The Most Tragic Plane Crashes in History

By John Harrington Published Sep 3, 12:20PM EDT

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The Most Tragic Plane Crashes in History — © Bill Larkins / Wikimedia Commons

A total of 176 people died during air travel in 2021, the most recent year of data available from the Aviation Safety Network. That figure is the third-lowest total of deaths on commercial airlines in the history of modern airliners. While that figure is higher than the 137 in 2020 and the 59 in 2017, it is still a tremendous improvement from earlier decades. Between 1958 and 1980, at least 1,000 people died in crashes every year, including a staggering 2,389 in 1972. Clearly, air safety has improved dramatically, and while crashes can sometimes occur, most of the worst flight catastrophes occurred in the 20th century.

To find the worst airplane accidents ever, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the Aviation Safety Network’s database on collisions and accidents. These accidents were ranked by the number of fatalities. All other data comes from the Aviation Safety Network’s database.

There are many causes of plane crashes, including miscommunication, loss of flight control, pilot error, physical deterioration of the aircraft, and failure to maintain flight path. The reason for the deadliest plane crashes in history was communication breakdown that resulted in a collision between two jetliners.

In 1977, two Boeing 747s operated by Pan Am and KLM collided after not receiving proper clearance at Tenerife-Los Rodeos International Airport on the Spanish island of Tenerife. A total of 583 people were killed, the worst tragedy in aviation history. (Also see, these are America’s 26 worst airports.)

A collision in 1996 between an Ilyushin jet operated by Kazakhstan Airlines and a Boeing 747 operated by Saudi Arabian Airlines en route to Delhi in India claimed the lives of 349 people.

The worst tragedy involving a single airplane was that of a Boeing 747 operated by Japan Air Lines, which crashed in Japan in 1985. It was determined that the accident was caused by deterioration of flying quality and loss of primary flight control functions because of rupture of the aft pressure bulkhead of the aircraft. That rapture occurred because of fatigue cracks. (Air travel has other dangers. Here are U.S. airports polluting the air with dangerous toxins.)

Click here to see the deadliest plane crashes in history.

30. Aeroflot, Uzbekistan Flight CCCP-85311
> Fatalities: 200
> Aircraft: Tupolev Tu-154B-2
> Date: July 10, 1985
> Location: Uzbekistan

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29. Air-India Flight VT-EBD
> Fatalities: 213
> Aircraft: Boeing 747-237B
> Date: Jan 1, 1978
> Location: India

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28. EgyptAir Flight SU-GAP
> Fatalities: 217
> Aircraft: Boeing 767-366ER
> Date: Oct. 31, 1999
> Location: Atlantic Ocean

27. Lauda Air Flight OE-LAV
> Fatalities: 223
> Aircraft: Boeing 767-3Z9ER
> Date: May 26, 1991
> Location: Thailand

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26. Metrojet Flight EI-ETJ
> Fatalities: 224
> Aircraft: Airbus A321-231
> Date: Oct. 31, 2015
> Location: Egypt

25. China Airlines Flight B-18255
> Fatalities: 225
> Aircraft: Boeing 747-209B
> Date: May 25, 2002
> Location: Pacific Ocean

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24. Korean Air Flight HL7468
> Fatalities: 228 (tied)
> Aircraft: Boeing 747-3B5
> Date: Aug. 6, 1997
> Location: Guam

[recirclink id=1173838]

23. Air France Flight F-GZCP
> Fatalities: 228 (tied)
> Aircraft: Airbus A330-203
> Date: June 1, 2009
> Location: Atlantic Ocean

22. Swissair Flight HB-IWF
> Fatalities: 229
> Aircraft: MD-11
> Date: Sept. 2, 1998
> Location: Canada

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21. TWA Flight N93119
> Fatalities: 230
> Aircraft: Boeing 747-131
> Date: July 17, 1996
> Location: United States

20. Garuda Flight PK-GAI
> Fatalities: 234
> Aircraft: Airbus A300B4-220
> Date: Sept. 26, 1997
> Location: Indonesia

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19. Malaysia Airlines Flight 9M-MRO
> Fatalities: 239
> Aircraft: Boeing 777-2H6ER
> Date: Mar 8, 2014
> Location: Indian Ocean

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18. Arrow Air Flight N950JW
> Fatalities: 256
> Aircraft: DC-8-63CF
> Date: Dec. 12, 1985
> Location: Canada

17. Air New Zealand Flight ZK-NZP
> Fatalities: 257 (tied)
> Aircraft: DC-10-30
> Date: Nov. 28, 1979
> Location: Antarctica

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16. Algerian AF Flight 7T-WIV
> Fatalities: 257 (tied)
> Aircraft: Ilyushin Il-76TD
> Date: April 11, 2018
> Location: Algeria

15. Pan Am Flight N739PA
> Fatalities: 259
> Aircraft: Boeing 747-121A
> Date: Dec. 21, 1988
> Location: United Kingdom

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14. American Airlines Flight N14053
> Fatalities: 260
> Aircraft: Airbus A300B4-605R
> Date: Nov. 12, 2001
> Location: United States

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13. Nationair, op.for Nigeria Airways Flight C-GMXQ
> Fatalities: 261
> Aircraft: DC-8-61
> Date: July 11, 1991
> Location: Saudi Arabia

12. China Airlines Flight B-1816
> Fatalities: 264
> Aircraft: Airbus A300B4-622R
> Date: April 26, 1994
> Location: Japan

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11. KAL Flight HL7442
> Fatalities: 269
> Aircraft: Boeing 747-230B
> Date: Sept. 1, 1983
> Location: Pacific Ocean

10. American Airlines Flight N110AA
> Fatalities: 271
> Aircraft: DC-10-10
> Date: May 25, 1979
> Location: United States

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9. Iranian Revolutionary Guard Flight 15-2280
> Fatalities: 275
> Aircraft: Ilyushin Il-76MD
> Date: Feb. 19, 2003
> Location: Iran

[recirclink id=1181493]

8. Iran Air Flight EP-IBU
> Fatalities: 290
> Aircraft: Airbus A300B2-203
> Date: July 3, 1988
> Location: Iran

7. Malaysia Airlines Flight 9M-MRD
> Fatalities: 298
> Aircraft: Boeing 777-2H6ER
> Date: July 17, 2014
> Location: Ukraine

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6. Saudi Arabian Flight HZ-AHK
> Fatalities: 301
> Aircraft: Lockheed L-1011 TriStar 200
> Date: Aug. 19, 1980
> Location: Saudi Arabia

5. Air-India Flight VT-EFO
> Fatalities: 329
> Aircraft: Boeing 747-237B
> Date: June 23, 1985
> Location: Atlantic Ocean

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4. THY Flight TC-JAV
> Fatalities: 346
> Aircraft: DC-10-10
> Date: Mar 3, 1974
> Location: France

[recirclink id=1175549]

3. Saudi Arabian Flight HZ-AIH & Kazakhstan Airlines Flight UN-76435
> Fatalities: 349
> Aircraft: Boeing 747-168B & Ilyushin Il-76TD
> Date: Nov. 12, 1996
> Location: India

2. JAL Flight JA8119
> Fatalities: 520
> Aircraft: Boeing 747SR-46
> Date: Aug. 12, 1985
> Location: Japan

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1. KLM Flight PH-BUF & Pan Am Flight N736PA
> Fatalities: 583
> Aircraft: Boeing 747-206B & Boeing 747-121
> Date: Mar 27, 1977
> Location: Spain

About the Author John Harrington →

I'm a journalist who started my career as a sportswriter, covering professional, college, and high school sports. I pivoted into business news, working for the biggest newspapers in New Jersey, including The Record, Star-Ledger and Asbury Park Press. I was an editor at the weekly publication Crain’s New York Business and served on several editorial teams at Bloomberg News. I’ve been a part of 24/7 Wall St. since 2017, writing about politics, history, sports, health, the environment, finance, culture, breaking news, and current events. I'm a graduate of Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.