Fatal U.S. and Canadian Bombing Events

The following are the known bombing events involving a U.S. or Canadian carrier or a flight arriving or departing the U.S. where at least one passenger was killed. The list includes explosive events associated with hijackings.

  1. 9 September 49, Quebec Airways (Canadian Pacific Airlines) DC3, near Sault Au Cochon, Quebec: Bomb explodes in number one forward baggage compartment about 40 miles (64 km) from Quebec. The crash killed 23. Three individuals were later executed for the crime.

  2. 1 November 55, United Air Lines DC6, near Longmont, CO: Bomb explodes 11 minutes after takeoff, 44 killed, dynamite bomb in baggage.

  3. 25 July 57, Western Airlines CV-240, near Daggett, CA: Bomb explodes in lavatory 17 minutes after takeoff, CA, plane lands successfully, one killed.

  4. 6 January 60, National Airlines DC6, near Bolivia, NC: Bomb explodes in passenger compartment while in cruise at 18,000 feet (5485 meters), 34 killed.

  5. 22 May 62, Continental Airlines 707, near Unionville, MO: Bomb in rear lavatory blows off tail at 39,000. 45 killed.

  6. 8 July 65, Canadian Pacific Airlines DC6, over British Colombia: An explosive device within the fuselage caused the tail section to separate. 52 people were killed.

  7. 17 December 73, Pan Am 747, Rome, Italy: While the aircraft was at the gate loading passengers, a group of terrorists shot at the plane and threw incendiary grenades into the aircraft, killing 30. The terrorists later hijacked a nearby Lufthansa 737.
    747 events involving passenger fatalities

  8. 8 September 74, TWA 707, over Ionian Sea near Greece: Crew reported trouble with one engine. Aircraft then entered a steep climb followed by a steep nose down spin before it crashed in the sea. The NTSB later determined that a high explosive was detonated in the aft cargo compartment.

  9. 11 August 82, Pan Am 747, near Hawaii: The aircraft was en route from Japan to the U.S. when a bomb exploded under a seat, killing one passenger.

  10. 23 June 85; Air India 747-200; Atlantic Ocean, near the Irish coast: The flight, which originated in Toronto and was en route to Bombay, had a bomb explode on board near the Irish coast. The aircraft broke up in flight and crashed into the sea. All 307 passengers and 22 crew were killed.

  11. 2 April 86, TWA 727, near Athens, Greece: A bomb exploded in the cabin area, blowing a hole in the fuselage and causing four passengers to be sucked out of the aircraft to their deaths. The aircraft was able to land safely.
    727 events involving passenger fatalities

  12. 21 December 1988; Pan Am 747-100; near Lockerbie, Scotland: A bomb detonated in the forward cargo compartment led to an in flight breakup of the aircraft. All 16 crew and 243 passengers perished.

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Fatal U.S. and Canadian Bombing Events
http://www.airsafe.com/events/us_bomb.htm -- Revised: 6 September 2007