Note: this accident was previously featured in episode 43 of the plane crash series on June 30th, 2018, prior to the series’ arrival on Medium. This article is written without reference to and supersedes the original. In the spring of 1952, British aviation took a great leap forward when the…

On the 13th of October 2011, a de Havilland Canada DHC-8 on descent toward the coastal town of Madang in Papua New Guinea suffered a simultaneous and catastrophic failure of both engines. Without power and falling fast, the pilots had just minutes to find a place to land on a…

Note: this accident was previously featured in episode 42 of the plane crash series on June 23rd, 2018, prior to the series’ arrival on Medium. This article is written without reference to and supersedes the original. On the 29th of September 2006, a Boeing 737 operating for Brazilian low-cost carrier…

On the 23rd of August 2000, a Gulf Air Airbus A320 bound for Bahrain descended into the sea while attempting to execute a missed approach, killing all 143 people on board in a tragedy which shocked the tiny Persian Gulf nation. When the commission of inquiry retrieved the black boxes…

Note: this accident was previously featured in episode 9 of the plane crash series on November 4th, 2017, prior to the series’ arrival on Medium. This article is written without reference to and supersedes the original. On the 9th of May 1987, the worst air disaster in Polish history unfolded…

On the 6th of September 1971, a holiday charter flight to Spain went suddenly awry just moments after takeoff from Hamburg, Germany, when both engines failed at a height of only 700 feet. With seconds to decide where to land, the pilots lined up with the best runway they could…

Note: this accident was previously featured in episode 41 of the plane crash series on June 16th, 2018, prior to the series’ arrival on Medium. This article is written without reference to and supersedes the original. On the 31st of July 1992, a Thai Airways Airbus A310 on approach to…

On the 12th of February 1963, a Northwest Airlines Boeing 720 was climbing out of Miami, Florida, when it encountered severe turbulence over the Everglades. Minutes later, amid heavy rain and lightning, witnesses heard an explosion and saw a fireball descending from the clouds, plummeting at great speed into the…

Note: this accident was previously featured in episode 40 of the plane crash series on June 9th, 2018, prior to the series’ arrival on Medium. This article is written without reference to and supersedes the original. On the 24th of February 1989, a routine overnight flight to New Zealand suddenly…