The Event On 28 April 1988, Aloha Airlines Flight 243, a Boeing 737, was cruising between Hawaiian islands. At altitude, a large section of the fuselage roof suddenly separated from the aircraft. An explosive decompression occurred instantly. Despite extreme structural damage, the aircraft remained partially controllable and performed an emergency landing. One flight attendant […]
The Event On 15 April 1999, Korean Air Cargo Flight 6316, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, departed Shanghai Hongqiao Airport. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft entered an uncontrollable climb and descent oscillation. It crashed into an urban industrial area near the airport. Three people on board and several on the ground were killed. What
The Event On 1 July 2002, two aircraft were flying in controlled European airspace: Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937 (Tupolev Tu-154) DHL Flight 611 (Boeing 757 cargo aircraft) They collided mid-air over southern Germany near Überlingen. All passengers and crew on both aircraft were killed. What Happened (Surface Explanation) The aircraft were under the
The Event On 29 December 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, was on approach into Miami. The landing gear indicator light failed to illuminate. What began as a minor technical anomaly escalated into a fatal loss of situational awareness. The aircraft eventually descended into the Florida Everglades. What Happened
The Event On 19 February 1985, China Airlines Flight 006, a Boeing 747, was cruising at high altitude over the Pacific Ocean. One engine began to lose thrust. What followed was not an immediate emergency—but a slow divergence from controlled flight that escalated into a near catastrophic dive. The aircraft eventually descended over 30,000
The Event On 6 July 2013, Asiana Airlines Flight 214, a Boeing 777, was on final approach to San Francisco International Airport. The aircraft descended below the correct glide path and struck the seawall short of the runway. The tail separated on impact. The aircraft slid down the runway. Despite the severity of the
The Event On 14 September 1993, Lufthansa Flight 2904, a Boeing 737, landed at Warsaw’s Okęcie Airport in heavy rain. The touchdown itself was normal. But the aircraft did not slow down as expected. It overran the runway and came to rest beyond the threshold, breaking apart and catching fire. One person died. Several
The Event On 23 July 1983, Air Canada Flight 143, a Boeing 767, departed Montreal for Edmonton. Mid-flight, at cruising altitude, both engines shut down. The aircraft became a glider at 41,000 feet. There was no structural failure.No fire.No explosion. Just a sudden loss of thrust in a fully functioning aircraft. What Happened
The Event On 14 August 2005, Helios Airways Flight 522 departed Cyprus bound for Prague with a scheduled stop in Athens. It never reached Athens. The aircraft entered a holding pattern, continued on autopilot, and eventually crashed into mountainous terrain near Grammatiko, Greece. There was no explosion.No structural failure.No external impact. The aircraft simply
The Event On 20 January 1992, an Airbus A320 operated by Air Inter was descending toward Strasbourg during a night approach. The aircraft deviated from its intended path and impacted terrain in the Vosges mountains. There was no loss of control.No structural failure.No external threat. The aircraft flew a controlled path—into the ground.
