The Airline with the Most Crashes

Since American Airlines was born in 1930 it has had the longest record of airline crashes to date. Despite American Airlines’ rough history, these incidents have led to significant changes in aviation safety, improving aviation for all. And making American Airlines one of the most safest airlines to travel with.

Flight 1420, Thunder Strikes All

This American Airlines flight commenced in 1999, with 139 passengers on board the MD-82. A severe thunderstorm during this time period made it difficult for pilots all over the skies to safely navigate their landings. The extreme weather conditions caused the MD-82 to overrun the runway during landing in Little Rock causing it to crash and set on fire, killing 11 people.

To prevent poor weather conditions from affecting landing American Airlines implemented new strategies:

• Ensured all pilots received training on how to make decisions during harsh landing conditions
• Implemented a Spoiler procedure ensuring spoilers are activated upon landing
• Developed Engine Pressure Ratio which limited the reverse thrust ensuring planes can be fully controlled during landing on wet surfaces

Flight 191, the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history

This American Airlines flight took place in 1979 with 271 people onboard the DC-10. Only moments after take-off from Chicago O’Hare International Airport, the left engine detached from the wing causing the pilot to lose control and the aircraft to plummet 4600 feet to the ground, killing all onboard. The left engines poor attachment was left unnoticed due to inadequate aircraft maintenance procedures.

To prevent poor aircraft maintenance American Airlines implemented several new strategies.

• American Airlines manufacturer modified the design of the DC-10 aircraft, strengthening the junction between the engine pylon and wing attachment points.
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented stricter maintenance procedures.

Flight 587 the second deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history

This American Airlines flight took place in late 2001 and crashed shortly after taking off from John Kennedys international airport into a residential area in Belle Harbour, New York. Killing all 260 passengers onboard the Airbus A300B4-605R

This occurred due to wake turbulence from another aircraft. Pilots are trained to avoid wake turbulence by maintaining distance from other aircraft, If they don’t then the air left behind an aircraft as it flies can affect other aircraft flying nearby. This resulted in the pilot losing rudder control from excessive usage. This then overstressed the vertical stabilizer of the aircraft causing the aircraft’s vertical stabilizer to separate and making the aircraft unable to maintain directional control.

To prevent loss of aircraft control due to wake turbulence American Airlines implemented several strategies:

• Improved pilot training on the use of rudder control, aiming to prevent excessive ruder usage
• Modified the design of the rudder control system of the Airbus a300-600 series
• Added an upset recovery training program allowing pilots to recognize unusual flight attitudes

Sources:

• Reference for Flight 191: Aviation Safety Network. (2025, January 30). American Airlines Flight 191. Retrieved from Aviation Safety Network.
• Reference for Flight 1420: Federal Aviation Administration. (2025, January 30). American Airlines Flight 1420 Findings. Retrieved from FAA.
• Reference for Flight 587: National Transportation Safety Board. (2025, January 30). In-Flight Separation of Vertical Stabilizer American Airlines Flight 587. Retrieved from NTSB.

Sabeela Imran

Sabeela is a dedicated aviation enthusiast, passionate about pursing a career in aviation management. She is committed to becoming a leader who will inspire innovation and make customer focused solutions. She is devoted to learning about new technological and digital advancements in aviation, and is keen to enhance her knowledge, researching the dynamics of aviation in depth. She hopes to inspire aspiring aviators.

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