Country
Crash of a Boeing 737-2P5 off Phuket: 83 killed
Date & Time:
Aug 31, 1987 at 1536 LT
Operator:
Registration:
HS-TBC
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hat Yai - Phuket
MSN:
22267
YOM:
1980
Flight number:
TG365
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
74
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
83
Captain / Total hours on type:
5576.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
156
Aircraft flight hours:
16963
Aircraft flight cycles:
20864
Circumstances:
Thai Airways Flight 365 was approaching Phuket VOR/DME on radial 119 after a flight from Hat Yai. At the same time Dragon Air Flight 203 (a Boeing 737 registered VR-HYL, carrying 62 occupants) also approached Phuket VOR/DME on radial 090. At 08:34 UTC Dragonair 203 reported at 2500 feet with Thai 365 in sight in front of them. The Thai Boeing was flying at 3000 feet at the time, and was 13 miles from Phuket VOR/DME. Dragonair 203, first priority in approach sequence, then turned right at 12 DME and was going to turn inbound for finals for runway 27. The Thai crew surmised that the other crew were making a false position report to gain landing priority and reported hurriedly that they were at 8 DME inbound and requested visual approach, though they hadn't reached 8 DME yet. This forced Phuket Approach to give Thai 365 landing priority at 08:35. The Dragonair crew (flying IFR) immediately warned that the Thai plane couldn't descend through their flight level. Concentrating on the conflicting traffic the speed decayed to 163 knots until the stick shaker activated. The Thai crew then applied power and raised the landing gear, but the aircraft entered a stall crashed into the sea, disintegrating on impact. All 83 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot slowed the aircraft and it stalled while the pilot prepared to be number one on landing as advised by Phuket approach control. It appears that he was worrying and not sure whether he could make number one landing because the pilot if number two aircraft in sequence gave warning that the number one aircraft ahead was above him and could not descend passing through his level. The pilot added power and raised the gear after stick shaker activated but didn't execute a recovery before hitting the sea.
Crash of a Boeing 737-2A1 in Calama: 1 killed
Date & Time:
Aug 4, 1987
Operator:
Registration:
CC-CHJ
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Antofagasta - Calama
MSN:
22602/711
YOM:
1980
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The first 880 meters of runway 27 at Calama Airport were closed due to repavement. Thus, a notam was published with a displaced threshold. The pilot was facing the sun when approaching Calama Airport and landed 520 meters short of the displaced threshold. The aircraft struck various materials when the nose gear collapsed. The aircraft slid on its nose for few hundred meters before coming to rest on the runway, broken in two. A passenger died while all other occupants were rescued. The aircraft caught fire after 30 minutes and was destroyed.
Crash of a Boeing 737-270C in Arar: 63 killed
Date & Time:
Dec 25, 1986 at 1230 LT
Operator:
Registration:
YI-AGJ
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Baghdad - Amman
MSN:
21183
YOM:
1976
Flight number:
IA163
Crew on board:
15
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
91
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
63
Circumstances:
About 50 minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 26,000 in the Saudi Arabian airspace, four hijackers went into the cockpit and forced the crew to divert to Tehran. In a certain confusion, a first grenade exploded in the cabin and the crew elected to divert to Arar for an emergency landing when a second grenade exploded in the cockpit. On final approach, out of control, the airplane crashed 800 meters short of runway, bursting into flames. 43 occupants were injured while 63 others were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Crashed on final after being hijacked.
Crash of a Boeing 737-222 in Charlotte
Date & Time:
Oct 25, 1986 at 2008 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N752N
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Newark - Charlotte - Myrtle Beach
MSN:
19073
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
PI467
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
114
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
2500.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
500
Aircraft flight hours:
41714
Aircraft flight cycles:
59033
Circumstances:
During arrival, Piedmont flight 467 was vectored for an ILS runway 36R approach. At 2001 cdt (approximately 7 minutes before landing), all arriving flights were advised the weather was (in part): 400 feet overcast, visibility 2 miles with light rain and fog, wind from 090° at 8 knots. Runway 05/32 was out of-svc at that time. Flight 467 was vectored for right turns (from north and west) onto final approach. At 2002:42, the ATC final controller told another flight (same frequency) that there was a 20 to 25 knots right crosswind on final approach. When flight 467 was cleared for landing at 2005:36, the surface wind was reported from 100° at 4 knots. The aircraft was not configured for landing until just before touchdown and the copilot did not alert the captain of the deviation. The aircraft landed approximately 3,200 feet from the threshold and the captain was unable to stop on the wet runway. After departing the runway, the aircraft hit an ILS antenna and a culvert, then went thru a fence and stopped beside railroad tracks. Reportedly, the captain added 20 knots to approach speed for possible wind shear and delayed spoiler option after touchdown. There was evidence of hydroplaning and poor frictional quality on last 1,500 feet of runway. Three passengers received back injuries; both pilots and one flight attendant had minor injuries.
Probable cause:
The captain's failure to stabilize the approach and his failure to discontinue the approach to a landing that was conducted at an excessive speed beyond the normal touchdown point on a wet runway. Contributing to the accident was the captain's failure to optimally use the airplane decelerative devices. Also contributing to the accident was the lack of effective crew coordination during the approach. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the poor frictional quality of the last 1,500 feet of the runway and the obstruction presented by a concrete culvert located 318 feet beyond the departure end of the runway.
Final Report:
Ground explosion of a Boeing 737-286 in Shiraz: 3 killed
Date & Time:
Oct 15, 1986 at 1700 LT
Operator:
Registration:
EP-IRG
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Shiraz - Tehran
MSN:
20499
YOM:
1971
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
75
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft was taxiing and preparing for takeoff at Shiraz Airport when it was hit by an air-to-surface missile shot by the pilot of an Iraqi fighter who was attacking the airport. The B737 caught fire and was partially destroyed by fire. Three passengers were killed, 30 other occupants were injured and 47 unhurt.
Probable cause:
Destroyed by an air-to-ground missile.
Crash of a Boeing 737-281 off Magong: 13 killed
Date & Time:
Feb 16, 1986 at 1850 LT
Operator:
Registration:
B-1870
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kaohsiung - Magong
MSN:
20226
YOM:
1969
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
On final approach to Magong Airport by night, the crew apparently encountered problems with the nose gear. The captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure. Few minutes later, while climbing, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the sea. On March 10, the wreckage was found in a depth of 58 meters about 19 km north of the airport. All 13 occupants were killed.
Crash of a Boeing 737-2A1 in São Paulo: 1 killed
Date & Time:
Jan 28, 1986 at 0732 LT
Operator:
Registration:
PP-SME
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
São Paulo – Belo Horizonte
MSN:
20096
YOM:
1969
Flight number:
VP210
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
67
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew left the apron and taxied to the runway threshold for takeoff on a regular schedule service VP210 to Belo Horizonte. Due to foggy conditions, the visibility was nil and the crew mistakenly lined up on the 'threshold' of the taxiway instead of the runway. Unaware of the wrong position of the aircraft, the crew was cleared for takeoff by ATC and started the takeoff procedure. After few seconds, the captain realize the situation and initiated an emergency braking maneuver. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, struck an embankment and came to rest, broken in two. A passenger was killed, 20 other occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the crew to recognize that he was lined up on a taxiway and not the active runway. Poor visibility due to foggy conditions was a contributing factor.
