When aviation goes wrong, it leaves a mark on the world. These are the moments that changed flight safety forever — moments that grounded giants and rewrote the rules.
A recent string of fatal aircraft crashes has many of us watching the skies with nervous eyes.
In the most recent incident, three people were killed when a plane crashed in Boca Raton, Florida, Friday.
A day earlier, a helicopter crashed into New York City’s Hudson River, killing six.
In March, a plane crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood, killing everyone on board as well as someone on the ground.
And in January, an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an airliner outside D.C.’s Reagan National Airport over the Potomac River. Everyone aboard both aircraft — 67 people — were killed, marking it as the deadliest U.S. air disaster in nearly 24 years.
According to National Transportation Safety Board data, there have been 153 aircraft accidents since the start of 2025. Not all have been fatal, though one would be forgiven for wondering just how safe air travel is right now.
But what are the deadliest air disasters in history? We’ll start with the U.S. and then look globally.
American Airlines Flight 191 (1979)
- Location: Chicago, Illinois
- Fatalities: 273
Moments after takeoff, the left engine separated from the DC-10’s wing, tearing through vital hydraulic lines. The aircraft rolled and crashed within seconds—marking the worst aviation disaster on U.S. soil.
American Airlines Flight 587 (2001)
- Location: Queens, New York
- Fatalities: 265
The co-pilot’s aggressive rudder inputs in response to turbulence tore the vertical stabilizer clean off the Airbus A300. The plane spiraled down into a residential neighborhood minutes after departure.
Pan Am Flight 103 (1988)
- Location: Lockerbie, Scotland
- Fatalities: 270 (including 190 Americans)
A terrorist bomb hidden in a suitcase brought down the Boeing 747 at cruising altitude, scattering wreckage across the town of Lockerbie. It redefined international aviation security.
Colgan Air Flight 3407 (2009)
- Location: Near Buffalo, New York
- Fatalities: 50
Pilot fatigue and error caused the Q400 to stall during approach. It crashed into a home, killing all onboard. This tragedy led to sweeping reforms in regional airline training standards.
Tenerife Airport Disaster (1977)
- Location: Tenerife, Canary Islands
- Fatalities: 583
Two Boeing 747s — KLM Flight 4805 and Pan Am Flight 1736 — collided on the runway in heavy fog. Miscommunication, radio interference, and a premature takeoff order led to this catastrophic event. It’s still the deadliest accident in aviation history.
Japan Airlines Flight 123 (1985)
- Location: Mount Takamagahara, Japan
- Fatalities: 520
After a faulty repair job years earlier, the rear pressure bulkhead failed mid-flight, leading to a total loss of hydraulic control. The crew fought for 32 minutes before crashing into a mountain.
Charkhi Dadri Mid-Air Collision (1996)
- Location: Near New Delhi, India
- Fatalities: 349
A Saudi Boeing 747 and a Kazakhstan Airlines Il-76 collided due to altitude mismanagement and language barriers in a poorly controlled airspace. It remains the deadliest mid-air collision in history.
Turkish Airlines Flight 981 (1974)
- Location: Ermenonville Forest, France
- Fatalities: 346
A design flaw in the cargo door of a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 caused explosive decompression and loss of control. Investigators had warned about the issue — but the warnings weren’t followed through.
Saudia Flight 163 (1980)
- Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Fatalities: 301
After a fire broke out in the cargo hold, the plane landed safely — but evacuation was delayed. Everyone aboard died of smoke inhalation before escape doors were opened.
