Air travel is one of the most convenient and efficient ways to get from Point A to Point B, but it also comes with its fair share of risks. Looking for deadliest plane crashes? You’ve come to the right place
Over the years, there have been some devastating plane crashes that have changed aviation safety forever.
Here are the Top 10 Deadliest Plane Crashes in History that resulted in a tremendous loss of life.
From military planes crashing into residential areas to an airplane losing control after takeoff, these tragic incidents serve as reminders for why air travel must be taken seriously and done safely at all times.
Top 10 Deadliest Plane Crashes
10. Nigeria Airways Flight 2120
On July 11, 1991, Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 took off from King Abdulaziz International Airport, headed for Sokoto, Nigeria. Unfortunately, the flight ended in tragedy as a tire became overheated and this ultimately caused a fire on board that left all 261 people dead.
This marked one of the 10 deadliest aviation accidents ever recorded and was an especially heartbreaking experience due to the numerous witnesses who saw bodies falling from the plane as it ascended to 671 meters in altitude.
An investigation revealed that the accident could have been avoided if not for an incorrectly inflated tire. Despite this fact though, no one on board was ever able to be saved.
To honor those who perished in this disaster as well as their families we must remember them and ensure such tragedies never happen again.
9. China Airlines Flight 140 – Deadliest Plane Crashes
On the 26th April, 1994, a tragic incident occurred as China Airlines Flight 140 crashed due to a stall caused by an error from the pilots. This crash resulted in a death toll of 264 and left many more seriously wounded.
Although there were some survivors, who miraculously pulled through the ordeal, especially 3 children who had escaped with just their minor injuries. Over the few following days, many of those seriously injured sadly failed to make it through their treatment and consequently the number of injured dropped even lower.
On 6th May only seven people were confirmed to have survived the crash with their injuries; this devastating event led to worldwide mourning and sorrow amongst families and friends.
8. American Airlines Flight 587 – Deadliest Plane Crashes
American Airlines Flight 587, which was headed to Santo Domingo’s Las Américas International Airport in the Dominican Republic from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, ended in heartbreaking tragedy on November 12, 2001.
Due to tail structure failure caused by co-pilot error while encountering wake turbulence, 251 passengers and 9 crew members lost their lives, along with 5 people on the ground.
The tragedy was further compounded by speculation that the accident may have been a second terrorist attack like 9/11; thankfully this was proven false.
The 8th deadliest aviation accident in history serves as yet another reminder of how fragile life can be and satisfies as a grim reminder to exercise flight safety measures at all times.
7. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 – Deadliest Plane Crashes
The Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 tragedy stands out as one of the most horrific terrorist acts of aviation in recent memory. On July 17, 2014, the passenger flight met an untimely end while en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
All 283 passengers and 15 crew members were killed when the plane was shot down by pro-Russian insurgents using Buk surface-to-air missile. The incident prompted a storm of criticism and questions from media outlets around the world, prompting a wide ranging discussion about policy implications and international relations.
Regardless of opinions or perspectives taken on this tragedy, there can be no doubt that it was one of the worst and most significant aviation tragedies since 9/11.
6. Saudi Flight 163 – Deadliest Plane Crashes
On 19th August, 1980, tragedy struck when Saudia Flight 163 caught fire shortly after taking off from Riyadh International Airport in Saudi Arabia. Eventually killing all passengers and crew members aboard the flight – 301 people in total – this incident would go down as one of the deadliest aviation accidents in history.
Bereft of any mid-flight disintegration or impact devastation, it is still to this day considered the greatest accident of its kind. The families who lost their loved ones on this fateful day have never received closure and the incident remains unresolved, creating an everlasting ripple effect on all those affected.
5. Air India Flight 182 – Deadliest Plane Crashes
On 23rd June, 1985 Air India Flight 182, with a route connecting Montreal with Delhi, tragically crashed into the Atlantic Ocean when it was destroyed by a deadly bomb at an altitude of 31,000 feet.
All 329 people on board – 307 passengers and 22 crew members – perished in the mid-air explosion. This shocking act of violence was the deadliest mass murder in Canadian history. It occurred in conjunction with another bombing that occurred at Narita Airport – a fact which caused many to believe that both events were linked, though this claim was not proven until later on.
Suspicion has fallen on retaliation for the Indian Army Operation Blue Star as a likely motive for the atrocity committed against these innocent victims.
4. Turkish Airlines Flight 981
On March 3, 1974, Turkish Airlines Flight 981 catastrophically crashed outside Paris, France, leaving no survivors among the 346 on board. It was later determined that a cargo door failure caused an explosive decompression which severed cables necessary to control the aircraft, leading to its dramatic dive into Ermenonville Forest.
This unsettling incident remains the deadliest single-plane accident in history with no survivors, and is remembered as the Ermenonville air disaster. The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the importance of observing correct safety procedures in air travel and within aviation workforce in general and become Deadliest Plane Crashes.
3. Saudi Arabian Flight 763 and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907
On November 12, 1996, the aviation world was rocked by one of its deadliest mid-air collisions. 359 people aboard Saudi Arabian Flight 763 and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907 were tragically killed when the two planes collided high in the sky over Charkhi Dadri.
Flight 763 was almost full with 289 passengers and 23 crew members en route from Delhi to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, while Flight 1907 had 27 passengers and 10 crew members onboard traveling from Chimkent, Kazakhstan to Delhi.
Investigation concluded that pilot error contributed to the collision and the accident stands as a tragic reminder of how serious a lapse can be for those in control of passenger aircraft.
Today, measures have been implemented to prevent such mishaps from ever happening again and ensure the safety of all passengers aboard commercial flights around the world.
2. Japan Airlines Flight 123
On August 12th, 1985, tragedy fatefully struck with the crash of Japan Airlines Flight 123. This flight was only twelve minutes into its journey when it suddenly went down due to mechanical failure, crashing into two ridges of Mount Takamagahara in Ueno, Gunma Prefecture.
The disaster resulted in the deaths of 520 people, leaving only four survivors – two adult women and two young girls. The accident has been categorized as one of the deadliest aviation accidents of all time and is remembered for its heartbreaking toll and miraculous stories of survival.
Despite the immense sorrow caused by this incident, we can honor both those who were lost as well as those who managed to escape through appreciating their stories and courage.
1. Pan Am Flight 1736 and KLM Flight 4805
On 27th March 1977, the skies over Los Rodeos Airport witnessed a deadliest aviation accident. It involved two Boeing 747s–the Pan Am Flight 1736 and the KLM Flight 4805.
The crash of these two jumbo jets killed 583 out of the 644 people onboard, with only 6 survivors amongst them. Many factors contributed to causing this fatal disaster.
Due to heavy fog around the Los Rodeos Airport and poor communication between the pilots and air traffic controllers, Runway incursions caused by both aircraft into each other’s paths were reported as most prominently responsible for the catastrophic accident.
Initially it was believed that pilot error was the major cause but after investigations, clear evidence emerged confirming multiple causes for such a horrific outcome of these two flights banging against each other in mid-air and become one of the Deadliest Plane Crashes.
