machiques, Venezuela:
The aircraft was on an international flight from Panama City, Panama to Martinique when the crew reported to air traffic control that the aircraft was experiencing some kind of engine problem and requested a descent from cruising altitude of 33,000 feet down to 14,000 feet.
The crew later reported that both engines were experiencing problems and that the aircraft was not controllable.
All eight crew members and 152 passengers were killed.
Fatal Events Involving the MD80 Series
Fatal Events for Airlines from Latin America and the Caribbean - 14 August 2005; Helios Airways 737-300; Grammatikos, Greece:
The aircraft was on an international flight from Larnaca, Cyprus to Athens, Greece.
Air traffic control lost contact with the airliner shortly after the crew reported an air conditioning problem.
Greek F-16 aircraft were sent to intercept the airliner and reportedly observed at least one person who was not a flight crew member inside of the cockpit.
The first officer appeared to be unconscious and the captain was not seen in the cockpit.
The aircraft appeared to have run out of fuel and crashed in a mountainous area about 25 miles (40 km) from Athens.
All six crew members and 115 passengers were killed.
Fatal 737 Events
Fatal Events for Airlines from Europe - 6 August 2005; Tuninter ATR72; near Palermo, Italy:
The aircraft was on an unscheduled international flight from Bari, Italy to Djerba, Tunisia when the aircraft reportedly developed engine trouble.
The crew ditched the aircraft off the coast of Palermo.
The aircraft had been on a scheduled domestic flight from Kish Island in the Persian Gulf.
Two of the four crew members and 14 of the 35 passengers were killed.
Fatal Events Involving the ATR 42 and the ATR 72
Fatal Events for Airlines of the Middle East and Africa2 August 2005; Air France A340-300; Toronto, Canada: The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from Paris to Toronto. The aircraft encountered heavy thunderstorms upon arrival in Toronto. The crew was able to land, but was unable to stop the aircraft on the runway. The aircraft departed the runway and rolled into a gully where the aircraft broke up and caught fire. All passengers and crew were able to successfully escape the burning plane. None of the 12 crew members and or 297 passengers were killed. This is not a fatal event since no passengers were killed.
Fatal Events for Airlines from EuropeAirSafe.com has a podcast about aircraft evacuations that also features details about this event, including a recreation of the accident.
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- 7 May 2005; Aero-Tropics Air Services Metroliner III; near Lockhart River, Australia:
The aircraft was scheduled domestic flight from Bamaga, Queensland when it crashed into a ridge about 6.2 miles (10 km) from its destination, the Iron Range airport near Lockhart River, Queensland.
The aircraft impacted about 100 feet (30m) below the top of the roughly 1300 foot (400m) ridge.
Air traffic control procedures for that area dictated that the aircraft should have been flying between 2860 feet (872m) and 2115 feet (645m) and observing a minimum safe altitude of 2060 feet (628m).
At the time, the cloud ceiling in the area was estimated to be about 900 feet (275m).
Both crew members and all 13 passengers were killed.
Fatal Events for Asia and Australasia - 20 April 2005; Saha Air 707-300; near Tehran, Iran:
The aircraft departed the runway, slid into the nearby Kan river, and caught fire after landing.
The aircraft had been on a scheduled domestic flight from Kish Island in the Persian Gulf.
The runway departure was due to problems with the aircraft’s landing gear.
None of the 12 crew members were killed, but three of the 157 passengers were reportedly killed after they fell into the river during the evacuation.
Fatal Events for Airlines of the Middle East and Africa18 March 2005; American Airlines 767; en route from Los Angeles to New York JFK: The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from Los Angeles to JFK airport in New York when a passenger allegedly assaulted a flight attendant. The 48 year old passenger was then restrained by the cabin crew using flexible handcuffs. Reportedly, seven passengers also helped to restrain the passenger during the latter stages of the flight. At some point, the passenger had difficulty breathing. After landing at JFK, the unconscious passenger was then taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The New York City medical examiner's office later ruled the death an accident that was caused by acute cocaine and alcohol intoxication, which was aggravated by heart trouble. No other crew members or passengers were seriously injured or killed. Because this passenger death was due at least in part to the deliberate actions of that passenger, this does not constitute a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
- 3 February 2005; Kam Air 737-200; near Kabul, Afghanistan:
The aircraft was approaching Kabul on a domestic flight from Herat when it crashed in mountainous terrain about 20 miles (32 km) from its destination.
The aircraft was scheduled domestic flight from Herat to Kabul and was diverted from landing at Kabul due to the effects of a severe snowstorm.
The crew had sought clearance to land in Peshawar, Pakistan prior to losing contact with air traffic control.
Although this was a domestic flight within Afghanistan, the airline was based in Kyrgyzstan.
All eight crew members and 96 passengers were killed.
Fatal Events for Airlines of the Middle East and Africa
Fatal Events for Airlines of the former Soviet Union - 30 November 2004; LionAir MD82; Solo, Indonesia:
The aircraft skidded off the runway on landing after a flight from Jakarta.
The aircraft broke up and came to rest about 100 meters from the runway.
There was heavy rain in the area at the time of the accident.
There were 26 fatalities among the seven crew members and 146 passengers.
Fatal Events for Airlines of Asia28 November 2004; Canadair Challenger; Montrose, CO : The aircraft was on an unscheduled domestic flight from Montrose, CO to South Bend, IN. The aircraft crashed during takeoff, reportedly skidded sideways off the runway, going through a fence before hitting a roadway and catching fire. The force of the crash separated the cockpit from the rest of the fuselage. There was light snow and mist reported at the time of the accident. Two of the three crew members and one of the three passengers passengers were killed
Dick Ebersol, president of NBC Sports and the husband of actress Susan Saint James, was seriously injured in the crash. Among the fatalities was the couple's 14-year old son. Reportedly at the time of the crash, misty rain and sleet were falling after a snowstorm and the runway had about a quarter inch of ice and slush. Prior to the fatal flight, the pilot had reportedly declined to have the plane deiced. On the previous leg of the flight, the aircraft had transported Ebersol, Saint James, and two of their children from California to Montrose, CO. Saint James had left the aircraft at Montrose.
Details of the Ebersol Event - 21 November 2004; China Yunnan Airlines (China Eastern) CRJ-200; Baotou, China:
The aircraft crashed shortly after taking off on a scheduled domestic flight from Baotou to Shanghai.
According to witnesses, the aircraft caught fire and suffered in in-flight breakup before crashing into a frozen lake about two kilometers (1.3 miles) from the runway.
The six crew members and 47 passengers were all killed in the crash. Two people on the ground were also killed.
Fatal Events for Airlines of the PRC
Fatal Events for Airlines of Asia
Fatal CRJ Events - 18 November 2004; Rutas Aereas Venezolanas (RAVSA) BAe Jetstream 31; Caracas, Venezuela:
The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from El Vigia to Caracas and crashed after landing during heavy rain at the Caracas airport.
After landing, the aircraft departed the runway and crashed into the airport fire department headquarters and caught fire. That fire was quickly put out by the fire fighters in the building.
Both crew members survived, but four of the 19 passengers were killed. - 19 October 2004; AmericanConnection (Corporate Airlines) BAe Jetstream 32; near Kirksville, MO:
The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from St. Louis to Kirksville when it crashed about four miles (6.4 km) south of the destination airport.
According to the National Weather Service, visibility was about four miles at the time of the crash, with low
clouds created a 300-foot ceiling.
Both crew members and 11 of the 13 passengers were killed.
Fatal American Airlines Events - 24 August 2004; Volga-Aviaexpress Tupolev 134A; near Buchalki, Russia:
The aircraft departed Moscow Domodedovo Airport (DME) about 2230 on a scheduled flight to Volgograd in southern Russia.
This aircraft took off about 10 minutes before a Sibir Airlines Tupolev 154B which also crashed the
same evening after departing the same airport.
The aircraft broke up in flight and crashed, about thirty minutes after takeoff and within minutes of the in flight breakup of the Sibir Airlines aircraft.
At least one witness reported hearing several explosions at about the time of the breakup.
Wreckage from this aircraft was found in the Tula region, near the village of Buchalki, about 125 miles (200 km) from Moscow.
Investigators have found traces of explosive residue on both aircraft, and are investigating the possibility that these events were due to sabotage.
The two aircraft were separated by about 500 miles (800 km) at the time of their respective crashes.
All seven crew members and 34 passengers were killed.
Fatal Events for Airlines of the former Soviet Union - 24 August 2004; Sibir Airlines Tupolev 154B; near Rostov-on-Don, Russia:
The aircraft departed Moscow Domodedovo Airport (DME) about 2240 on a scheduled flight to Sochi near the Black Sea.
This aircraft took off about 10 minutes after a Volga-Aviaexpress Tupolev 134A which also crashed the
same evening after departing the same airport.
The aircraft broke up in flight and crashed, about 20 minutes after takeoff and within minutes of the in flight breakup of the Volga-Aviaexpress aircraft.
According to Sibir Airlines, shortly before the crash, an emergency signal was sent from the aircraft.
Wreckage from this aircraft was found near Rostov-on-Don, about 600 miles (960 km) from Moscow.
Investigators have found traces of explosive residue on both aircraft, and are investigating the possibility that these events were due to sabotage.
All eight crew members and 38 passengers were killed.
Fatal Events for Airlines of the former Soviet UnionNote: The last time that two aircraft departing from the same airport on the same day were both involved in a fatal event was 11 September 2001 when an American Airlines 767 and United Airlines 767 were hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center towers.
- 14 May 2004; Rico Linhas Aéreas Embraer Brasilia; near Manaus, Brazil:
The airplane, on a domestic flight from São Paulo de Olivença to Manaus via Tefé,
crashed in the tropical jungle near the Rio Negro river while approaching Manaus.
All three crew members and 30 passengers were killed.26 February 2004; Beech King Air 200; near Huskovici, Bosnia-Hercegovina: The Macedonian government aircraft was carrying President Boris Trajkovski to the Bosnian city of Mostar when the aircraft lost contact with air traffic controllers near the border of Bosnia and Montenegro. The aircraft crashed into a hill near the village of Huskovici and caught fire. There was fog and rain in the area at the time of the crash. This village is 12 miles (20 km) south of the city of Mostar. All seven passengers and both crew members were killed. This was not a regular airline flight and will not count toward AirSafe.com fatal event rates.
- 10 February 2004; Kish Airlines Fokker F50; near Sharjah, United Arab Emirates:
The aircraft crashed shortly before landing on a flight from the island of Kish, Iran to Sharjah.
Reportedly, the aircraft dived to the ground shortly after the crew requested an emergency landing.
The aircraft crashed and caught fire about two miles (three km) from the airport.
Of the six crew members and 40 passengers on board, 43 were killed.
Fatal Events for Airlines of the Middle East and Africa - 13 January 2004; Uzbekistan Airways Yak-42, Tashkent, Uzbekistan:
The aircraft was on a domestic flight from Termez to Tashkent and crashed during final approach.
There was heavy fog in the area of the airport at the time of the crash.
All five crew members and 32 passengers were killed, including the senior United Nations representative in Uzbekistan.
Fatal Events for Airlines of the former Soviet Union - 3 January 2004; Flash Airlines 737-300; near Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt:
The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff on a domestic flight to Cairo and crashed into the Red Sea about nine miles (15 km) south of the city.
Flash Airlines is a charter operator based in Egypt.
All 135 passengers and 13 crew members were killed.
Fatal 737 Events
Fatal Events for Airlines of the Middle East and Africa
15 April 2008; Hewa Bora Airways DC9-51; Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo):
The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Goma to Kisangani, DR Congo.
The aircraft developed a problem during takeoff, and reportedly departed the runway and collided with several buildings in a nearby neighborhood.
There were at least 21 fatalities, but it is unclear if any of the fatalities were from the aircraft.
There were seven crew members and 79 passengers aboard the aircraft.
Because there are no reported fatalities among the passengers, it is not counted as a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
Fatal events involving the DC9
3 April 2008; Blue Wing Airlines Antonov AN28; near Mérida, Venezuela:
The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Paramaribo to Benzdorp, Suriname.
It crashed into a hillside during its second landing attempt. There was light rain in the area at the time of the crash.
The 17 passengers and both crew members were all killed.
Because this event did not involve an aircraft used by passenger airlines in the the U.S., Canada, Australia, or western Europe, it is not counted as a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
Fatal Events By Year
1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Related Pages
Definitions of Key Terms Used by AirSafe.com
Recent U.S. Fatal Events
Fatal Events by Airline
Accidents by U.S. Airline
U.S. Airline Fleets
Fatal Events by Model
Fatal Event Rates by Model
Accidents by Model
http://airsafe.com/events/last_15.htm -- Revised: 15 April 2008
