2016 Plane crashes: Civil aviation's safety record marred by series of air disasters

The airline industry is considered as the benchmark in terms of following quality norms and the safety standards are of the very highest order.

Airlines are considered as a benchmark in terms of safety norms and imbibe quality standards like Six Sigma which are imperative in the operations of civil aviation. However, there is an element of human error which does not make it absolutely full proof and can lead to major catastrophic incidents.

2016 wasn't the best possible year for global aviation industry as there were a lot of air disasters which claimed the lives of manypassengers.

There could have been yet another air mishap on Tuesday when Mumbai-bound Jet Airways flight 9W 2374 skidded off the runway at Dabolim airport of Goa. Luckily all passengers are safe as reported by Jet Airways statement.

“We regret to inform flight 9W 2374 from GOI – BOM, with 154 guests and 7 crew, veered off the runway while aligning for take off. All guests and crew have been safely evacuated. Few guests have sustained injuries during the evacuation process," the statement read. 

Here is a recap of the major air mishaps which claimed the lives of many passengers.

25 December 2016 - Russian Air Force; Tu154B-2; RA-85572; near Sochi, Russia:

The aircraft was on an unscheduled international flight from Sochi, Russia to Latakia, Syria. The aircraft, which was transporting members of the Alexandrov Ensemble, the official choir of the Russian Armed forces, crashed into the Black Sea shortly after takeoff. Wreckage was found about one mile (1.6 km) from the coast. All eight crew members and 84 passengers were killed.

20 December 2016 - AeroSucre 727-200; HK-4544, flight LMI2933; near Puerto Carreño, Colombia

The aircraft was on a nonscheduled domestic cargo flight from Puerto Carreño to Bogotá, Colombia. Just after takeoff, the aircraft crossed a road that was about 100 meters beyond the end of the runway, apparently hitting at least one fence and dragging the rear part of the aircraft on the ground. The aircraft became airborne, but did not gain a significant amount of altitude. The aircraft was videotaped making a descending right turn just before it crashed and caught fire. The crash site was about 10 miles (16 km) from the airport. Five of the six crew members were killed. 

7 December 2016 - Pakistan International Airlines ; ATR 42-500; AP-BHO; flight PK661; near Havelian, Pakistan

The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Chitral to Islamabad, Pakistan. While en route, the crew reported that there was an engine problem, and that the aircraft was descending. Shortly afterwards, the crew declared an emergency. The aircraft crashed into a hillside and caught fire. All five crew members and 42 passengers were killed. 

28 November 2016 - LaMia Avro RJ85; CP-2933, flight LMI2933; near La Unión, Colombia

The aircraft was on a nonscheduled international flight from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia to Medellín, Colombia. On board was Brazilian Chapecoense Football Club, which was scheduled to play in the final of the 2016 Copa Sudamericana in Medellín. 

28 October 2016 - FedEx Express DC-10; N370FE: Flight FX910; Fort Lauderdale, FL

The aircraft was on a domestic flight from Memphis, TN to Fort Lauderdale, FL. At some point during the landing, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft came to rest near the landing runway. A fire broke out, seriously damaging the left side of the aircraft. The two crew members were not injured. 

28 October 2016; American Airlines 767-300; N345AN; flight AAL383; Chicago, IL

The aircraft was on a scheduled domestic flight from Chicago, IL to Miami, FL. During the takeoff, the right engine experienced an uncontained failure, and the flight crew aborted the takeoff. The aircraft caught fire in the area of the right engine, and the aircaft occupants evacuated the aircraft. There were eight minor injuries among the 161 passengers and nine crew members. 

27 October 2016; Eastern Airlines 737-700; N278EA; New York, NY

The aircraft was on an unscheduled domestic charter flight from Fort Dodge, IA to LaGuardia Airport in New York. After landing, the crew was unable to come to a stop on the runway. The aircraft was slowed by an arrestor bed of low-density concrete that was in place beyond the end of the runway.

3 August 2016; Emirates 777-300; A6-EMW; flight EK521; Dubai, UAE

The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from Thiruvananthapuram, India to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The crew was attempting to execute a go-around shortly after the main landing gear touched down on the runway, but the aircraft was unable to gain altitude.

30 July 2016; Kubicek BB85; SU-GCC; near Lockhart, TX

The ballon was on an unscheduled flight that departed from Fentress Airpart in Fentress, TX. The ballon crashed burned after striking power lines about eight miles (12.9 km) from the launch location near Lockhart, TX. The pilot and all 15 passengers were killed. 

19 May 2016; EgyptAir A320-200; SU-GCC; flight MS804; en route Paris to Cairo

The aircraft was on a scheduled international flight from Paris, France to Cairo, Egypt when radar contact was lost. 

13 April 2016; Sunbird Aviation; BN-2T Islander; P2-SBC; Kiunga, Papua New Guinea

The aircraft was on an unscheduled domestic scheduled flight from Oksapmin to Kiunga, Papua New Guienea, and crashed near the destination airport shortly before landing, reportedly due to an engine failure.