KE 007
1 Sep 1983 · Hijacking, Sabotage & Deliberate ActsKOREAN AIR LINES FLIGHT 007
Boeing 747-200 · Korean Air Lines · Image: Wikimedia Commons
Why it happened
Strayed into Soviet airspace and was shot down
INS navigation mode
Military intercept
Autopilot coupling
Aircraft
Boeing 747-200
Korean Air Lines
Route
New York–JFK (JFK), USA (via Anchorage)
→ Seoul–Gimpo (GMP), South Korea
People
269 on board
269 fatalities
Date
1 Sep 1983
Flight crew
Captain: Chun Byung-in
Category
Hijacking, Sabotage & Deliberate Acts
Bombs, hijackers, shootdowns, murder in the cockpit.
THE STORY
A navigation mode never engaged sent the 747 deep into Soviet airspace. A Su-15 fighter shot it down — the backlash opened GPS to civilians.