Atlas Air Flight 3591
An unintended go-around mode change during descent was followed by spatial disorientation, nose-down inputs and a fatal dive into Trinity Bay.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report
Causes
Loss of control in flight in airline accidents
Official investigators identified loss of control in flight in 5 of the incidents we cover, from 1994 to 2019. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 February 2019 | Atlas Air Flight 3591 | Boeing 767-375BCF | Trinity Bay, Texas; about 41 miles east-southeast of Houston airport | 3 occupants | LEVEL 3 Final report |
| 19 March 2016 | flydubai Flight 981 | Boeing 737-8KN | Runway 22 at Rostov-on-Don airport, Russia | 62: 55 passengers and 7 crew; 0 on the ground | LEVEL 3 Final report |
| 21 October 2009 | Sharjah B707 ST-AKW | Boeing 707-330C | 1.6 km beyond the end of runway 30, Sharjah International Airport | 6 | LEVEL 3 Final report |
| 31 October 1999 | EgyptAir Flight 990 | Boeing 767-366ER | Atlantic Ocean, about 60 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts | 217 | LEVEL 3 Final report |
| 8 September 1994 | USAir Flight 427 | Boeing 737-3B7 (737-300) | Near Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, about 6 miles northwest of Pittsburgh International Airport | 132: all 127 passengers and 5 crew; 0 on the ground | LEVEL 3 Final report |
flydubai Flight 981
A second go-around at Rostov-on-Don developed into a loss of control after maximum thrust, configuration changes and prolonged nose-down trim. All 62 occupants died.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report
Sharjah B707 ST-AKW
Engine cowls separated and a pressure-sensing line broke. The crew reported engine loss before the Boeing 707 entered a steep turn and stalled.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report
EgyptAir Flight 990
A Boeing 767 descended from cruise, climbed again and struck the Atlantic. The NTSB attributed the accident to pilot inputs; ECAA disputed its findings.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report
USAir Flight 427
A rudder reversal sent a Boeing 737 into an uncontrollable left roll during its approach to Pittsburgh.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report