Ross F. Mann | May 6, 2025 | Miscellaneous
Hopping on a commercial flight remains one of the safest ways to travel. When you compare the miles traveled, statistics consistently show you’re far safer in a large passenger plane than you are driving your car.
Despite this impressive safety record built over decades, deadly aviation accidents do happen. And when they do, the scale of the event commands national attention due to the profound loss of life. Here’s a look at the five deadliest commercial airplane accidents to ever occur within the United States.
American Airlines Flight 191 — Chicago, 1979
The crash of American Airlines Flight 191 remains the deadliest single-aircraft accident on U.S. soil. On May 25, 1979, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 was just beginning its journey from Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Los Angeles. During takeoff roll, the left engine and its pylon assembly separated from and flipped over the top of the wing.
All 271 people onboard (258 passengers and 13 crew) and two individuals on the ground perished, totaling 273 fatalities. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation pointed to damage caused by improper engine maintenance procedures as the primary cause of the engine separation.
American Airlines Flight 587 — Queens, New York, 2001
Just two months after the 9/11 attacks, tragedy struck New York again. On November 12, 2001, American Airlines Flight 587, an Airbus A300, took off from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) bound for the Dominican Republic. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft encountered wake turbulence from a preceding Boeing 747.
The disaster claimed the lives of all 260 people on the plane (251 passengers and nine crew), as well as five people on the ground, making a total of 265 fatalities.
TWA Flight 800 — Off Long Island, New York, 1996
On the evening of July 17, 1996, Trans World Airlines Flight 800, a Boeing 747-100, departed JFK en route to Paris. About 12 minutes after takeoff, while climbing over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Long Island, the aircraft exploded and broke apart without warning.
All 230 people aboard (212 passengers and 18 crew) were killed. The extensive NTSB investigation, one of the longest and most complex in history, concluded that the probable cause was an explosion of the center wing fuel tank.
PSA Flight 182 — San Diego, 1978
A devastating mid-air collision occurred over San Diego, California, on September 25, 1978. Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182, a Boeing 727, was on final approach to San Diego International Airport when it collided with a private Cessna 172.
Both aircraft were destroyed instantly. The wreckage, including the falling 727, impacted a residential neighborhood below. The crash resulted in 144 total deaths: all 135 people on the PSA jet, the two occupants of the Cessna, and seven people on the ground.
Delta Air Lines Flight 191 — Dallas/Fort Worth, 1985
Weather played a deadly role in the crash of Delta Air Lines Flight 191 on August 2, 1985. The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar was approaching the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport during a thunderstorm.
While on final approach, the aircraft encountered a severe microburst — a powerful, localized downdraft associated with thunderstorms. Despite the crew’s efforts, the intense wind shear forced the plane to the ground short of the runway, where it struck a car on a nearby highway, hit two water tanks, and broke apart.
The accident killed 136 people (128 of the 152 passengers and 8 of the 11 crew members) and the driver of the car. One passenger initially survived but died from their injuries 34 days later.
Learning From Losses
These accidents represent some of the darkest moments in U.S. aviation history. Still, they are outliers. Commercial air travel is incredibly safe, but knowing the causes of the deadliest airplane accidents can help prevent similar tragedies from happening.
Contact the Lexington Personal Injury Lawyers of Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
If you were injured in an accident in Lexington, and need legal help, contact our personal injury attorneys at Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers, to schedule a free case review today.
We proudly serve Fayette County and the surrounding areas.
Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers – Lexington
501 Darby Creek Rd UNIT 48
Lexington, KY 40509
(859) 413-3900
