The most disastrous airline accidents in history

Here are some of the most disastrous airline accidents in history, based on loss of life and impact on aviation safety:

1. Tenerife Airport Disaster (1977)

• Location: Los Rodeos Airport (now Tenerife North Airport), Canary Islands, Spain.
• Aircraft: Two Boeing 747s (KLM Flight 4805 and Pan Am Flight 1736).
• Fatalities: 583 (All 248 onboard KLM and 335 of 396 onboard Pan Am).
• Cause: Miscommunication and fog led to a runway collision as the KLM plane attempted takeoff while the Pan Am plane was taxiing.
• Impact: Highlighted the importance of clear communication and led to the standardization of aviation terminology.

2. Japan Airlines Flight 123 (1985)

• Location: Near Mount Takamagahara, Japan.
• Aircraft: Boeing 747SR.
• Fatalities: 520 (Out of 524 onboard).
• Cause: Structural failure due to improper repairs caused decompression and loss of control.
• Impact: Reinforced the importance of maintenance procedures and inspection protocols.

4. Turkish Airlines Flight 981 (1974)

• Location: Ermenonville Forest, near Paris, France.
• Aircraft: McDonnell Douglas DC-10.
• Fatalities: 346 (All onboard).
• Cause: Cargo door failure led to explosive decompression and loss of control.
• Impact: Redesign of aircraft cargo doors and improved manufacturing oversight.

5. Saudia Flight 163 (1980)

• Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
• Aircraft: Lockheed L-1011 TriStar.
• Fatalities: 301 (All onboard).
• Cause: Fire in the cargo hold; improper evacuation procedures.
• Impact: Raised awareness of fire detection and suppression systems and evacuation protocols.

6. Air India Flight 182 (1985)

• Location: Atlantic Ocean near Ireland.
• Aircraft: Boeing 747-237B.
• Fatalities: 329 (All onboard).
• Cause: Bomb explosion by Sikh separatist extremists.
• Impact: Improved security measures for baggage handling and passenger screening.

7. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (2014)

• Location: Presumed Indian Ocean (missing).
• Aircraft: Boeing 777-200ER.
• Fatalities: 239 (All onboard, presumed dead).
• Cause: Unknown; aircraft disappeared from radar.
• Impact: Led to new global tracking standards for commercial aircraft.

8. American Airlines Flight 191 (1979)

• Location: Chicago O’Hare International Airport, USA.
• Aircraft: McDonnell Douglas DC-10.
• Fatalities: 273 (All onboard and 2 on the ground).
• Cause: Engine detachment on takeoff led to loss of control.
• Impact: Changes to maintenance practices and stricter oversight.

9. Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Lion Air Flight 610 (2018-2019)

• Location: Ethiopia and Indonesia.
• Aircraft: Boeing 737 MAX 8.
• Fatalities: 346 combined (157 on Ethiopian and 189 on Lion Air).
• Cause: Malfunction of the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS).
• Impact: Led to the global grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX and a review of certification processes.

10. Lockerbie Bombing (1988)

• Location: Lockerbie, Scotland.
• Aircraft: Pan Am Flight 103 (Boeing 747).
• Fatalities: 270 (259 onboard and 11 on the ground).
• Cause: Bomb placed in the cargo hold by Libyan terrorists.
• Impact: Major overhaul of airport security and screening methods.