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Fatal and Signficant Airliner Events in 2007

These events include all jet passenger flights and turboprop accidents involving models with more than 10 passengers seats and which are used in airline service in North America and western Europe. All fatal events from 2007 are included, as well as other significant events that did not include passenger fatalities. Only the eight events that involved passenger deaths are numbered in the list on this page.

The audio and video links are to an AirSafe.com podcast that profiled the eight events from 2007, including four that resulted in the deaths of everyone on board. While there were no events in North America, there were three in Asia, two each in Africa and Europe, and one in South America. The eight fatal events of 2007 represents the lowest number of fatal events tracked by AirSafe.com in the last decade, a number also equaled in 2006 and 2003.

AirSafe.com Year in Review:Fatal and Significant Airline Events of 2007

Audio: MP3 | Video: iPod/MP4 | WMV | Google Video | YouTube

1. 1 January 2007; Adam Air 737-400; near Polewali, Indonesia: Air traffic control lost contact with the aircraft while it was at cruising altitude about halfway into its scheduled two-hour flight from Surabaya to Manado. Wreckage from the aircraft was later found in the ocean about 80 km (50 miles) off the west coast of Sulawesi island. All six crew members and 96 passengers were killed.
   Fatal Events Involving the Boeing 737

2. 7 March 2007; Garuda Indonesia Airways 737-400; Yogyakarta, Indonesia: The aircraft had been on a domestic flight from Jakarta and overran the runway after landing at Yogyakarta. The aircraft went through the airport's perimeter fence, crossed and road and an embankment, and caught fire as it came to rest in a nearby rice paddy. One of the seven crew members and 20 of the 133 passengers were killed.
   Fatal Events Involving the Boeing 737
   Fatal Events Involving Garuda Indonesia Airways

3. 17 March 2007; UT Air Tupolev 134A; Samara, Russia: The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Surgut to Samara. During approach, visibility was limited due to weather conditions. The aircraft touched down about 400 meters short of the runway, broke up, and caught fire. All seven crew members survived, but six of the 50 passengers were killed.
   Fatal Events Involving Airlines of the Former Soviet Union

4. 5 May 2007; Kenya Airways 737-800; near Douala, Cameroon: The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from Douala, Cameroon to Nairobi, Kenya. The aircraft crashed into a swampy area near the airport less than one minute after takeoff. The aircraft departed just after midnight local time and the aircraft sent at least one communication to the control tower prior to the crash. All nine crew members and 105 passengers were killed.
   737 Fatal Events
   Fatal Events Involving Kenya Airways

   27 June 2007; PMT Air An24; near Phnom Damrey, Cambodia: The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville. The aircraft crashed a Phnom Damrey Mountain at a height of about 1640 feet (500 meters). All six crew members and 16 passengers were killed.
   
   Because this event involved a propeller driven aircraft not normally used in airline service, this does not constitute a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.

5. 28 June 2007; TAAG Angola Airlines 737-200; M'Banza Congo, Angola: The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Luanda to M'Banza Congo. The aircraft crashed and broke apart during the landing. One of the seven crew members and four of the 71 passengers were killed, as well as one other on the ground.
   737 Fatal Events

   10 July 2007; Cessna 310; Sanford, FL: The aircraft was on an unscheduled domestic flight from Daytona Beach, FL to Lakeland, FL. According to media reports, the pilot reported smoke in the cockpit, declared an emergency, and attempted to divert to Orlando-Samford International Airport (SFB). The aircraft crashed into a pair of houses in a residential neighborhood about five miles (eight km) from the airport. The two occupants of the aircraft and at least three people on the ground were killed. The aircraft was registered to a company associated with the NASCAR auto racing association.
   
   Because this event did not involve an airline passenger flight, this does not constitute a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
   Fatal US Events involving Cessna 310 aircraft from 1964 to 2007

6. 17 July 2007; TAM Linhas Aéreas A320-200; São Paulo, Brazil: The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Porto Alegre (POA) to the Congohas Airport in São Paulo (CGH). According to the airline, one of the two thrust reversers had been deactivated prior to the flight. The aircraft landed at a higher than normal speed and departed the runway. After the aircraft crossed a major road to the left of the runway, it crashed into a concrete building and caught fire. All six crew members and 181 passengers were killed, as well as several people on the ground.
   A320 Fatal Events
   Fatal Events Involving TAM
   Map of the area of the accident

   9 August 2007; Air Moorea Twin Otter; Moorea, Frech Polynesia: The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Moorea (MOZ) to Tahiti (PPT) and crashed into the ocean shortly after takeoff. The single crew member and all 19 passengers were killed. Because this event did not involve an aircraft commonly used for scheduled commercial airline service in the US or Europe, this does not constitute a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.

   20 August 2007; China Airlines 737-800; Naha, Japan: Shortly after landing at Naha on the island of Okinawa, the left engine caught fire and the crew initiated an emergency evacuation. Although the aircraft was destroyed by fire, all 157 passengers (including two toddlers) and eight crew members survived. Because this event did not result in a passenger death, it does not constitute a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
   Fatal China Airlines Events

7. 16 September 2007; One-Two-Go Airlines MD82; Phuket, Thailand: The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Bangkok (DMK) to Phuket (HKT). After landing, the aircraft skidded off the runway, impacted several trees, and caught fire. There was reportedly heavy rain and poor visibility at the time of the crash. There were at least 89 deaths, including 85 of the 123 passengers and five of the seven crew members.
   Fatal Events Involving Asian Airlines
   Fatal Events Involving MD80 series aircraft.

8. 30 November 2007; Atlasjet MD83; near Keciborlu, Turkey: The plane was on a domestic flight from Istanbul to Isparta when it disappeared from radar screens. The crew had requested permission to land shortly before the aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain near the town of Keciborlu, about 12km (7.5 miles) from the Isparta airport. All seven crew members and 50 passengers were killed.
   Description: Audio (MP3), Video (MP4, WMV, YouTube)
   Fatal Events Involving MD80 Series Aircraft
   Fatal Events Involving Atlasjet
   Fatal Events Involving MD80 Series Aircraft

Related Pages
Recent Fatal Events Worldwide
Recent U.S. Fatal Events
Fatal Events by Airline
Accidents by U.S. Airline
U.S. Airline Fleets
Fatal Events by Model
Fatal Event Rates by Model
Accidents by Model