Flying a commercial airplane is quite risk-free; in fact, most people are more likely to be involved in a car accident than an airplane crash.  Over the years, flying has become extremely safe in part due to past accidents.  Here’s a look at five of those crashes that changed aviation safety and triggered important safety improvements.

TWA Flight 2 and United Flight 718

In 1956, two planes took off from Los Angeles just minutes apart flying east.  While flying over the Grand Canyon and performing maneuvers to give passengers a passing glimpse of the Grand Canyon, the two collided, killing all passengers aboard both planes.  The crash led to a $250 million upgrade of the air traffic control system and the creation of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Air Canada Flight 797

In 1983 a routine flight quickly turned tragic when smoke started drifting out of a bathroom.  Very soon after, thick black smoke filled the cabin.  The plane made an emergency descent in Cincinnati but while on the ground, the fuselage burst into flames, killing 23 people.  After this tragic accident, the FAA required smoke alarms to be placed in all commercial airplane lavatories.

Aloha Flight 243

Plane inspections and maintenance requirements were augmented after the bizarre incident of Aloha Flight 243 in 1986.  In mid-air, a large section of the fuselage ripped off, leaving passengers in the open air and killing one flight attendant who was instantly swept away.

Aeromexico Flight 498

This accident also took place in 1986 when a flight was approaching the runway during poor weather.   A strong downdraft caused the plane to lose airspeed and sink, hitting the ground about a mile short of the runway.  The impact caused the plane to bounce across a highway and eventually skidded into two huge water tanks.   One motorist was killed along with 134 of the 163 people onboard the plane.  The crash prompted the research and development of wind-shear detectors that are currently standard on all commercial airplanes.

TWA Flight 800

Perhaps the most well-known crash recently (it took place in 1996), TWA Flight 800 was Paris-bound when it exploded in midair just minutes from taking off at JFK.  The accident killed all 230 people on board and a subsequent investigation found that a short circuit led to a spark that caused the explosion.  The accident spurred technology (such as the arc fault breaker developed by LiveWire) aimed at reducing faulty wiring.

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