The Most Recent Fatal or
Significant US Plane Crashes
The following are the most recent fatal or significant airliner events, listed with the most recent event first, that involved a U.S. carrier, or involving any air carrier flying to or from the U.S. In each event, at least one passenger was killed.. The numbered events include all of those involving either jet passenger flights and turboprop accidents involving models with more than 10 passengers seats where the aircraft involved are used in airline service in North America and western Europe, and where at least one passenger was killed. The passenger fatalities in the numbered events may be due to accidents, hijackings, sabotage, or military action. The events that are not numbered may or may not include fatalities, and are included because they meet the criteria of a significant event as defined by AirSafe.com
- 12 February 2009; Continental Connection (Colgan Air) Dash 8 Q-400; near Buffalo, NY: The aircraft, a scheduled flight from Newark, NJ and operated by Colgan Air, crashed in a residential area about five miles from the airport. At least one house on the ground was destroyed. All 44 passengers and four crew members were killed, along with one person on the ground.
Previous Continental Crashes
Wikipedia Entry About this EventListen to AirSafe.com's Initial Report on this Accident
Continental Connection Crash in Buffalo
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15 January 2009; US Airways A320-200, New York, NY: The aircraft was on a scheduled passenger flight from New York (LaGuardia) to Charlotte, NC The aircraft struck a flock of birds shortly after takeoff and experienced a loss of power to both engines. The crew was able to successfully ditch the aircraft in the Hudson River near midtown Manhattan. The aircraft reached an maximum altitude of about 3200 feet before it began to descend. After ditching, all five crew members and 150 passengers evacuated the aircraft. One passenger sustained serious injuries. This event is not numbered because it is considered a significant event as defined by AirSafe.com. The following pages have background information about the airline, the aircraft model, and other issues related to this crash:
Previous US Airways Crashes
Other Significant A320 Events
Bird Strike Hazards to Aircraft
Jet Airliner Ditching Events
Wikipedia Entry About this Event
Bird Strike Videos
Bird Strike Study from the AirSafe.com Foundation
Listen to AirSafe.com's Initial Report on this Accident
Crash of US Airways Flight 1549
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20 December 2008; Continental Airlines 737-500; Denver, CO: The aircraft, which was on a scheduled flight to Houston's Intercontinental Airport, departed the runway during takeoff and skidded across a taxiway and a service road before coming to rest in a ravine several hundred yards from the runway. The aircraft sustained significant damage, including a post crash fire, separation of one engine and separated and collapsed landing gear. There were about 38 injuries among the 110 passengers and five crew members, including two passengers who were seriously injured. Because this did not involve the death of an airline passenger, this is a significant event as defined by AirSafe.com.
Other Continental Events
Wikipedia Entry About this EventAirSafe.com's Update on the Accident Investigation
Continental Airlines Accident in Denver
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8 December 2008; USMC F/A-18D; Near San Diego, CA: A US Marine Corps F/A-18D jet based at the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station crashed during approach about two miles short of the runway. The pilot successfully ejected, but four people, two children, their mother, and grandmother were killed in one of the two houses destroyed by the jet. No one else on the ground was injured. More details are available on AirSafeNews.com.
Because this did not involve the death of an airline passenger, this is a significant event as defined by AirSafe.com.
Other Videos from This Crash
Other AirSafe.com Videos.
19 September 2008; Global Exec Aviation Learjet 60; Columbia, SC: Travis Barker, former drummer for the music group Blink-182, Adam Goldstein, more widely known as DJ AM, and two other passengers were in a Learjet 60 aircraft that was on a chartered flight from Columbia, South Carolina to Van Nuys airport in Los Angeles. The crash, which happened shortly before midnight, occurred during takeoff. The crew was unable to stop the aircraft before it departed the runway. The plane struck a series of antennas and lights, crashed through a fence, crossed a nearby highway, and came to rest on an embankment where it burst into flames. The crash and subsequent fire killed both flight crew members and two of the four passengers.
AirSafe.com Audio and Video Podcasts About this Event
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Initial AirSafe.com Report on this Event
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More Details on This Event
Other Celebrity Plane Crashes
12 January 2008; Senator Barack Obama; Gulfstream 2; Chicago, IL: United States Senator and presidential candidate Barack Obama was a passenger in a Gulfstream 2 aircraft that collided with another aircraft on the ground at Midway Airport in Chicago. Senator Obama, members of his campaign staff, and Secret Service agents had just flown in from Nevada, where he had been campaigning. The left wingtip of the Gulfstream hit the right wingtip if a parked and unoccupied Cessna 208 aircraft. The impact was so minor that no one on the plane noticed any damage until later. Additional Resources
Additional details about the event
Podcast About This Event
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Video Report on this Sen. Obama Incident
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11 October 2006; Cirrus SR-20; New York, NY: New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle and his flight instructor Tyler Stanger were killed when their aircraft crashed into a 50-story building on the upper east side of Manhattan. There were no fatalities on the ground. Because this event did not cause a passenger fatality on an airliner, it is not counted as a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com. This event is being treated as a major accident investigation by the NTSB, which is unusual for events involving a single private aircraft. It is likely that this treatment is due to the ongoing security concerns surrounding aircraft crashes into buildings in large U.S. cities.
More Details on the Lidle Accident
Celebrity Plane Crashes - 27 August 2006; Delta Connection (Comair) CRJ-100; Lexington, KY:
The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Lexington, KY to Atlanta, GA.
The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, about one half mile (800 m) from the end of the departure runway.
The event occurred shortly before sunrise, and there was no reported precipitation at the time of the event.
The aircraft took off on a shorter runway that is typically used by smaller private aircraft rather than the airport's main runway.
Two of the three crew members and all 47 passengers were killed.
Fatal events involving Delta Airlines
Fatal events Canadair CRJ aircraft
Fatal events with a sole survivor - 19 December 2005; Chalk's Ocean Airways Grumman G-73T Mallard; Miami, FL:
The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from Miami to the island of Bimini in the Bahamas.
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft experienced an apparent structural failure that resulted in the right wing separating from the aircraft.
The aircraft crashed into Biscayne Bay just off Miami Beach.
Both crew members and all 18 passengers, including three infants,were killed.8 December 2005; Southwest Airlines 737-700; Chicago, IL: The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from Baltimore to Chicago's Midway Airport. After landing, the crew was unable to stop the aircraft on the runway, going off the runway, through the airport's barrier fence and onto a nearby street. At some point during this event, the nose wheel collapsed. The aircraft struck at least two vehicles, with the impact causing fatal injuries to a six year old boy who was a passenger in one of the vehicles. None of the five crew members or 95 passengers were seriously injured. This was the first serious accident involving the 737-700. Because this event did not cause a passenger fatality, it is not counted as a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
7 December 2005; American Airlines 757; Miami, Fl: The aircraft had arrived from Medellin, Colombia, and was on a roughly two hour stopover in Miami before continuing to Orlando. It is alleged that one of the passengers, a 44-year old U.S. citizen, claimed to have a bomb in his carry on luggage. Air marshals confronted the man on the jetway and shot him after he appeared to reach into his bag. The man died sometime later as a result of his wounds. No explosive was found in the bag. It was reported that this passenger had previously arrived in Miami on an American flight from Quito, Ecuador and had cleared U.S. customs before boarding the Orlando flight. No one else was injured in this event. This is the first time sine 9/11 that air marshals have fired a weapon on or near an aircraft. Because this passenger death was due at least in part to the deliberate actions of that passenger, this does not constitute a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
Fatal 757 Events21 September 2005; JetBlue Airways A320-200; Los Angeles, CA:
Shortly after takeoff on a domestic scheduled flight from Burbank, CA to New York, the crew became aware of a problem with the front landing gear. The wheels on the landing gear were locked in an incorrect position, leading the crew to divert to Los Angeles for an emergency landing. The landing, broadcast live by CNN and many other television networks, was visually spectacular but did not result in any serious damage to the aircraft. There were no injuries among the 140 passengers and six crew members.This event was not considered an accident by either the FAA or NTSB and is in fact an airliner landing on a malfunctioning landing gear occurs several times a year around the world. This event was considered to be a significant event by AirSafe.com because of the extraordinary media attention paid to the event both during the emergency and in the days following. One reason for the interest was the fact that many of the passengers were able to view live images of their aircraft until shortly before landing.
Fatal Airbus A320 Events18 March 2005; American Airlines 767; en route from Los Angeles to New York JFK: The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from Los Angeles to JFK airport in New York when a passenger allegedly assaulted a flight attendant. The 48 year old passenger was then restrained by the cabin crew using flexible handcuffs. Reportedly, seven passengers also helped to restrain the passenger during the latter stages of the flight. At some point, the passenger had difficulty breathing. After landing at JFK, the unconscious passenger was then taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The New York City medical examiner's office later ruled the death an accident that was caused acute cocaine and alcohol intoxication, which was aggravated by heart trouble. No other crew members or passengers were seriously injured or killed. Because this passenger death was due at least in part to the deliberate actions of that passenger, this does not constitute a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
28 November 2004; Canadair Challenger; Montrose, CO : The aircraft was on an unscheduled domestic flight from Montrose, CO to South Bend, IN. The aircraft crashed during takeoff, reportedly skidded sideways off the runway, going through a fence before hitting a roadway and catching fire. The force of the crash separated the cockpit from the rest of the fuselage. There was light snow and mist reported at the time of the accident. Two of the three crew members and one of the three passengers passengers were killed
Dick Ebersol, president of NBC Sports and the husband of actress Susan Saint James, was seriously injured in the crash. Among the fatalities was the couple's 14-year old son. Reportedly at the time of the crash, misty rain and sleet were falling after a snowstorm and the runway had about a quarter inch of ice and slush. Prior to the fatal flight, the pilot had reportedly declined to have the plane deiced. On the previous leg of the flight, the aircraft had transported Ebersol, Saint James, and two of their children from California to Montrose, CO. Saint James had left the aircraft at Montrose.
Details of the Ebersol Event - 19 October 2004; AmericanConnection (Corporate Airlines) BAe Jetstream 32; near Kirksville, MO:
The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from St. Louis to Kirksville when it crashed about four miles (6.4 km) south of the destination airport.
According to the National Weather Service, visibility was about four miles at the time of the crash, with low
clouds created a 300-foot ceiling.
Both crew members and 11 of the 13 passengers were killed.
Fatal American Airlines Events - 8 January 2003; US Airways Express Beech 1900; Charlotte, NC:
The aircraft crashed into a maintenance hanger at the airport shortly after it departed for a flight to Greenville, SC. Both pilots and all 19 passengers were killed in the crash. The aircraft was operated for US Airways Express by Air Midwest.
Fatal US Airways/US Airways Express Events
Fatal Beech 1900 Events
NTSB Accident Summary
NTSB Accident Report
Additional NTSB Background Information18 July 2002; U.S. Forest Service Consolidated-Vultee P4Y; near Estes Park, CO: The aircraft, which was maneuvering to deliver fire retardant on the Big Elk wildfire northwest of Lyons, Colorado, lost control and crashed after the left wing separated in flight. The airplane had flown seven previous air attack missions on the fire that day. Prior to the accident mission, the airplane was loaded with approximately 2,000 gallons of fire retardant, and 550 gallons of fuel. The wings of the aircraft separated from the fuselage near the wing roots just as the crew was finishing dumping its load of fire retardant. According to a pilot in a following aircraft, there was a fire near the fuselage as the wing failed inboard of the number two engine. At the time of the accident, there was no turbulence in the area and Both flight crew members were killed in the crash.
NTSB investigation update of 24 September 2002
Accident information from the NTSB
Fatal PBY event from 1984
Fatal PBY event from 198517 June 2002; U.S. Forest Service C130A; near Walker, CA: The aircraft, which was being used in a fire-fighting role, broke apart in flight while executing a fire retardant delivery near Walker, California. The wings of the aircraft separated from the fuselage near the wing roots just as the crew was finishing dumping its load of fire retardant. A fire ignited in the area of the separated wings as the fuselage plunged into the ground. The three flight crew members were fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. This aircraft, which had been originally manufactured in 1957, is a former U.S. Air Force aircraft that entered civilian service in 1988. The aircraft over 20,000 flight hours.
NTSB investigation update of 24 September 2002
Accident information from the NTSB
Fire fighting C130A wing separation event from 2000 (France)
Fire fighting C130A wing separation event from 1994 (U.S.)
Photo of aircraft after wing separation, plus related data
Earlier photo of accident aircraft - 12 November 2001; American Airlines A300; Queens, New York:
The aircraft was on a flight from New York to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic when it crashed into a residential neighborhood just outside JFK airport.
The aircraft experienced an in-flight breakup, with the vertical fin and one engine landing away from the main impact site.
The crash damaged or destroyed several homes, and killed five people on the ground.
All nine crew members and 251 passengers, including five infants, on the aircraft were killed.
Fatal A300 Events
Fatal American Airlines Events
Accident Investigation Details - 11 September 2001; American Airlines 767 (Flight 11); World Trade Center, New York:
The aircraft was on a flight from Boston to Los Angeles when it was hijacked and flown into one of the World Trade Center Towers.
Another jet, a United Airlines 767, was hijacked and crashed into the other tower.
Both towers later collapsed.
All 11 crew members, 76 passengers, and five hijackers were killed, as were untold numbers of people on the ground.
Fatal American Airlines Events
Fatal 767 Events
Attack on New York and Washington - 11 September 2001; United Airlines 767 (Flight 175); World Trade Center, New York:
The aircraft was on a flight from Boston to Los Angeles when it was hijacked and flown into one of the World Trade Center Towers.
Another jet, an American Airlines 767, was hijacked and crashed into the other tower.
Both towers later collapsed.
All nine crew members, 51 passengers, and five hijackers were killed, as were untold numbers of people on the ground.
Fatal United Airlines Events
Fatal 767 Events
Attack on New York and Washington - 11 September 2001; American Airlines 757 (Flight 77); The Pentagon, Arlington, VA:
The aircraft was on a flight from Dulles to Los Angeles when it was hijacked and flown into the Pentagon, collapsing part of the structure.
All six crew members, 53 passengers, and five hijackers were killed.
Fatal American Airlines Events
Fatal 757 Events
Attack on New York and Washington - 11 September 2001; United Airlines 757 (Flight 93); near Pittsburgh, PA:
The aircraft was on a flight from Newark to San Francisco when it was hijacked.
However, the aircraft crashed outside Pittsburgh.
All seven crew members, 34 passengers, and four hijackers were killed.
Fatal American Airlines Events
Fatal 757 Events
Attack on New York and Washington29 March 2001; Airborne Charter Gulfstream III; Aspen CO: The private jet was approaching Aspen's Sardy Field after a flight from Los Angeles, CA when it crashed near the airport. There was light snow and fog in the area at the time of the crash and the aircraft was executing an instrument approach at about 7 p.m local time. All three crew members and 15 passengers were killed. Airborne Charter is owned by Cinergi Pictures Entertainment. Cinergi credits include films such as "Die Hard with a Vengence," "Tombstone," "Evita" and "Nixon."
This event did not involve an airline aircraft.
NTSB Accident Synopsis
NTSB Accident Report27 January 2001; Beechcraft King Air; near Denver, CO: Two Oklahoma State basketball players, an OSU basketball executive and five staffers and broadcasters associated with the program were killed when their plane crashed shortly after takeoff from the Jefferson County airport near Denver, CO. The two crew members were also killed. The charted aircraft was bound for Stillwater, Oklahoma when it took off during snowy conditions.
Sports Illustrated report of the accident
Fatal Aircraft Accidents Involving Athletes 31 October 2000; Singapore Airlines 747-400; Taipei, Taiwan:
The aircraft crashed and burned shortly after takeoff Tuesday night in Taipei on a scheduled flight bound for Los Angeles. The aircraft reportedly attempted to take off on a runway that was undergoing repairs and struck construction equipment on the runway. There was rain and wind in the area from an approaching typhoon at the time of the crash.
There were 78 fatalities among the 159 passengers and four fatalities among the 20 crew members on the aircraft.
Crash Details16 October 2000; Cessna 335; near St. Louis, MO: The governor of Missouri, Mel Carnahan, along with two others were apparently killed in the crash of a small private plane about 25 miles (40 km) south of St. Louis. The aircraft had departed from the St. Louis area about 7 p.m. local time and was transporting the governor to a campaign stop in New Madrid, Missouri. The accident occurred at about 7:30 p.m., shortly after the pilot had reported a problem with one of the aircraft's instruments. The accident occurred at night and there was rain and fog in the area.
NTSB accident report11 August 2000; Southwest Airlines 737; en route from Las Vegas, NV to Salt Lake City, UT: The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City when about 20 minutes before landing, a 19 year old passenger became belligerent and attempted to enter the cockpit. While being escorted back to his seat, the 19 year old attacked another passenger. A number of other passengers subdued him until the aircraft landed. After landing, the now unconscious passenger was removed from the aircraft and he died several hours later. The medical examiner found traces of drugs in the dead passenger's system, but listed the cause of death as suffocation. The death was classified as a homicide, but none of the passengers involved in the incident were charged with a crime. No other crew members or passengers were seriously injured or killed. Because this passenger death was due at least in part to the deliberate actions of that passenger, this does not constitute a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
- 25 July 2000; Air France Concorde near Paris, France:
The aircraft was on a charter flight from Charles de Gaulle airport near Paris to JFK airport in New York.
There was apparently a problem with at least one of the engines, either during takeoff or shortly after takeoff.
The aircraft caught fire and crashed into a hotel near the airport.
All 100 passengers and nine crew members were killed. Four people on the ground were also killed.
Related accident details
Air France fatal passenger events since 1970 - 21 May 2000; Executive Airlines BAe Jetstream 31; near Wilkes-Barre, PA: The aircraft crashed about eight miles (12.8 km) from the airport while maneuvering for its second landing attempt.
The second landing was attempted during a period of reduced visibility after a charter flight from Atlantic City, NJ.
Both crew members and all 17 passengers were killed.
NTSB accident report
Fatal Jetstream events
3 September 2010; United Parcel Service (UPS); 747-400F; flight 6; Dubai, United Arab Emirates: The aircraft was on an international cargo flight from Dubai, UAE to Colonge, Germany, and crashed shortly after takeoff about 10 km (6.2 mi) north of the airport. The two crew members were killed. The only previous fatal crash of a 747-400 was a 2000 crash of a Singapore Airlines in Taipei, Taiwan.
While this plane crash resulted in several fatalities, it is not a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com.
Other UPS plane crashes
Other 747 plane crashes
9 August 2010; de Havilland DHC-3T Otter; near Dillingham, AK: Former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens was one of five people killed when an turbine engine, float equipped Otter crashed into steep terrain during a flight from nearby Lake Nerka to a fishing lodge in the Dillingham, Alaska area. The pilot and four passengers, including Stevens, were killed, and four other passengers were injured. One of the survivors was former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe. Coincidentally, the pilot who was killed in this crash was the father-in-law of one of the C-17 pilots killed the previous month near Anchorage, AK.
This was not the first fatal plane crash in Alaska involving Senator Stevens. In December 1978, the Senator was one of two survivors of a fatal crash of a Learjet in Anchorage, Alaska. Both pilots and three other passengers, including the Senator's first wife, were killed in the crash.
Other crashes involving US political figures
28 July 2010; US Air Force; C-17; near Anchorage, AK: The aircraft had taken off from Elemendorf AFB near Anchorage, Alaska and crashed during a local training mission. The aircraft came down in a wooded area about two miles from the runway. All four on board were killed. The aircraft and crew were based at Elmendorf. This was the first fatal crash involving the USAF C-17, also known as the Globemaster III. In two previous incidents, a C-17 sustained engine damage after being struck by a surface to air missile in Iraq in 2003, and last year a C-17 had a gear up landing in Afghanistan.
20 July 2010; United Airlines; 777-200; flight 967; over Kansas: The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Washington, DC (IAD) to Los Angeles (LAX) when it diverted to Denver, CO (DIA) after apparently experiencing significant turbulence while flying at 34,000 feet over Kansas.
According to United, the aircraft had 255 passengers and 10 crew members. FAA spokesman Ian Gregor in Los Angeles said 26 passengers and four crew members were injured, and that one person was critically hurt, though no additional details were provided about the most seriously injured person. Local media reported that 21 people were transported to Denver area hospitals.
More deatails on this incident
16 June 2010; United Express; Embraer E145; flight 8050; Ottawa, Canada: United Express 8050, a nonstop flight from Washington's Dulles airport to Ottawa's Macdonald-Cartier airport, landed on runway 7, was unable to stop on the runway, coming to rest about 150 meters off the end of the runway. It was raining at the time of the accident.
One witness claimed that the aircraft was hydroplaning on the runway, and a second witness who was monitoring air traffic control communications reported that the pilot told the control tower he had no traction on the wet runway.
The nose landing gear appears to have collapsed, although the rest of the aircraft appears intact. There was no post crash fire. Both pilots and one passenger was injured. The other 32 passengers and the flight attendant were not injured.
More deatails on this accident
19 April 2010; Southwest Airlines 737-700; flight 649; Burbank, CA:
The airliner, with 119 passgengers and a crew of five on board, nearly collided with a Cessna 172 at Burbank Airport in California. Flight 649 was inbound from Oakland to the Burbank airport (also known as Bob Hope Airport) and was landing to the east on runway 8 while the Cessna 172 had just taken off to the south from runway 15, passing over the 737 at the intersection of the two runways. The two aircraft came within 200 feet vertically and 10 feet laterally of each other at the runway intersection. At the time of the event, skies were clear with 10 miles of visibility. No one on either aircraft was injured and neither aircraft was damaged.
Fatal midair collisions
AirSafeNews.com report of this event
25 December 2009; Northwest Airlines A330-300 (N820NW); Flight 253; near Detroit, MI: A passenger on a Northwest Airlines A330-300(N820NW) apparently attempted to detonate an explosive device while the aircraft was approaching Detroit. Flight 253 was an international flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, and early reports are that a passenger, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23-year-old Nigerian national, allegedly had the device strapped to one of his legs, and that the device was triggered during descent (about 20 minutes before landing) and started a small fire. The flight, operated by Northwest Airlines using an Airbus 330-300 aircraft with 278 passengers and 11 crew members on board, landed safely, and the suspect, the only person injured, was transported to a local hospital for treatment of serious burns.
This plane crash resulted in no fatalities, and is not a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com, but is included because of the seriousness of the event.
Other Northwest Airlines plane crashes and serious incidents
Other A330 crashes and serious incidents
Wikipedia page on this accident
22 December 2009; American Airlines 737-800 (N977AN); Flight 331; Kingston, Jamaica:The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from Miami, FL to Kingston, Jamaica. The aircraft landed during a rainstorm, and was unable to stop on the runway. After departing the runway, the aircraft went beyond the airport fence, and crossed a road before coming to rest on a beach. The landing gear collapsed, both engines separated from the wings, and there were two major breaks in the fuselage, but all 148 passengers and six crew members survived. The landing was carried out with a slight tail wind
This plane crash resulted in no fatalities, and is not a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com, but is included because of the seriousness of the event.
Additional Information about this event
Other American Airlines plane crashes
Other 737 crashes
Wikipedia page on this accident
8 August 2009; Eurocopter and Piper Saratoga, Hudson River, near New York City:A single-engine aircraft and a sightseeing helicopter collided early Saturday afternoon over the Hudson River near Manhattan. Three people were aboard the single-engine Piper PA-32R-300 (N71MC), and the flight plan indicated the aircraft was heading from Teterboro Airport in Teaneck, New Jersey to Ocean City, New Jersey. The Saratoga took off from Teterboro shortly before noon local time. On board were a pilot and two passengers, including one child. The Liberty Harbor Sightseeing Tours helicopter, a Eurocopter AS350 (N401LH), took off from Pier 30 in Manhattan, near West 30th Street, and reportedly had one pilot and five Italian tourists on board. All nine occupants were killed.
Visit the AirSafe.com News for more information.
Fatal Midair Airline Crashes
Fatal Eurocopter AS350 Events
Fatal Piper Saratoga Events (PA-32R-300)
23 March 2009; FedEx Express (FedEx) MD-11F; near Tokyo, Japan: The aircraft was on a cargo flight from Guangzhou, China to Narita Airport near Tokyo, Japan. The aircraft bounced on landing, and contacted the runway a second time nose wheel first before rolling to the left, contacting the runway with its left stabilizer and wing, and catching fire. The aircraft ended up in an inverted position. Both crew members were killed. (Note: Event dates are determined by the date at the location of the event.)
This plane crash was a cargo flight, and resulted in no fatalities, and is not a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com, but is included because of the seriousness of the event.
Other FedEx Express Plane Crashes
Other MD-11 Plane Crashes
Watch or listen to the AirSafe.com report on this plane crash below:
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22 March 2009; Pilatus PC-12; Butte, Montana: The aircraft was on an unscheduled flight from Orville, CA to Bozeman, MT. The pilot changed the flight plane to Butte, MT, and the aircraft crashed about 500 feet (150 meters) from the airport. All 14 on board were killed, several of them children.
This plane crash involved a non-airline flight, and is not a fatal event as defined by AirSafe.com, but is included because of the seriousness of the event. According to the NTSB, there have been at least six previous fatal accidents in the US involving the Pilatus PC-12.
Fatal Events By Year
1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,
2001, 2002
2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Related Pages
Definitions of Key Terms Used by AirSafe.com
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