Lufthansa flight LH-577 had to return and make an emergency landing in Cape Town, South Africa, on August 10th.
The Airbus A340-300 plane took off for Frankfurt, Germany, but had to return shortly afterwards due to a gear problem.
The plane landed back safely. All passengers and crew members remained unharmed.
A small plane crashed in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on January 19th.
The plane had taken off from Sao Paulo shortly before it went down near the coastal town of Paraty.
The plane was carrying 3 people, including Brazilian supreme court Justice Teori Zavasck. All of them were killed in the crash.
Justice Zavasck was overseeing an investigation into a billion-dollar bribery scandal involving a group of elected officials.
A small plane crashed in Greenwich Town, Kingston, Jamaica, on November 10th.
The plane, belonging to Caribbean Aviation Training Centre, went down when it was carrying two students and an instructor.
The instructor and one of the students were killed in the crash while the other student was critically injured.
The incident is being investigated.
A small plane crashed in the town of Mukwa in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, on November 6th.
The plane went down on Faskell Road, near the runway of a private airport Poppy’s Flying Acres.
The pilot, who was the only one aboard, was injured in the accident and was taken to a hospital in New London.
Sgt. Kevin Studzinski of the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office said the neighbors had pulled the pilot out of the aircraft. “The plane is considered a total loss, but that’s not what’s important… Due to their heroic actions the pilot is still alive today,” he said.
A small plane crashed near the town of Butte in Alaska, on October 29th.
Authorities said the Cessna 172 plane crashed into a Knik River gravel bar.
The pilot, who was the only one aboard, was killed in the crash. He was identified as 25-year-old Ray Justen.
According to Alaska National Transportation Safety Board chief Clint Johnson, “Witnesses said this airplane came in, made a touch-and-go on a gravel bar and during a fairly steep climb out there was an aerodynamic stall…The airplane descended nose-first and struck the gravel bar.”
A twin-engine plane crashed near the small town of Boyes, Billings, Carter County, Montana, on the noon of September 17th.
The Beechcraft Baron carrying a man, woman and one 14 year old boy went down in a grassy area.
All three people onboard were killed in the crash.
The crash remains under investigation.
A hot air balloon crashed near the small town of Lockhart, Caldwell County, Texas, on the morning of July 30th.
According to sources the hot air balloon hit the power transmission lines and its basket caught fire, leading to the crash.
All 16 people on board were killed.
The crash remains under investigation.
A military helicopter crashed near the town of Pensilvania in Caldas Department of Colombia, on June 26th.
The helicopter went down while it was travelling from Quibdo city to the military base at Tolemaida.
Seventeen soldiers were killed in the crash. According to President Juan Manuel Santos, “The soldiers were in the region of Uraba on a reconnaissance flight, many of them were experts in drone aircraft, others were supporting military operations against the National Liberation Army guerrillas.”
It is believed that the accident happened due to poor weather conditions.
A light plane was crashed near Upper Maffra Road, in the town of Newry, Victoria, Australia, on the afternoon of April 3rd.
The plane hit the power lines before crashing into a paddock.
The pilot, who was the only person aboard, sustained injuries. He was later airlifted to hospital.
A small plane crashed in Marion town, Waushara County, Wisconsin, on March 12th.
Authorities said the plane lost power before it went down in a marsh near 21st Court.
The pilot, who was the only one aboard, was injured. He was taken to Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah.
The FAA is investigating.
Safair flight FA-136 had to return and make an emergency landing at Cape Town International Airport, South Africa, on March 6.
The Boeing 737-400, heading from Cape Town, to Port Elizabeth, was mid air when it had to return due to some issue with its air conditioning system.
The plane landed safely.
All passengers and crew member aboard remained unhurt.