How the 10 worst airline accidents in North America are flying is safer than today

Despite many of the recent deadly air crash drops, flight remains one of the statistically safest types of transport. Tragedy such as the Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243, Jeju Air Flight 2216, and American Airlines 5342 all occurred between December 2024 and January 2025, bringing once again air safety.

However, when it comes to air travel safety in North America, most of the deadliest crashes in history occurred before 2000, indicating a significant improvement in industry-wide safety from the early days of commercial aviation. Masu. Using data from the aviation safety network, what is the fatal air crash crash in North American history?

10

Delta Airline Flight 191

134 Deads

Delta Airline Flight 191 has been suspended at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) on a regular scheduled flight from Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The carrier deployed Lockheed L-1011 Tristar aircraft to the service.

On August 2, 1985, the aircraft registered as the N726DA took off from Fort Lauderdale as usual, but in the Dallas/Fort Worth approach, what is known as the microburst – strong downward and outer Wind – encountered. The aircraft is on the ground about a mile on the runway. Of the 163 passengers and crew members, only 27 survived. One person was killed on the ground.

Following investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) it was determined that there was a lack of training in flight crews' decision to fly thunderstorms and how to avoid or deal with microbursts that contributed to the cause of the collision. I did.

9

Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182

135 Deads

On September 25, 1978, the Boeing 727 airlines operate 182 flights from Sacramento International Airport (SMF) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Sacramento International Airport (SMF) with 172 airlines operating from 182 flights. There was a collision.

As a result of an airborne collision, the Boeing 727 crashed into a residential area in San Diego, killing 135 passengers and all crew members, as well as seven people on the ground. Two pilots on a Cessna aircraft were also killed.

8

Pan Am Flight 759

145 Deads

Pan Am Flight 759 is a regularly scheduled flight from Miami International Airport (MIA) to San Diego International Airport (SAN) with Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) and Las Vegas Harry Raid International Airport (LAS). We stopped by on the way. .

Upon taking off from New Orleans, the Boeing 727 encountered a microburst and pushed it down onto the residential suburb near the edge of the runway. The aircraft was destroyed by impact, with all 145 people killed on board and eight on the ground. At the time, the New York Times reported,

“A wind shear warning was mentioned on the radio frequency at New Orleans Airport on July 9, before Flight 759 took off, according to eyewitnesses. Hourly record of weather information.

As a result of this incident and the Delta Line, just three years after Flight 191, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) required airports and aircraft to be fitted with windshare detection systems.

7

Northwest Airlines Flight 255

154 deaths

Northwest Airlines Flight 255 starts at MBS International Airport (MBS) in Michigan and heads to John Wayne Airport (SNA) in California, and intermediary at both Detroit Wayne County Metropolitan Airport (DTW) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). It's stopped.

Taking off from Detroit, the flap was not fully expanded and was not struggling to gain altitude as McDonnell Douglas DC-9's operating flight 255 Airlines was open on August 16, 1987. . As a result, a light pole was hit near the edge of the runway, causing the left to set fire to collapse. The aircraft went out of control and crashed, killing 154 people. Only one person on board crashed – a 4-year-old girl with serious injuries.

6

Mexicana de Aviación flight 940

167 deaths

On March 31, 1986, Mexicana de Aviation Flight 940 flew from Mexico City International Airport (MEX) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

The airplane lost its hydraulic and electrical system and crashed the Boeing 727 into El Carvon Mountain, just outside Mexico City, with 159 passengers and an entire crew of eight. The incident remains Mexico's most fatal air force accident to date.

5

Swiss Air Flight 111

229 Dead

The Swiss Air Flight 111 was a scheduled flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York to Geneva Airport (GVA) in Switzerland. On September 2, 1998, the service was run by McDonnell Douglas MD-11, registered as HB-IWF.

Just an hour after taking off from New York, the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 plunged into the Atlantic, with 215 passengers and 14 crew members on board. An investigation by the NTSB concluded that out of control onboard fires are responsible.

4

Trans World Airlines Flight 881

230 deaths

Just 12 minutes after takeoff, the Boeing 747-100 exploded and struck the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New York. The fuel tank under the central wing exploded, splitting the aircraft into the air.

Despite initial concerns about terrorism, after a lengthy investigation, the NTSB concluded that no evidence of criminal activity was found, and concluded that it was a short circuit that ignited the combustible fuel vapor in the fuel tank. All 230 people on a Boeing 747 were killed in the fourth-death-heavy air accident in North American history.

3

Arrow Air Flight 1285r

256 deaths

The Arrow Air Flight 1285R was a charter flight that carried US military personnel from Cairo, Egypt, to its home base on December 12, 1985, in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Taking off from Gander at the final leg of the flight, ice contamination on the wing led to unexpectedly high drag and reduced lift. This, coupled with the undervalued weight on the ship, caused the aircraft to explode when it hit an empty building. All 248 passengers and eight crew members on a McDonnell Douglas DC-8 were killed in Canada's most deadly air crash, and the third deepest whole in North America.

2

American Airlines Flight 587

260 Deads

On November 12, 2001, Airbus A300 Operating American Airlines Flight 587 descended near Bell Harbor in Queens shortly after taking off from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York. The flight had travelled to Santo Domingolas Amaricus International Airport (SDQ) in the Dominican Republic. All 260 people on the plane were killed, along with five on the ground.

There were initial concerns about terrorist activities as the clash occurred just two months after the September 11 terrorist attack. However, subsequent investigations revealed that overuse of the rudder in response to wake turbulence from Japan Airlines' Boeing 747-400 that took off just before flight 587 caused the vertical stabilizer to be separated from the aircraft and out of control.

In a sign of how safe the aviation industry has become in recent years, American Airlines Flight 587 is one of the deadliest Air Force clashes in North America this century. However, it is the second deepest incident, including the Airbus A300 after the Iranian Airlines 655.

1

American Airlines Flight 191

271 Dead

North America's most fatal aviation accident occurred on May 25, 1979 when an American Airlines flight lost its left engine on takeoff, making it impossible for the pilot to control the aircraft. McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10, who was driving a flight registered as an N110AA, crashed about 4,600 feet from the edge of the runway, killing all 271 people, and two people on the ground.

McDonnell Douglas was previously involved in two other famous safety incidents.

American Airlines Flight 96 in 1972 Flight 96 in 1974 Türkiye Airlines Flight 981 in 1974.

The ten most lethal air forces in North America are summarized in the table below.