Whenever we fly, there’s always a slight worry that the aircraft may crash. However, not all aircraft are created equal. Some are more dangerous than others. Here are the most dangerous aircraft models.
Whilst it’s highly unlikely that by flying on mainstream airlines, you will board one of these aircraft, it’s always good to stay vigilant!
13. Boeing 737-200
The current 737 MAX debacle has been a serious dampener on the 737 brand. But before the 737 MAX though, Boeing’s 737-200 was known as being one of Boeing’s most dangerous aircraft!
The 737-200 over its lifetime has been involved in 68 air accidents. This has led to 2910 fatalities and countless more injuries.
For most of these flights, the accidents came as they were attempting to land, which often went awry. This was often due to ice building up on vital sensors, thus giving the captain false readings.
As of March 2020,the only operators of the 737-200 are:
- Air Inuit
- Canadian North
- First Air
- Nolinor Air
- Xstrata Canada
- PAL Airlines
- AeroSucre
- Trans Air Congo
- Fiji Airways
- Rollins Air
- CityLine Hungary
- Blue Dart Aviation
- AirFast Indonesia
- Trigana Air Services
- Intra Asian Airlines
- Repulicair
- Pacific Pearl Airways
- Avior Airlines
- Venezolana
- Rutaca Airlines
- Air Zimbabwe
12. Douglas DC-6
After the success of the DC-3, the DC-6 was unveiled to the world. Initially supposed to be the replacement for the DC-3, that idea was scrapped at the end of WWII.
Instead of being the primary cargo aircraft of the newly formed USAF and RAF, it turned to commercial aviation. In fact, many airlines pounced at the DC-6, which was bigger, faster and more efficient than the DC-3.
However, the airliner frequently crashed (having done so 63 times in a relatively short time span). This was often due to over engine use or engine fatigue.
Due to this, the DC-6 got a reputation for being one of the most dangerous aircraft models and was thus abandoned. Today, very few airlines fly the aircraft commercially. However many airlines still operate it as a cargo aircraft!
11. CASA C-212
The C-212 is well known among European cargo pilots for being one of the most dangerous aircraft models they’ll ever fly in. A cargo pilot friend of mine calls them “Widowmakers” due to the number of crashes they’ve had.
In fact, the C-212 has been in 71 air accidents, with a huge 558 fatalities! Many cargo pilot refuse to fly these aircraftdue to this statistic, however, many still fly them.
As of 2020, no commercial airlines operate the aircraft, with only a handful of air forces and militaries operating the C-212.
10. Yakolev Yak-40
The Yak-40 was designed in the 1960s- at the same time that the Tu-154 was (more on that in a minute). The Yak-40 was intended as a regional jet or VIP transport to replace the noisy noisy propeller driven aircraft of the 1940’s.
The like the Yakolev company to alter the design of a propeller driven regional aircraft from the 1940’s. This altered design became the Yak-40, and due to the poor redesign, many of the aircraft crashed.
This was mostly due to the aircraft being of poor quality and the design of the aircraft being extremely inept for it its job. As a result, 122 Yak-40’s crashed with 842 fatalities!
Its current operators are:
- Air Kazakhstan
- Motor Sich Airlines
- Severstal Air Company
- Vologda Aviation Enterprise
9. LET L-410
Originally designed as a cargo aircraft in the same vain as the the CASA C-212, the L-410 soon became adopted as a regional airliner. Due to this extra demand, LET altered the design of the L-410 to make it easier for airlines.
By altering the design, LET accidentally exposed flaws in the design which caused the L-410 to crash several times. Indeed, the L-410 was involved in 116 air accidents with 426 fatalities.
The aircraft’s current operators are:
- Icar Air
- Aerocord
- SATENA
- Inter îles Air
- Silver Air
- Van Air Europe
- Air Guyane Express
- Vanilla Sky
- AerolÃneas Sosa
- CM Airlines
- Luwang Air
- Susi Air
- TransAviaBaltika
- Summit Air
- Sky Pasada
- Kazan Air Enterprise
- Khabarovsk Airlines
- Komiaviatrans
- KrasAvia
- Orenburzhye
- Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Air Enterprise
- 2nd Arkhangelsk United Aviation Division
- Solenta Aviation
- Air-Tec Africa
- Air Excel
8. McDonnell Douglas DC-9
The DC-9 (later known as the 717) is probably the most well known aircraft in this list. Indeed, many major airlines flew this aircraft well in to the 21st century. But the DC-9 is still known as one of the most dangerous aircraft modes ever built.
The DC-9 had a difficult issue with landing caused by a plethora of both pilot and manufacturing errors. This caused 276 air accidents with 3,697 fatalities.
Despite being one of the most dangerous aircraft models ever built, the DC-9/717 became an air icon that has been immortialied in countless films, TV shows and books.
As of 2020, only two airlines operate the DC-9 commercially, and two as cargo aircraft. Aeronaves TSM and Ameristar Charters operate them as commercial aircraft and USA Jet Airlines and Everts Air Cargo operate them as cargo aircraft.
7. BAC One-Eleven
The BAC One-Eleven was the second British jet airliner ever built (after the de Havilland Comet). Just like the Comet, the airliner was well received by many airlines, however was plagued with many teething issues.
Primarily, the issue was due to iced up sensors distorting readings due to the fact that jets fly higher than propeller aircraft. This cause 13 major crashes with 149 fatalities.
Whilst this may seem low, the aircraft only few a few thousand passengers, giving it a huge percentage of passengers flown to death ratio! As of March 2020, no airline flies the BAC One-Eleven.
6. Fokker F28
The F28 was originally meant as a regional jet that could fly routes that were operated by the now aging Vickers Viscount. Surprisingly… much of the design was inspired by both the BAC One-Eleven and the DC-9.
Due to taking inspiration from already flawed designs, the F28’s design was also flawed. These flaws ultimately caused 13 crashes, all of which were fatal.
Due to this, the F28 also got a reputation as being one of the most dangerous aircraft models to fly on. As a result, most operators pulled their F28’s from service.
Currently only one airline- Fly-SAX operates a fleet of F28’s… A whole one F28.
5. Douglas DC-8
Once, the DC-8 was one of the most common aircraft in our skies. On many routes, the aircraft competed with the much larger (and more famous!) 747. However, as of January 2020, only for remain in service, as cargo aircraft.
Since its introduction in 1959, the DC-8 has been involved in 146 air accidents with 2,256 fatalities! This has given it one of the highest fatality to crash ratios of any aircraft.
Many consider this to be one of the most dangerous aircraft models ever built!
4. Airbus A300
Despite being the first pan-European airliner and the instigator of many Airbus vs Boeing debates, the A300 was actually quite unsafe.
Over its lifetime, serving in both Europe and North America, the A300 crashed 75 times! This has resulted in 1,435 fatalities!
Today, 212 A300s remain in service. However, of that, many have been converted to cargo aircraft rather than staying as commercial aircraft. Of those commercial aircraft, their operators are:
- Afriqiyah Airways
- Egyptair
- Iran Air
- Iran Airtour
- Mahan Air
- Meraj Airlines
- Qeshm
- Solinair
- Sudan Airways
3. Tupolev Tu-154
The Tu-154 was built at the same time other tri engine jets were. Like many other Russian aircraft during the Cold War, they were taken from designs of American aircraft and altered slightly.
Usually this just made the aircraft less fuel efficient. But in the Tu-154’s case, this also made the aircraft one of the most dangerous aircraft models ever. This has resulted in 110 aircraft crashes, seven of which have been fatal.
Currently only two commercial airlines operate the Tu-154, alongside many Eastern European Air Forces. The only two airlines who operate the aircraft are Air Koryo and ALROSA.
2. Lockheed L-1011 TriStar
I personally love the L-1011 TriStar, which is why it pains me so much to add the airliner to this list. However, it wasn’t due to poor manufacturing or training that caused the L-1011 to be so deadly.
It was that the aircraft was too advanced for its time. For a 1960’s airliner, there was almost no need for a pilot. The L-1011 could land itself, fly itself and the only thing a pilot needed to do was take off!
This caused many crashes due mainly to the aircraft’s systems trying to take control from the pilot, and the pilot fighting back. Due to this, all L-1011’s have been grounded and are relegated to museums!
1. Airbus A320
The A320 is one of the most common airliners in our skies. Except the base aircraft is one of the most dangerous aircraft models ever produced!
The standard A320 has been involved in 119 accidents. The most famous of these being the US Airways Flight 1549, better known as the “Miracle on the Hudson”
And the worst part about this? British Airways and Air France still operate fleets of the A320-100. However, most of their original ones have since been replaced by newer variants.
Which are the most dangerous aircraft models in your opinion? Tell me in the comments!
Featured image courtesy of Eric Prado via Flickr.