10 most terrible aviation accidents of all time

1. Nigeria Airways Flight 2120

10 most terrible aviation accidents of all time Picture 1

Nigerian Airlines Flight 2120 took off from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Sokoto, Nigeria on July 11, 1991, when a serious incident occurred. The plane's tire was under-inflated and overheated, leading to an explosion, and the fire continued to rise fiercely from the floor of the plane. All 261 people died, including 247 passengers and 14 crew members. Some bodies were even seen falling when the plane reached a height of 671 m.

2. China Airlines Flight 140

10 most terrible aviation accidents of all time Picture 2

On April 26, 1994, China Airlines Flight 140 crashed, killing 264 people, including passengers and crew on board. There were 10 people recorded to have survived until April 27, 1994, but after that, only 7 people were lucky enough to survive the injury, including 3 children.

3. American Airlines Flight 587

10 most terrible aviation accidents of all time Picture 3

Immediately after takeoff en route from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City to Las Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on November 12, 2001, airline Flight 587 America crashed. This plane crash killed all 251 passengers and 9 crew members. In addition, 5 people on the ground also died.

The cause of the plane crash is believed to be the vertical stabilizer at the tail of the plane dislodging in mid-air.

4. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17

10 most terrible aviation accidents of all time Picture 4

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down en route from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) on July 17, 2014, killing all 283 passengers and 15 crew members.

5. Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight 163

10 most terrible aviation accidents of all time Picture 5

Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight 163 on August 19, 1980 burst into flames after taking off from Riyadh International Airport (now Riyadh Air Base) to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The accident killed all 301 people on board, including 287 passengers and 14 crew members.

The cause was a fire from the cargo compartment, but the captain did not order an evacuation. The plane door could not be opened because the two engines located on the wings were still operating, so even though the plane landed successfully and airport firefighting equipment and emergency personnel were also fully deployed, the fire broke out. Violent explosion inside the plane.

6. Air India Flight 182

10 most terrible aviation accidents of all time Picture 6

On June 23, 1985, a bomb destroyed the plane of Indian Airlines flight 182 operating on the route Montreal, Canada - London, UK - Delhi, India at an altitude of 9,400 m. The plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean in Irish airspace and claimed the lives of all 329 people on board, including 307 passengers and 22 crew members.

7. Turkish Airlines Flight 981

10 most terrible aviation accidents of all time Picture 7

Turkish Airlines Flight 981 on March 3, 1974 crashed outside Paris, France. The plane crash killed all 346 people on board, including 335 passengers and 11 crew members. To date, only 40/346 bodies have been identified.

The cause of the accident was that the second door on the left side was improperly fixed, the safety latch was turned off and it opened. This mistake caused a decrease in pressure, causing the cables needed to control the plane to explode, causing outside air to rush in. The plane nosed down to the ground and crashed in just 72 seconds.

8. Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight 763 and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907

10 most terrible aviation accidents of all time Picture 8

Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight 763 and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907 collided in the air and claimed the lives of 349 people.

The cause of the incident was because the pilot on the Kazakhstan plane did not follow the instructions of air traffic control.

9. Japan Airlines Flight 123

10 most terrible aviation accidents of all time Picture 9

Due to technical problems, Japan Airlines Flight 123 on August 12, 1985 crashed into two Takamagahara mountains in Ueno, Gunma Prefecture, 100 km away from Tokyo after 12 minutes of flight.

The terrible plane crash claimed the lives of 520 people, including 15 crew members and 505 passengers, with only 4 lucky female passengers surviving.

10. Pan Am Flight 1736 and KLM Flight 4805

10 most terrible aviation accidents of all time Picture 10

On March 27, 1977, two Boeing 747s collided on the runway at Los Rodeos Airport, Canary Islands (now Tenerife North Airport) due to pilot error and dense fog, limiting visibility. 583/644 people died. Only 6 people from the Pan Am flight were recorded to have survived.

Marvin Fry

Update 24 August 2024