Air New Zealand ATR 72 ZK-MVL
A turbine blade fatigue failure caused an engine fire on low approach. The aircraft landed safely, but the evacuation exposed further hazards.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report
Causes
Inspection and quality control in airline accidents
Official investigators identified inspection and quality control in 9 of the incidents we cover, from 1974 to 2024. Each account explains how it arose in that case. A shared topic does not mean the same cause.
Last updated
| Date | Flight | Aircraft | Location | Fatalities | Report status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September 2024 | Air New Zealand ATR 72 ZK-MVL | ATR72-212A-600 | Wellington Airport, runway 34 | No fatalities or serious injuries established; report narrative describes minor evacuation injuries, while the data summary lists nil | LEVEL 3 Final report |
| 5 January 2024 | Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 | Boeing 737-9, a member of the 737 MAX family | Climb after departure from Portland International Airport | 0 | LEVEL 3 Final report |
| 17 April 2018 | Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 | Boeing 737-7H4 | Not stated | One fatality and eight minor injuries | LEVEL 3 Final report |
| 24 August 2001 | Air Transat Flight 236 | Airbus A330-243 | Lajes, Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal | 0 | LEVEL 3 Final report |
| 19 July 1989 | United Airlines Flight 232 | McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 | Sioux Gateway Airport, Sioux City, Iowa | 112 deaths overall; the report classifies 111 fatal | LEVEL 3 Final report |
| 28 April 1988 | Aloha Airlines Flight 243 | Boeing 737-297, in the 737-200 series | Near Maui; landing at Kahului Airport | One flight attendant lost in flight and presumed dead | LEVEL 3 Final report |
| 12 August 1985 | Japan Airlines Flight 123 | Boeing 747SR-100 | Mountainous terrain in Ueno, Gunma, Japan | 520 fatalities | LEVEL 3 Final report |
| 25 May 1979 | American Airlines Flight 191 | McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 | Open field and trailer park northwest of Chicago O'Hare runway 32R | 273: 271 aboard and two on the ground | LEVEL 3 Final report |
| 3 March 1974 | Turkish Airlines Flight 981 | McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 | Ermenonville forest, France | 346 fatalities | LEVEL 3 Final report |
Alaska Airlines Flight 1282
A missing set of securing bolts let a door plug move out of position. The crew returned to Portland with everyone alive.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report
Southwest Airlines Flight 1380
A fractured fan blade triggered structural damage, a cabin window loss and an emergency diversion.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report
Air Transat Flight 236
A maintenance-induced fuel leak emptied an A330 over the Atlantic. The crew glided to Lajes, where all 306 occupants survived.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report
United Airlines Flight 232
An engine fragment disabled all three hydraulic systems, leaving thrust as the crew's main control tool.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report
Aloha Airlines Flight 243
A large section of the upper fuselage separated during an interisland flight. The crew landed the damaged aircraft, while the investigation exposed failures in structural inspection and oversight.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report
Japan Airlines Flight 123
An improperly repaired pressure bulkhead failed in flight, damaging the tail and all four hydraulic systems. The crew struggled with severe oscillations before the aircraft struck mountainous terrain.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report
American Airlines Flight 191
Maintenance damage led to engine-pylon separation, slat retraction and lost warnings during takeoff, leaving the crew without an adequate chance to prevent an asymmetric stall.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report
Turkish Airlines Flight 981
A cargo door that appeared secured opened during climb. Rapid depressurisation collapsed the cabin floor and disabled controls routed beneath it, leaving the crew unable to recover.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report