3 Crashes that Changed Commercial Aviation

Contrary to popular belief, commercial flying is extraordinarily safe considering more than 30,000 flights take off every day. But the aviation industry didn’t always have the same standards and regulations it does today. In fact, a handful of infamous airplane crashes triggered crucial safety improvements which have shaped aviation. Here we look at three of them.

The Creation of the FAA

In 1956, the TWA Super Constellation and the United DC-7 were both flying over the Grand Canyon, out of contact with ground controllers and flying under visual flight rules (see-and-avoid). Both were maneuvering when the left wing and propellers of the DC-7 tore into the Constellation’s tail, causing both planes to crash into the canyon, killing all 128 individuals onboard the aircrafts.

Not only was the accident the catalyst for the formation of the FAA to oversee air safety but it triggered a massive upgrade of the air traffic control system, equating $250 million.

Fire Determent in the Cargo Hold
In 1988, ValuJet 592 crashed into the Everglades after a chemical oxygen generator that had been illegally packaged started a fire. A bump of turbulence set the generator off, resulting in intense heat that started the fire, which was fueled by the oxygen. The 110 people onboard were killed after the pilots were unable to land the burning plane in time.
The crash of ValuJet 592 spurred new regulation requiring smoke detectors and automatic fire extinguishers in the cargo hold and further parameters regulation the transportation of hazardous cargo.

Faulty Wiring Detection
One of the most horrific plane crashes in recent memories is that of TWA Flight 800, a flight that had taken off from JFK en route to Paris. Just 12 minutes after takeoff, the flight exploded in mid-air, killing al 230 passengers onboard. After a four-year investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that a short circuit in wiring triggered a spark in the fuel gauge sensor, causing fumes to ignite.
Since then, the FAA has implemented changes designed to reduce sparks cause by faulty wiring. Furthermore, technology companies have created devices and an electrical circuit test which can detect and locate faulty wiring. Boeing developed a system that infuses nitrogen gas into fuel tanks to reduce the likelihood of explosions.