Commercial Airline Crashes Linked to Pilot Actions
At least five commercial airline crashes across more than four decades are linked to deliberate actions by pilots, resulting in a total of 618 deaths, according to a Firstpost report cited by tbsnews.net. Official investigations have confirmed three of these catastrophic incidents, while two remaining cases stay disputed by international aviation authorities and national investigators.
Captains deliberately cause fatal commercial aircraft crashes
The captain deliberately pushed the McDonnell Douglas DC-8 toward the water, according to the official investigation. Other flight deck crew members attempted to counter his inputs, but the aircraft hit the shallow water, killing 24 of the 174 people on board.
The Embraer 190 entered a sustained descent before hitting the ground, killing all 33 people on board. An investigation subsequently concluded that the captain intentionally caused the crash.
Co-pilot initiates rapid descent in planned disaster
The co-pilot changed the Airbus A320’s autopilot settings to initiate a rapid descent and locked the cockpit door from the inside.
France’s Bureau of Investigation and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) concluded that the crash was a deliberate and planned act. All 150 people on board lost their lives in the impact.
Investigators dispute causes of major commercial airline disasters
Two other major commercial airline disasters involving suspected intentional pilot inputs remain officially disputed by investigators.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that the physical evidence was consistent with deliberate pilot control inputs. In contrast, Indonesian investigators stated they were unable to conclusively determine the exact cause of the crash.
Investigators disagree on causes of fatal aircraft descent
The NTSB concluded that repeated control inputs by the relief first officer caused the aircraft’s steep and fatal descent.
However, Egyptian investigators attributed the disaster to a mechanical malfunction involving the aircraft’s elevator control system. This fundamental disagreement leaves the root cause of the Atlantic crash officially disputed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pilot-Involved Crashes
Which commercial airline crash resulted in the highest death toll among these incidents?
EgyptAir Flight 990 resulted in the highest fatality count among the five listed crashes, with 217 people killed when the Boeing 767 went down in the Atlantic Ocean in 1999.
Which official agencies investigated Germanwings Flight 9525?
France’s Bureau of Investigation and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) led the official probe, concluding that the 2015 crash in the French Alps was a deliberate and planned act by the co-pilot.
Why is the cause of SilkAir Flight 185 officially disputed?
The US National Transportation Safety Board concluded the evidence pointed to deliberate pilot inputs, while Indonesian investigators stated they could not determine the cause after analyzing the 1997 crash.