Jetliner Crash Debris

Examples of Jetliner Crashes Leaving Little Recognizable Debris

Some skeptics of the official account of the 9/11/01 attack maintain that the apparent paucity of aircraft debris at the crash sites -- the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Shanksville PA -- is evidence that jetliners did not crash there. Such arguments are based on several assumptions, including that jetliner crashes always leave extensive debris with easily recognizable pieces. However, one does not have to look far to find numerous examples of crashes of jetliners and cargo jets that left almost no recognizable debris, such as those listed here.

Date: 11 July 1991 Airline: Nigeria Airways Flight No.: 2120 Aircraft: DC-8-61 Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Fatalities: 261:261 Description: A fire in a wheel well prompted the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The fire damaged electrical cables and hydraulic lines, causing loss of control and the crash. source
Date: 23 March 1994 Airline: Aeroflot Flight No.: 593 Aircraft: Airbus A310-304 Location: Mezhdurechensk, Russia Fatalities: 75:75 Description: During the flight the Captain allowed his daughter and son to sit in the pilots' seats while he demonstrated some autopilot features. A series of events led to +4.8g accelerations and a stall, followed by a spin, and ending in the crash. source
Date: 08 September 1994 Airline: USAir Flight No.: 427 Aircraft: B737-300 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Fatalities: 132:132 Description: During the approach to the Pittsburgh airport the rudder deflected, leading to the crash. source
Date: 31 October 1994 Airline: American Eagle Flight No.: 4184 Aircraft: ATR-72 Location: Roselawn, IN Fatalities: 68:68 Description: While in a holding pattern to land at O'Hare Airport, ice accumulated on the wings, causing the aircraft to enter a spin from which the crew could not recover. (An ATR-72 is a commuter plane with an 88-foot wingspan) source
Date: 03 April 1996 Airline: U.S. Air Force Flight No.: 21 Aircraft: B737-T43 Location: Dubrovnik, Croatia Fatalities: 35:35 Description: While performing an approach in poor weather conditions, the plane crashed into a mountain. (This crash killed U.S. Commerce Secretary Ron Brown) source
Date: 11 May 1996 Airline: ValuJet Flight No.: 592 Aircraft: DC-9-32 Location: Miami, FL Fatalities: 112:112 Description: Shortly after takeoff, a fire developed in the cargo hold from improperly stored oxygen canisters and spread, eventually severing control cables, causing the crash into swampy terrain. source
Date: 06 March 1999 Airline: Air France Cargo Flight No.: Unknown Aircraft: B747-200F Location: Madras, India Fatalities: 0:5 Description: A fire broke out during landing and burned out of control. source
Date: 07 April 1999 Airline: Turkish Airlines Flight No.: Unknown Aircraft: B737-4Q8 Location: Ceyhan, Turkey Fatalities: 6:6 Description: The plane crashed after takeoff for unknown reasons. source
Date: 25 December 1999 Airline: Cubana de Aviacion Flight No.: Unknown Aircraft: Yaklovlev YAK-42 (like 727) Location: Bejuma, Venezuela Fatalities: 22:22 Description: After being diverted from its original destination of Caracas, the plane crashed about 9 miles from the airport. source
Date: 12 April 1980 Airline: Transbrasil Flight No.: Unknown Aircraft: B727-27C Location: Florianopolis, Br. Fatalities: 55:58 Description: This plane crashed into a hill during an instrument approach to the Florianopolis airport. source
Date: 19 February 1985 Airline: Iberia Flight No.: 610 Aircraft: B727-256 Location: Vizcaya, Spain Fatalities: 148:148 Description: This plane crashed during an approach in rain. source
Date: 12 August 1985 Airline: Japan Airlines Flight No.: 123 Aircraft: B747SR Location: Mt. Osutaka, Japan Fatalities: 520:524 Description: The plane crashed into a mountain following the loss of the tail due to an explosive decompression caused by the failure of the rear pressure bulkhead. source
Date: 31 August 1986 Airline: Aeromexico Flight No.: 498 Aircraft: DC-9-32 Location: Cerritos, CA Fatalities: 64:64+18 Description: The plane crashed after colliding with an small plane whose pilot had suffered a heart attack. source
Date: 05 July 1970 Airline: Air Canada Flight No.: 621 Aircraft: DC-8-63 Location: Toronto, Canada Fatalities: 109:109 Description: The plane exploded during a go around following a botched landing attempt which slammed the outermost engine on the runway. source
Date: 6 June 1971 Airline: Hughes Airwest Flight No.: 705 Aircraft: DC-9-31 Location: Duarte, CA Fatalities: 49:49 Description: This plane crashed after colliding with an F-4B fighter jet. source
Date: 25 June 1975 Airline: Eastern Air Lines Flight No.: 66 Aircraft: B727-100 Location: New York, NY Fatalities: 115:124 Description: This plane broke up and caught fire after striking approach lights during an instrument landing. source
Date: 25 September 1978 Airline: Pacific Southwest AL Flight No.: 182 Aircraft: B727-200 Location: San Diego, CA Fatalities: 135:135+9 Description: This plane crashed after colliding with a small plane. source
Date: 25 May 1979 Airline: American Airlines Flight No.: 191 Aircraft: DC-10-10 Location: Chicago, IL Fatalities: 270:270+2 Description: This plane crashed shortly after takeoff after one of the engines separated from the wing, severing hydraulic lines and leading to a stall and roll-over. (This was the deadliest crash in US history.) source
Date: 09 September 1969 Airline: Allegheny Airlines Flight No.: 853 Aircraft: DC-9-31 Location: Fairland, IN Fatalities: 84:84 Description: This plane crashed after colliding with a small plane. source