History of Emergency landing in Timeline

An emergency landing occurs when an aircraft prematurely lands due to an immediate threat to its safety or operation, or because a passenger or crew member urgently needs to end the flight. This usually involves diverting to the nearest suitable airport, airbase, or, if those aren't reachable, performing an off-airport landing or ditching. Air traffic control prioritizes aircraft declaring emergencies over all other flights.

April 4, 1977: Southern Airways Flight 242 crash landing

On April 4, 1977, Southern Airways Flight 242, a DC-9, lost both engines due to hail and rain in a thunderstorm and crash-landed on a highway near New Hope, Georgia, resulting in multiple fatalities.

June 1982: British Airways Flight 9 volcanic ash incident

In June 1982, British Airways Flight 9, a Boeing 747, flew into a plume of volcanic ash, causing all four engines to lose power. Three engines were recovered, and the flight diverted to Jakarta.

June 2, 1983: Air Canada Flight 797 fire after landing

On June 2, 1983, Air Canada Flight 797 burned after landing at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport following a fire that started in the cabin.

July 23, 1983: Gimli Glider incident

On July 23, 1983, Air Canada Boeing 767, known as the Gimli Glider, ran out of fuel and successfully glided to a safe landing in Gimli, Manitoba, Canada.

April 28, 1988: Aloha Airlines Flight 243 decompression incident

On April 28, 1988, Aloha Airlines Flight 243 experienced an explosive decompression due to fuselage separation. The flight diverted to Kahului Airport, but one flight attendant was killed.

July 19, 1989: United Airlines Flight 232 crash landing

On July 19, 1989, United Airlines Flight 232 broke up while landing at Sioux City, Iowa, United States.

August 24, 2001: Air Transat Flight 236 forced landing

On August 24, 2001, Air Transat Flight 236, an Airbus A330, ran out of fuel over the Atlantic Ocean and successfully made a forced landing in the Azores.

2003: Research on autonomous forced landings for UAVs

In 2003, research began on enabling unmanned aerial vehicles to perform forced landings autonomously.

November 1, 2011: LOT Polish Airlines Flight 016 belly landing

On November 1, 2011, LOT Polish Airlines Flight 016, a Boeing 767, made a belly landing at Warsaw's Frederic Chopin International Airport after a central hydraulic system failure, with no injuries.