The Most Common Reasons for Plane Accidents

1. Pilot Error. Half of all plane crashes are caused by pilot error. That may seem like a very high statistic, but it makes perfect sense when you think about everything that a pilot must do. Pilots must navigate through dangerous weather, respond to mechanical issues and execute a safe takeoff and landing. Some plane accidents are caused when pilots misread equipment, misjudge weather conditions or fail to recognize mechanical errors until it’s too late.

Sometimes too, plane crashes happen when pilots become incapacitated during critical points of a flight. In 2005, a Helios Airways flight to Greece crashed because the flight cabin depressurized, incapacitating the entire flight crew. In 1976, a South African AW flight crashed when the captain suffered a heart attack and his first officer couldn’t control the plane in time. Some pilot errors can even be the result of mental problems. A flight to Tokyo crashed in 1987 because a pilot who was known to have serious psychological problems put the plane’s engines into reverse mid-flight.

2. Mechanical Error. The second most common cause of plane crashes is mechanical error, which accounts for about 22% of all aviation accidents. Mechanical error differs from pilot error, because when a critical system fails, the pilot may be at the mercy of the plane. Some mechanical errors occur because of a flaw in the plane’s design. For example, in 1974 a Turkish Airlines flight to France crashed because of a design flaw in the latch of the cargo door. A West African Airways flight to Nigeria crashed in 1955 because a flawed wing design led to metal fatigue cracks and wing failure.

Sometimes, mechanical failure occurs when outside circumstances damage the plane. The causes of these failures can be pretty bizarre. For example, in