TK 981
3 Mar 1974 · Mechanical & Structural FailureTURKISH AIRLINES FLIGHT 981
McDonnell Douglas DC-10 · Turkish Airlines · Image: Wikimedia Commons
Why it happened
Cargo door blew out, collapsing the cabin floor
Cargo door latch
Cabin floor venting
Flight control cables
Aircraft
McDonnell Douglas DC-10
Turkish Airlines
Route
Paris–Orly (ORY), France
→ London–Heathrow (LHR), UK
People
346 on board
346 fatalities
Date
3 Mar 1974
Flight crew
Captain: Nejat Berköz
Category
Mechanical & Structural Failure
Metal fatigue, broken parts, failed repairs.
THE STORY
The cargo door blew out and the cabin floor collapsed, severing every control cable. 346 dead — the worst crash of its era, and entirely preventable.