December 311934
The first woman at the controls of a scheduled flight
Milestone92 years ago
14historical events
50occurrences in earlier years
1908–2025years covered
Fact of the day
Helen Richey pilots a Central Airlines Ford Trimotor from Washington to Detroit: the first woman hired as a pilot by a scheduled airline in the United States. She was only allowed to fly in fair weather, her male colleagues threatened to strike, and she resigned before the year was out. In the war she flew as an instructor and ferry pilot.
Also on this day · 13
1908Record Wilbur Wright flies 124 km at Le Mans
Wilbur Wright closes the year at Camp d’Auvours with a flight of 124 km in 2 hours 20 minutes, a world record for distance and duration.
1909First flight Ireland’s first aeroplane
Harry Ferguson, the future tractor maker, flies his monoplane at Hillsborough: the first powered flight in Ireland.
1935Accident The City of Khartoum falls off Alexandria
Imperial Airways’ Short Calcutta flying boat City of Khartoum loses all three engines and falls into the sea off Alexandria; only the pilot survives.
1938First flight The Boeing 307 Stratoliner flies
The Boeing 307 Stratoliner takes off, the first airliner with a pressurised cabin.
1968First flight The Tu-144 flies before Concorde
The Soviet supersonic takes off two months before Concorde and wins the race to fly first; the race for reliable service, however, it would lose.
1968Accident MacRobertson Miller Flight 1750 at Port Hedland
A MacRobertson Miller Viscount loses half a wing to fatigue near Port Hedland; all 26 aboard are killed.
1971Airline The seed of Biman Bangladesh
Two and a half thousand Bangladeshi former PIA employees propose to the new government the creation of a national airline: Biman Bangladesh Airlines would be born.
1972Accident Roberto Clemente dies
Baseball star Roberto Clemente dies when the overloaded DC-7 carrying his earthquake relief to Nicaragua falls into the sea off San Juan.
1999Milestone The night of the Y2K bug
Airlines around the world watch their systems on the night of 31 December 1999 for fear of the Year 2000 computer bug; not a single aircraft was affected.
1999Milestone The Indian Airlines 814 hijacking ends
After seven days at Kandahar, the hijackers of Indian Airlines Flight 814 free the hostages in exchange for three prisoners.
2004Airline Avensa shuts down
Avensa, the Venezuelan airline founded in 1943, ceases operations.
2006Airline BWIA becomes Caribbean Airlines
BWIA West Indies Airways, founded in 1939, flies its last service and hands over to Caribbean Airlines.
2013Airline Evergreen International shuts down
Evergreen International Airlines, the freight carrier of the 747 Supertanker, ceases operations.
This day in earlier years · 50
Occurrences recorded on December 31 in earlier years across the fleet we document; this year’s are in News. Each one opens the record of the aircraft involved.
Incident · Dec 31, 2025On December 31, 2025, the Boeing 767-3S1(ER) aircraft (registration N640GT), operated by Atlas Air, was involved in an incident at Greenland due to a declared emergency with a MAYDAY distress call in cruise. Source: the TSB (Canada).USN640GTAtlas Air Boeing 767
Incident · Dec 31, 2025On December 31, 2025, the Airbus A380 861 aircraft (registration A6-EUF), operated by Emirates, was involved in an incident at London. Source: Emirates.AEA6-EUFEmirates Airbus A380
Incident · Dec 31, 2024On December 31, 2024, the Boeing 767-322(ER)(WL) aircraft (registration N657UA), operated by United Airlines, was involved in an incident at Boston. Source: the FAA (United States).USN657UAUnited Airlines Boeing 767
Incident · Dec 31, 2023On December 31, 2023, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft (registration G-CKWD), operated by Norse Atlantic UK, was involved in an incident 39 nautical miles south of Sydney (Canada) due to a cracked or broken cockpit window. Source: Norse Atlantic UK.GBG-CKWDNorse Atlantic UK Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Incident · Dec 31, 2023On December 31, 2023, the Bombardier CRJ-900LR aircraft (registration N585NN), operated by American Eagle, was involved in an incident at Lynchburg. Source: American Eagle.USN585NNAmerican Eagle Bombardier CRJ
Incident · Dec 31, 2023On December 31, 2023, the Boeing 737-8H4(WL) aircraft (registration N8632A), operated by Southwest Airlines, was involved in an incident at Nashville. Source: the FAA (United States).USN8632ASouthwest Airlines Boeing 737
Incident · Dec 31, 2022On December 31, 2022, the Airbus A320 214 aircraft (registration 9H-AEP), operated by Malta, was involved in an incident at Berlin. Source: Malta.MT9H-AEPMalta Airbus A320
Incident · Dec 31, 2022On December 31, 2022, the Boeing 737-7H4(WL) aircraft (registration N703VL), operated by Avelo Airlines, was involved in an incident at Washington. Source: Avelo Airlines.USN703VLAvelo Airlines Boeing 737
Accident · Dec 31, 2022On December 31, 2022, the Airbus A321-211(WL) aircraft (registration N702FR), operated by Frontier Airlines, was involved in an accident at Miami. Source: Frontier Airlines.USN702FRFrontier Airlines Airbus A321
Incident · Dec 31, 2022On December 31, 2022, the Boeing 777 3DZER aircraft (registration A7-BAI), operated by Qatar Airways, was involved in an incident at Brisbane. Source: Qatar Airways.QAA7-BAIQatar Airways Boeing 777 Incident · Dec 31, 2022On December 31, 2022, the Airbus A320 aircraft (registration OE-INE), operated by easyJet Europe, was involved in an incident at Bordeaux. Source: the BEA (France).ATOE-INEeasyJet Europe Airbus A320
Accident · Dec 31, 2022On December 31, 2022, the Embraer S A Erj 170-200 Lr aircraft (registration N264NN), operated by American Eagle, was involved in a fatal accident at Montgomery, Alabama (United States) due to a ground occurrence during operations, leaving 1 dead on the ground. Source: the NTSB (United States).USN264NNAmerican Eagle Embraer E170 / E175
Incident · Dec 31, 2021On December 31, 2021, the Boeing 737-8EH(WL) aircraft (registration PR-GXM), operated by GOL Linhas Aéreas, was involved in an incident at Petrolina. Source: GOL Linhas Aéreas.BRPR-GXMGOL Linhas Aéreas Boeing 737 Incident · Dec 31, 2021On December 31, 2021, the Boeing B738 aircraft (registration LV-HKN), operated by Flybondi, was involved in an incident at Posadas. Source: Flybondi.ARLV-HKNFlybondi Boeing 737
Incident · Dec 31, 2021On December 31, 2021, the Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft (registration HP-9907CMP), operated by Copa Airlines, was involved in an incident at São Paulo-Guarulhos (GRU) International Airport (Brazil) due to a bird strike. Source: Copa Airlines.PAHP-9907CMPCopa Airlines Boeing 737 MAX
Incident · Dec 31, 2020On December 31, 2020, the Airbus A330 203 aircraft (registration F-GZCJ), operated by France, was involved in an incident at N'Djamena. Source: the BEA (France).FRF-GZCJFrance Airbus A330
Incident · Dec 31, 2020On December 31, 2020, the Boeing 777-306(ER) aircraft (registration PH-BVA), operated by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, was involved in an incident at Irkutsk. Source: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.NLPH-BVAKLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 777
Incident · Dec 31, 2020On December 31, 2020, the Airbus A319-115 aircraft (registration N557AV), operated by Avianca, was involved in an incident at Bogata (Colombia) due to a ground collision with another aircraft while under tow. Source: the NTSB (United States).USN557AVAvianca Airbus A319
Incident · Dec 31, 2019On December 31, 2019, the Airbus A333 aircraft (registration TC-LOL), operated by THY, was involved in an incident at Port Harcourt. Source: THY.TRTC-LOLTHY Airbus A330 Incident · Dec 31, 2019On December 31, 2019, the Boeing 737NG 8KN/W aircraft (registration A6-FGE), operated by flydubai, was involved in an incident at Bucharest. Source: flydubai.AEA6-FGEflydubai Boeing 737 Incident · Dec 31, 2019On December 31, 2019, the Airbus Airbus A320 214 aircraft (registration VQ-BCI), operated by Ural, was involved in an incident at Ekaterinburg. Source: Ural.BMVQ-BCIUral Airbus A320
Accident · Dec 31, 2018On December 31, 2018, the Boeing 757 aircraft (registration N938UW), operated by American Airlines, was involved in an accident at Charlotte, North Carolina (United States). Source: the NTSB (United States).USN938UWAmerican Airlines Boeing 757
Incident · Dec 31, 2018On December 31, 2018, the Boeing 717-2BD aircraft (registration N922AT), operated by Delta Air Lines, was involved in an incident at Spokane. Source: Delta Air Lines.USN922ATDelta Air Lines Boeing 717
Incident · Dec 31, 2018On December 31, 2018, the Embraer ERJ-145LR aircraft (registration N687JS), operated by American Eagle, opb Envoy Air, was involved in an incident at Alexandria (AEX) International Airport (United States) due to a runway excursion. Source: American Eagle, opb Envoy Air.USN687JSAmerican Eagle, opb Envoy Air Embraer ERJ 135 / 145
Incident · Dec 31, 2017On December 31, 2017, the Boeing 747 438 aircraft (registration VH-OJU), operated by Qantas, was involved in an incident at Honolulu. Source: Qantas.AUVH-OJUQantas Boeing 747
Incident · Dec 31, 2017On December 31, 2017, the Boeing 737-823(WL) aircraft (registration N972AN), operated by American Airlines, was involved in an incident at New York. Source: American Airlines.USN972ANAmerican Airlines Boeing 737 Incident · Dec 31, 2017On December 31, 2017, the Airbus A320 271NSL aircraft (registration VT-ITA), operated by IndiGo, was involved in an incident at Goa. Source: IndiGo.INVT-ITAIndiGo Airbus A320
Incident · Dec 31, 2017On December 31, 2017, the Airbus AIRBUS A319-131 aircraft (registration G-EUPX), operated by British Airways, was involved in an incident at Hamburg. Source: British Airways.GBG-EUPXBritish Airways Airbus A319 Incident · Dec 31, 2016On December 31, 2016, the Airbus AIRBUS A319-111 aircraft (registration G-EZMH), operated by Easyjet, was involved in an incident at London. Source: the AAIB (United Kingdom).GBG-EZMHEasyjet Airbus A319 Incident · Dec 31, 2016On December 31, 2016, the Airbus A320-232(WL) aircraft (registration EC-MFK), operated by Vueling, was involved in an incident at Malaga. Source: Vueling.ESEC-MFKVueling Airbus A320
Incident · Dec 31, 2016On December 31, 2016, the DC-9 88 aircraft (registration EP-TBB), operated by Taban, was involved in an incident at Tehran. Source: Taban.IREP-TBBTaban McDonnell Douglas MD-80
Incident · Dec 31, 2015On December 31, 2015, the Boeing 757-224(WL) aircraft (registration N29124), operated by United Airlines, was involved in an incident due to a declared emergency with a PAN urgency call in cruise. Source: the TSB (Canada).USN29124United Airlines Boeing 757
Incident · Dec 31, 2015On December 31, 2015, the Airbus A340 313X aircraft (registration RP-C3441), operated by PAL, was involved in an incident at Vancouver due to a declared emergency with a PAN urgency call during initial climb. Source: the TSB (Canada).PHRP-C3441PAL Airbus A340
Incident · Dec 31, 2015On December 31, 2015, the Boeing 777-222(ER) aircraft (registration N783UA), operated by United Airlines, was involved in an incident. Source: United Airlines.USN783UAUnited Airlines Boeing 777
Incident · Dec 31, 2015On December 31, 2015, the Boeing 737-824(WL) aircraft (registration N27205), operated by United Airlines, was involved in an incident at Denver. Source: United Airlines.USN27205United Airlines Boeing 737
Incident · Dec 31, 2015On December 31, 2015, the Bombardier DHC-8 402 NG aircraft (registration SP-EQD), operated by LOT Polish Airlines, was involved in an incident at Poznan. Source: LOT Polish Airlines.PLSP-EQDLOT Polish Airlines De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Incident · Dec 31, 2015On December 31, 2015, the Airbus AIRBUS A320-232 aircraft (registration G-GATL), operated by British Airways, was involved in an incident at Marrakesh. Source: British Airways.GBG-GATLBritish Airways Airbus A320 Incident · Dec 31, 2015On December 31, 2015, the Airbus Airbus A330 223 aircraft (registration D-ABXC), operated by Berlin, was involved in an incident at Munich. Source: Berlin.DED-ABXCBerlin Airbus A330 Incident · Dec 31, 2015On December 31, 2015, the Boeing 777 3B5 aircraft (registration HL7533), operated by Korean, was involved in an incident at Osaka. Source: Korean.KRHL7533Korean Boeing 777
Incident · Dec 31, 2014On December 31, 2014, the Airbus A320-214 aircraft (registration N992AV), operated by Avianca, was involved in an incident at Leticia-Alfredo Vásquez Cobo (LET) Airport (Colombia) due to a taxiway excursion. Source: Avianca.USN992AVAvianca Airbus A320 Incident · Dec 31, 2014On December 31, 2014, the Boeing Boeing 737NG 8F2/W aircraft (registration TC-JGD), operated by THY, was involved in an incident at Istanbul. Source: THY.TRTC-JGDTHY Boeing 737
Incident · Dec 31, 2014On December 31, 2014, the Boeing 777 240ER aircraft (registration AP-BGK), operated by Pakistan International Airlines, was involved in an incident at Lahore. Source: PIA.PKAP-BGKPakistan International Airlines Boeing 777 Incident · Dec 31, 2014On December 31, 2014, the Airbus A320 232 aircraft (registration VH-VNJ), operated by Tiger Australia, was involved in an incident at Cairns. Source: Tiger Australia.AUVH-VNJTiger Australia Airbus A320 Incident · Dec 31, 2013On December 31, 2013, the Boeing 777 240ER aircraft (registration AP-BGJ), operated by Pakistan International Airlines, was involved in an incident at Peshawar and Sialkot. Source: Pakistan International Airlines.PKAP-BGJPakistan International Airlines Boeing 777 Incident · Dec 31, 2012On December 31, 2012, the Boeing 777-222 aircraft (registration N206UA), operated by United Airlines, was involved in an incident at Seoul, South Korea (South Korea). Source: the NTSB (United States).USN206UAUnited Airlines Boeing 777
Incident · Dec 31, 2011On December 31, 2011, the Boeing 737 3H4/W aircraft (registration N618WN), operated by Southwest Airlines, was involved in an incident at Portland. Source: the FAA (United States).USN618WNSouthwest Airlines Boeing 737
Incident · Dec 31, 2011On December 31, 2011, the Boeing 777-223(ER) aircraft (registration N756AM), operated by American Airlines, was involved in an incident at Beijing. Source: American Airlines.USN756AMAmerican Airlines Boeing 777
Incident · Dec 31, 2010On December 31, 2010, the Airbus A320-232 aircraft (registration N428UA), operated by United Airlines, was involved in an incident at Denver. Source: United Airlines.USN428UAUnited Airlines Airbus A320
Incident · Dec 31, 2010On December 31, 2010, the Embraer ERJ-190AR aircraft (registration C-FHKA), operated by Air Canada, was involved in an incident at Denver (DEN) International Airport (United States) due to a runway incursion. Source: Air Canada.CAC-FHKAAir Canada Embraer E190 / E195 Storage · Dec 31, 2003In December 2003, the Airbus A320-214 aircraft (registration CS-TMW), operated by Air Luxor, was placed in storage at BOD. Source: Air Luxor.PTCS-TMWAir Luxor Airbus A320Photo: SDASM Archives · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
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