Midair collisions, though rare, have led to some of the most tragic and impactful events in aviation history, leaving lasting effects on the industry and igniting crucial safety changes. Despite advancements in air traffic control and aircraft technology, these disasters still serve as grim reminders of the risks in the sky.
One of the most recent tragedies occurred Wednesday, when a commercial airplane collided with an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport, killing 67 people. Experts have described this crash as the worst on U.S. soil since the late 1980s. Nicholas Wilson, a professor at the University of North Dakota, explained that the rarity of these events, paired with their immediate and devastating consequences, makes them especially shocking.
These midair disasters have often spurred major reforms. The 1986 Aeroméxico Flight 498 disaster over Los Angeles, in which 82 people died, was one such event. A private Piper aircraft entered controlled airspace without clearance, colliding with the commercial airliner. In response, the FAA mandated the installation of traffic collision avoidance systems (TCAS) on commercial planes, helping prevent future tragedies by alerting pilots of nearby aircraft.
The 2002 collision between Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937 and DHL Flight 611 near the German-Swiss border further highlighted the importance of following TCAS warnings. Despite the system’s guidance, the Bashkirian crew ignored it, leading to a deadly crash that killed 71 people. The crash prompted revisions to TCAS protocols to ensure clearer instructions and reinforced the need to prioritize these alerts over conflicting air traffic control instructions.
Another significant tragedy occurred over the Grand Canyon in 1956, when United Airlines Flight 718 collided with Trans World Airlines Flight 2, resulting in 128 fatalities. This event marked the first commercial midair collision with more than 100 deaths, prompting authorities to tighten air traffic control regulations.
Perhaps the most deadly aviation disaster occurred on the ground in Tenerife in 1977, when KLM Flight 4805 collided with Pan Am Flight 1736 on a crowded tarmac, killing 583 people. This event remains the deadliest in aviation history and underscored the critical importance of vigilance and communication in all phases of flight.
While these disasters have claimed lives, they have also been pivotal in reshaping aviation safety, ensuring that lessons learned from the past continue to save lives today.
