Disasters: Turkish Airlines Flight 981

On March 3, 1974, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 (registration TC-JAV) of Turkish Airlines crashed into the Ermenonville forest, near Paris.

The aircraft was en route from Istanbul via Paris (Orly) to London. 

All 346 people on board (335 passengers and 11 crew members) perished. 

At the time, it was the deadliest single-aircraft disaster. 

Cause: The rear cargo door flew open during flight due to a design and manufacturing defect in the locking system. 

This caused an explosive decompression, during which the cabin floor collapsed and essential control cables were severed. 

The aircraft became uncontrollable and crashed approximately 77 seconds later. 

This disaster led to significant improvements to the DC-10 and stricter regulations for cargo doors. 

It was one of the first major incidents to demonstrate how a minor mechanical defect can have catastrophic consequences.

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Eastern Airlines Flight 401

Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was a domestic flight from New York (JFK) to Miami operated by a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar. 

On December 29, 1972, the aircraft crashed into the Florida Everglades during descent. 

The crew was distracted by a malfunctioning landing gear indicator light, disabling the autopilot and causing the aircraft to fly undetected into controlled flight into terrain. 

Of the 176 occupants, 75 survived the crash; 101 people died. 

This led to safety improvements in cockpit procedures.

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Aeromexico Flight 498

On August 31, 1986, Aeromexico Flight 498, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 from Mexico City to Los Angeles, collided with a Piper PA-28-181 Cherokee in the air over Cerritos, California. 

The DC-9, carrying 58 passengers and 6 crew members, lost its horizontal and vertical stabilizers and crashed into a residential area, killing all 64 people on board and 15 people on the ground. 

The Piper, with three occupants, crashed into an empty playground. 

A total of 82 people were killed and 8 people on the ground injured. 

The investigation pointed to errors by the Piper pilot, who entered controlled airspace without authorization, and deficiencies in the air traffic control system. 

This led to the mandatory implementation of TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) and Mode C transponders for improved air safety.

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South African Airways Flight 295

South African Airways Flight 295 was a scheduled flight operated by South African Airways that crashed into the sea on 28 November 1987 due to a major fire on board. 

None of the 159 passengers survived the disaster. 

The cause of the fire is still unknown.

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Aloha Airlines Flight 243

Aloha Airlines Flight 243 was operated by a Boeing 737-297 that suffered severe damage from explosive decompression on April 28, 1988, during a flight from Hilo to Honolulu, a distance of 340 km. 

The aircraft was able to land safely at Kahului Airport on Maui. 

The only person who did not survive the accident was flight attendant Clarabelle Ho Lansing.

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Überlingen plane crash

The Überlingen plane crash is an air disaster involving DHL Flight 611 and BAL Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937 that collided over Überlingen, Germany, late on July 1, 2002. 

71 people were killed. 

It was one of the worst air disasters in German history.

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Air Midwest Flight 5481

Air Midwest Flight 5481 was operated by a Beechcraft 1900D aircraft that crashed and caught fire during a flight from Charlotte/Douglas International Airport to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport on January 8, 2003. 

None of the occupants survived the disaster.

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Mandala Airlines Flight 091

Mandala Airlines Flight 091 was a flight that crashed in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia on September 5, 2005, moments after departure. 

This 24-year-old Boeing 737 from the Indonesian Mandala Airlines crashed after takeoff in a residential area of Meda.

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Comair flight 5191

At 6:19 a.m. on August 27, 2006, a Comair flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Blue Grass Airport in Lexington. 

It had left for Hartsfield Airport in Atlanta. 

The aircraft was a Bombardier CRJ100. 

There were 47 passengers and 3 crew members on board.

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TAM Linhas Aéreas flight JJ 3054

TAM Linhas Aéreas Flight JJ 3054 was a flight operated by the Brazilian airline TAM Linhas Aéreas that suffered a plane crash on 17 July 2007 at Congonhas Airport in São Paulo.

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