2001 In Aviation
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This is a list of aviation-related events from 2001.


Events


January

* January 10 –
Trans World Airlines Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1930 until it was acquired by American Airlines in 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles ...
(TWA) and
American Airlines American Airlines, Inc. is a major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the ...
announce that they have agreed to merge, with American acquiring almost all the assets of TWA, consisting at the time of 190 aircraft, about 800 daily flights, 20,000 employees, numerous routes and gates, and substantial maintenance facilities. Under the agreement, American is to employ almost all of TWA's employees and maintain
St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
,
Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
as a major air hub. The merger will be completed in
December December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. December's name derives from the Latin word ''decem'' (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in t ...
. * January 23 – Yemenia Flight 448, a Boeing 727-2N8 with 100 other people on board and flying from Sana'a International Airport in
Sana'a Sanaa, officially the Sanaa Municipality, is the ''de jure'' capital and largest city of Yemen. The city is the capital of the Sanaa Governorate, but is not part of the governorate, as it forms a separate administrative unit. At an elevation ...
,
Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...
to Taiz-Al Janad Airport in
Ta'izz Taiz () is a city in southwestern Yemen. It is located in the Yemeni highlands, near the port city of Mocha on the Red Sea, at an elevation of about above sea level. It is the capital of Taiz Governorate. As of 2023, the city has an estimated p ...
, Yemen, is hijacked by an unemployed Iraqi man using a
pen gun A pen gun is a firearm that resembles an ink pen. They generally are of small caliber (e.g., .22 LR, .25 ACP, .32 ACP, .38-caliber, etc.) and are single shot. Early examples of pen guns were pinfired, but modern designs are rim or centerfire ...
. He attempts to reroute the flight to
Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...
,
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
, where he hopes to find work. The flight crew makes an
emergency landing An emergency landing is a premature landing made by an aircraft in response to an emergency involving an imminent or ongoing threat to the safety and operation of the aircraft, or involving a sudden need for a passenger or crew on board to term ...
at
Djibouti–Ambouli International Airport Djibouti–Ambouli International Airport (, ) is a joint civilian/military-use airport situated in the town of Ambouli, Djibouti. It serves the national capital, Djibouti. The airport is located approximately 6 kilometres (4 miles) from the c ...
in
Djibouti Djibouti, officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to the east. The country has an area ...
and overpowers the hijacker. The only injury is to the
flight engineer A flight engineer (FE), also sometimes called an air engineer, is a member of an aircraft's flight crew who is responsible for monitoring and operating its complex aircraft systems. In the early era of aviation, the position was sometimes referr ...
, who is grazed by a bullet. * January 27 – A Beechcraft Super King Air 200, the team plane of the
Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State University (informally Oklahoma State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. The university was established in 1890 under the legislation of the Morrill Act. Originally known ...
men's
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
team crashes near Strasburg,
Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
, during a
snowstorm A winter storm (also known as snow storm) is an event in which wind coincides with varieties of precipitation that only occur at freezing temperatures, such as snow, Rain and snow mixed, mixed snow and rain, or freezing rain. In Continental cl ...
, killing all 10 people on board. Killed are two players, seven members of the media, and the pilot. * January 31 – Two
Japan Air Lines Japan Airlines (JAL) is the flag carrier airline of Japan. JAL is headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita and Haneda airports, as well as secondary hubs in Osaka's Kansai and Itami airports. The JAL group, which i ...
airliners – a Boeing 747-446 operating as Flight 907 and a Douglas DC-10-40D operating as Flight 958 – nearly collide over
Suruga Bay Suruga Bay (駿河湾, ''Suruga-wan'') is a bay on the Pacific coast of Honshū in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is situated north of a straight line from Omaezaki Point to Irōzaki Point at the tip of the Izu Peninsula and surrounded by Honsh ...
,
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
, passing within of one another. Aboard the 747, a hundred people are injured when the aircraft takes violent evasive action. Had the two planes collided, with a combined 677 people on board, it would have been the worst aviation disaster in history.


February

* February 1 – Aer Lingus Commuter, a subsidiary of
Aer Lingus Aer Lingus ( ; an anglicisation of the Irish language, Irish , meaning "air fleet") is an Irish airline company which is the flag carrier of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded by the Irish Government, it was privatised between 2006 and 201 ...
founded in 1984, merges into Aer Lingus. * February 14 –
Air Somalia Air Somalia was a privately owned airline based in Somalia. It was the first private airline owned entirely by Somalis. Overview The carrier was established in 2001. It provided internal passenger and international services to destinations in Afr ...
is founded. * February 16 – American and British aircraft launch attacks against six targets in southern
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
, including command centers, radars, and communications centers, hitting only about 40% of the targets. Incidents of planes enforcing the
no-fly zone A no-fly zone, also known as a no-flight zone (NFZ), or air exclusion zone (AEZ), is a territory or area established by a military power over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly. Such zones are usually set up in an enemy power's terri ...
over southern Iraq in
Operation Southern Watch Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from August 1992 to March 2003. United States Central Command's Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) had the mission of moni ...
thereafter exchange fire with Iraqi air defense sites on a weekly basis.


March

* March 1 –
Continental Airlines Continental Airlines (simply known as Continental) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1934 until it merged with United Airlines in 2012. It had ownership interests and brand partnerships with several carriers. Continen ...
commences non-stop service from
Newark International Airport Newark Liberty International Airport is a major international airport serving the New York metropolitan area. The airport straddles the boundary between the cities of Newark in Essex County and Elizabeth in Union County, in the U.S. sta ...
in
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
to
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
. * March 3 – An explosion in the center wing fuel tank destroys
Thai Airways International Flight 114 On 3 March 2001, Thai Airways International Flight 114 exploded at gate 62 of Don Muang International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, killing one person and injuring seven other people. Five cabin attendants, two baggage loaders, and a load cont ...
, a Boeing 737-4D7, on the ground while it is preboarding at
Don Mueang Airport Don Mueang International Airport — known as Bangkok International Airport before 2006 — is one of two international airports serving Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, the other being Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). The airport is considered ...
in
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
,
Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
. One person, a
flight attendant A flight attendant is a member of the aircrew whose primary responsibility is ensure the safety of passengers in the cabin of an aircraft across all stages of flight. Their secondary duty is to see to the comfort of passengers. Flight attenda ...
, is killed. * March 11 – A Russian flight is hijacked and flown to Medina airport. There, after negotiations fail, Saudi special forces storm the aircraft, inadvertently killed a flight attendant and another passenger. One hijacker is dead and the other two are arrested. * March 19 – Comair Flight 5054, an
Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia The Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia is a twin-turboprop 30-passenger regional airliner, commuter airliner designed and manufactured by the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer. The EMB 120 began development during 1974. While initially conceived as ...
, experiences severe
atmospheric icing Atmospheric icing occurs in the atmosphere when water droplets suspended in air freeze on objects they come in contact with. It is not the same as freezing rain, which is caused directly by precipitation. Atmospheric icing occurs on aircraft, ...
in flight near
West Palm Beach West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent Palm Beach, Florida, Palm Beach, which is situated on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lag ...
,
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
. After a rapid loss of altitude, the crew regains control of the aircraft and makes an emergency landing at West Palm Beach Airport without injury to any of the 27 people on board. The plane suffers permanent deformation of its
stabilizer Stabilizer, stabiliser, stabilisation or stabilization may refer to: Chemistry and food processing * Stabilizer (chemistry), a substance added to prevent unwanted change in state of another substance ** Polymer stabilizers are stabilizers used ...
and
elevator An elevator (American English) or lift (Commonwealth English) is a machine that vertically transports people or freight between levels. They are typically powered by electric motors that drive traction cables and counterweight systems suc ...
. * March 21 – During a single flight, an
RQ-4 Global Hawk The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, Unmanned aerial vehicle, remotely-piloted surveillance aircraft introduced in 2001. It was initially designed by Ryan Aeronautical (now part of Northrop Grumman), and known as Tier II+ d ...
unmanned
surveillance aircraft Surveillance aircraft are aircraft used for surveillance. They are primarily operated by military forces and government agencies in roles including intelligence gathering, maritime patrol, battlefield and airspace surveillance, observation (e. ...
flying from
Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, California, Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County, California, San Bernardino County and a souther ...
in
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
sets both a world endurance record for
unmanned aerial vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.De Gruyter Handbook of Dron ...
s (UAVs) of 30 hours, 24 minutes, 1 second, and a world absolute altitude record for UAVs of . * March 25 –
Czech Airlines Czech Airlines (abbreviation: ČSA, ) is a Czech Republic, Czech aviation brand and privately held holding company. Between 1923 and 2024, it operated as an independent airline and served as the flag carrier of the Czech Republic. Czech Airlines ...
joins the
Skyteam SkyTeam is one of the world's three major airline alliances. Founded in June 2000, SkyTeam was the last of the three alliances to be formed, after Star Alliance and Oneworld. Its annual passenger count is 624 million customers (2024), the second ...
airline alliance An airline alliance is an aviation industry arrangement between two or more airlines agreeing to cooperate on a substantial level. Alliances may provide marketing branding to facilitate travelers making inter-airline codeshare agreement, codeshare ...
. * March 29 – An Avjet charter flight, a
Gulfstream III The Gulfstream III, a business jet produced by Gulfstream Aerospace, is an improved development of the Grumman Gulfstream II. The U.S. military uses versions of the Gulfstream III as the C-20A/B/C/D/E aircraft, though later C-20 F/G/H/J are Gu ...
jet with 15 passengers and three crew members, crashes on approach into
Aspen Aspen is a common name for certain tree species in the Populus sect. Populus, of the ''Populus'' (poplar) genus. Species These species are called aspens: * ''Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (China, south of ''P. tremula'') * ''Populus da ...
,
Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
, killing all on board.


April

*
Afriqiyah Airways Afriqiyah Airways is a Libyan state-owned airline based in Tripoli, Libya, Tripoli, Libya. It was established in 2001 and operates both domestic and international flights. The airline's main hub is Tripoli International Airport (TIP), and it ser ...
is founded. It will begin flight operations in
December December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. December's name derives from the Latin word ''decem'' (meaning ten) because it was originally the tenth month of the year in t ...
. * Czech Airlines Cargo joins the
Skyteam Cargo SkyTeam Cargo is a global cargo alliance in which all members are also members of the SkyTeam airline alliance. SkyTeam Cargo is the only cargo alliance in the world, likely since WOW Alliance ceased and disbanded. History Following the foundi ...
airline alliance An airline alliance is an aviation industry arrangement between two or more airlines agreeing to cooperate on a substantial level. Alliances may provide marketing branding to facilitate travelers making inter-airline codeshare agreement, codeshare ...
. * April 1 – Two
Chinese Chinese may refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people identified with China, through nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **Han Chinese, East Asian ethnic group native to China. **'' Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic ...
People's Liberation Army Navy The People's Liberation Army Navy, also known as the People's Navy, PLA Navy or simply Chinese Navy, is the naval warfare military branch, branch of the People's Liberation Army, the national military of the People's Republic of China. It i ...
Shenyang J8II fighters intercept a
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
EP-3E ARIES II
signals intelligence Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is the act and field of intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly u ...
aircraft over the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...
, and one of the Chinese pilots dies when his fighter collides with the EP-3E and breaks up. The damaged EP-3E makes an
emergency landing An emergency landing is a premature landing made by an aircraft in response to an emergency involving an imminent or ongoing threat to the safety and operation of the aircraft, or involving a sudden need for a passenger or crew on board to term ...
without permission at Lingshui airfield on Chinas
Hainan Island Hainan is an island province and the southernmost province of China. It consists of the eponymous Hainan Island and various smaller islands in the South China Sea under the province's administration. The name literally means "South of the Sea ...
, where the Chinese take its 24-person crew prisoner. The Chinese will release the EP-3E crew on April 11, and will return the EP-3E itself to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
in a disassembled state on July 3. * April 4 – A
Sudanese Air Force The Sudanese Air Force () is the air force, aerial warfare branch of the Military of Sudan, Sudanese Armed Forces. It was established in 1956 following Sudan's independence earlier that year, and first saw action in the First Sudanese Civil War. ...
Antonov An-26 The Antonov An-26 (NATO reporting name: Curl) is a twin-engined turboprop civilian and military transport aircraft, designed and produced in the Soviet Union from 1969 to 1986.Gordon, Yefim. Komissarov, Dmitry & Sergey. "Antonov's Turboprop Twins ...
crashes while attempting to take off in a
sandstorm A dust storm, also called a sandstorm, is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Fine particles are transported b ...
at Adar Yel,
Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...
, killing 14 of the 30 people board. Among the dead are Sudanese Deputy
Minister of Defense A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...
Ibrahim Shamsul-Din and 13 high-ranking military officers. * April 20 – A Cessna A185E floatplane is mistakenly shot down by a
Cessna A-37 Dragonfly The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, or Super Tweet, is a jet-powered, light attack aircraft designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Cessna. It was developed during the Vietnam War in response to military interest in new counter-i ...
of the
Peruvian Air Force The Peruvian Air Force (, FAP) is the branch of the Peruvian Military of Peru, Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of aerial warfare, air power. Additional missions include assistance in safeguarding i ...
, killing two civilians and injuring the pilot. The American
Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA; ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and ...
, which had monitored the aircraft with a spotter plane in an advisory role, temporarily suspends its
Air Bridge Denial Program The Air Bridge Denial (ABD) Program is an Narcotic, anti-narcotics program operated by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency in Colombia and Peru. Starting in the 1990s, it targets traffickers transporting illegal drug trade, illicit drugs through ...
in response. * April 24 – An unmanned
RQ-4 Global Hawk The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, Unmanned aerial vehicle, remotely-piloted surveillance aircraft introduced in 2001. It was initially designed by Ryan Aeronautical (now part of Northrop Grumman), and known as Tier II+ d ...
surveillance aircraft Surveillance aircraft are aircraft used for surveillance. They are primarily operated by military forces and government agencies in roles including intelligence gathering, maritime patrol, battlefield and airspace surveillance, observation (e. ...
flies automatically from
Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, California, Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County, California, San Bernardino County and a souther ...
,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
, in the United States to Royal Australian Air Force Base Edinburgh in
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, non-stop and unrefuelled, becoming the first pilotless aircraft to cross the
Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
. At , it is the longest point-to-point flight ever undertaken by an unmanned aircraft, and takes 23 hours and 23 minutes.


May

* The
Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
places the
Aviation Safety Council The Taiwan Transportation Safety Board (TTSB, ) is an independent government agency of the Republic of China responsible for major transportation accidents on aviation, railways, waterways, and highways in Taiwan. The council is headquartered in ...
, formerly an independent government agency responsible for aviation accident investigation with the purpose of analyzing causal factors and proposing flight safety recommendations in
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
, under the control of the
Executive Yuan The Executive Yuan () is the executive (government), executive branch of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Under the Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China, amended constitution, the head of the Execut ...
. *
Air Somalia Air Somalia was a privately owned airline based in Somalia. It was the first private airline owned entirely by Somalis. Overview The carrier was established in 2001. It provided internal passenger and international services to destinations in Afr ...
is banned from flying to
Somaliland Somaliland, officially the Republic of Somaliland, is an List of states with limited recognition, unrecognised country in the Horn of Africa. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden and bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, E ...
. *
Uganda Airlines Uganda Airlines, legally Uganda National Airlines Company, is the flag carrier of Uganda. The company is a revival of the older Uganda Airlines which operated from 1977 until 2001. The current carrier began flying in August 2019. Location T ...
ceases operations, and Uganda Airlines Corporation is liquidated. * May 15 – The launch customer for the Boeing 737-900,
Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines is a major American airline headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, within the Seattle metropolitan area. It is the fifth-largest airline in North America when measured by scheduled passengers carried, as of 2024. Alaska, togethe ...
, takes delivery of the first of the aircraft it ordered. * May 18 –
Belavia Belavia, formally Belavia Belarusian Airlines (; ), is the flag carrier of Belarus, headquartered in Minsk. The state-owned company had, as of 2007, 1,017 employees. Belavia serves a network of routes between Commonwealth of Independent States, ...
commences service between
Minsk Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...
,
Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
and
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
with
Tupolev Tu-134 The Tupolev Tu-134 (NATO reporting name: Crusty) is a twin-engined, narrow-body jet airliner built in the Soviet Union for short and medium-haul routes from 1966 to 1989. The original version featured a glazed-nose design and, like certain oth ...
s and
Tupolev Tu-154 The Tupolev Tu-154 (; NATO reporting name: "Careless") is a three-engined, medium-range, narrow-body airliner designed in the mid-1960s and manufactured by Tupolev. A workhorse of Soviet and (subsequently) Russian airlines for several decades, ...
s on the route. * May 22 – American
astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...
Dr. Patricia Hilliard Robertson suffers fatal
injuries Injury is physiological damage to the living tissue of any organism, whether in humans, in other animals, or in plants. Injuries can be caused in many ways, including mechanically with penetration by sharp objects such as teeth or with b ...
when the
Wittman W-8 Tailwind The Wittman Tailwind is a popular two-seat light aircraft for homebuilding. It is a high-wing, braced cabin monoplane of taildragger configuration. It is constructed with a steel tubing fuselage, wood wings, and fabric covering. It offers excepti ...
she is piloting cartwheels and crashes into trees while she is practicing takeoffs and landings at Manvel,
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
. She dies two days later.


June

*June 12 –
Jetsgo Jetsgo Corporation was a short-lived Canadian low-cost airline based in the Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Saint-Laurent Borough#Canada, borough of Montreal. Jetsgo served 19 destinations across Canada, 10 destinations in the United States, and 12 sche ...
, a
Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
airline, commences operations.


July

*July 1 **
Singapore Airlines Cargo Singapore Airlines Cargo (abbreviation: SIA Cargo) is the unit within Singapore Airlines (SIA) responsible for air cargo operations. It was incorporated in 1988. SIA Cargo manages the cargo operations of SIA's fleet of freight- and passenger air ...
, operated by
Singapore Airlines Singapore Airlines (abbreviation: SIA or SQ) is the flag carrier of Singapore with its Airline hub, hub located at Changi Airport. Considered to be one of the world's best carriers, the airline is ranked as a 5-star airline as well as ranked ...
, begins operations. ** Regional Air joins the
Oneworld Oneworld (Computer reservations system, CRS: *O, stylised as oneworld) is a global airline alliance consisting of 14 member airlines. It was founded on 1 February 1999. The alliance's stated objective is to be the first choice airline alliance f ...
airline alliance An airline alliance is an aviation industry arrangement between two or more airlines agreeing to cooperate on a substantial level. Alliances may provide marketing branding to facilitate travelers making inter-airline codeshare agreement, codeshare ...
. * July 4 – Vladivostok Air Flight 352, a Tupelov-154, crashes during its approach to
Irkutsk Airport Irkutsk International Airport (Russian: Международный Аэропорт Иркутск) is an international airport on the outskirts of Irkutsk, Russia, at a distance of 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Lake Baikal. Operations The air ...
,
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
, killing all 145 people on board. * July 8 –
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
ian pilot and airline owner
Rolim Amaro Captain Rolim Adolfo Amaro (September 15, 1942 - July 8, 2001), known as "Comandante Rolim," was a Brazilian pilot and airline owner and founder of TAM Airlines. Biography At age 21, he became a pilot for a new air taxi company known as TAM ...
, the founder of TAM Airlines, and his passenger are killed when the
Robinson R44 The Robinson R44 is a four-seat light helicopter produced by Robinson Helicopter Company since 1992. Derived from the company's two-seat Robinson R22, the R44 features hydraulically assisted flight controls and a larger engine. It was first ...
helicopter he is piloting loses power at an altitude of and crashes at Fortuna Guazú,
Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
. *July 27 **
Alitalia Alitalia - Società Aerea Italiana S.p.A., operating as Alitalia (), was an Italian airline which was once the flag carrier and largest airline of Italy. The company had its head office in Fiumicino, in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital. ...
joins the
Skyteam SkyTeam is one of the world's three major airline alliances. Founded in June 2000, SkyTeam was the last of the three alliances to be formed, after Star Alliance and Oneworld. Its annual passenger count is 624 million customers (2024), the second ...
airline alliance An airline alliance is an aviation industry arrangement between two or more airlines agreeing to cooperate on a substantial level. Alliances may provide marketing branding to facilitate travelers making inter-airline codeshare agreement, codeshare ...
. **An
Agusta 109 The AgustaWestland AW109, originally the Agusta A109, is a lightweight, twin-engine, eight-seat multi-purpose helicopter designed and initially produced by the Italian rotorcraft manufacturer Agusta. It was the first all-Italian helicopter to b ...
helicopter carrying Brazilian fashion model Fernanda Vogel
ditches A ditch is a small to moderate trench created to channel water. A ditch can be used for drainage, to drain water from low-lying areas, alongside roadways or fields, or to channel water from a more distant source for plant irrigation. Ditches a ...
in the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
near
Maresias Maresias is a beach and district at the Atlantic Ocean in the city of São Sebastião, located on São Paulo state's northern coastline, Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. ...
,
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
. The pilot and Vogel's boyfriend swim to shore, but Vogel and the copilot drown.


August

* Alitalia Cargo joins the
Skyteam Cargo SkyTeam Cargo is a global cargo alliance in which all members are also members of the SkyTeam airline alliance. SkyTeam Cargo is the only cargo alliance in the world, likely since WOW Alliance ceased and disbanded. History Following the foundi ...
airline alliance An airline alliance is an aviation industry arrangement between two or more airlines agreeing to cooperate on a substantial level. Alliances may provide marketing branding to facilitate travelers making inter-airline codeshare agreement, codeshare ...
. * On the 1st of August, a Saudi Airlines 747 is going from the maintenance area to the passenger terminal at
KLIA Kuala Lumpur International Airport is the main international airport serving Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. It is located in the Sepang District of Selangor, approximately south of downtown Kuala Lumpur and serves the city's greate ...
, when the crew lose control of the aircraft. It goes into a ditch and it sustains a lot of damage. The aircraft is written off. * August 4 –
American Trans Air ATA Airlines, Inc., formerly known as American Trans Air and commonly referred to as ATA, was an American low-cost and charter airline based in Indianapolis, Indiana. ATA operated scheduled passenger flights throughout the U.S. mainland and ...
becomes the
North American North America is a continent in the Northern and Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea, and to the sou ...
launch customer for the Boeing 757-300. * August 13 – On a single flight, the NASA Helios Prototype sets the absolute world record for altitude by an
unmanned aerial vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.De Gruyter Handbook of Dron ...
(UAV) and the world record for altitude for sustained flight by a winged aircraft, reaching . It spends 40 minutes flying above . * August 24 –
Air Transat Flight 236 Air Transat Flight 236 was a transatlantic flight bound for Lisbon, Portugal, from Toronto, Canada, that lost all engine power while flying over the Atlantic Ocean on August 24, 2001. The Airbus A330 ran out of fuel because of a fuel leak cause ...
, an Airbus A330-243 flying from
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
,
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
, to
Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
,
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
, with 306 people on board, runs out of fuel over the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
due to a fuel leak in the No. 2 engine. The aircraft performs the worlds longest recorded glide by a jet airliner, covering 65
nautical mile A nautical mile is a unit of length used in air, marine, and space navigation, and for the definition of territorial waters. Historically, it was defined as the meridian arc length corresponding to one minute ( of a degree) of latitude at t ...
s (75
statute mile The mile, sometimes the international mile or statute mile to distinguish it from other miles, is a British imperial unit and United States customary unit of length; both are based on the older English unit of length equal to 5,280 English ...
s; 120 km) without power to an
emergency landing An emergency landing is a premature landing made by an aircraft in response to an emergency involving an imminent or ongoing threat to the safety and operation of the aircraft, or involving a sudden need for a passenger or crew on board to term ...
at
Lajes Air Base Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base (; ), officially designated Air Base No. 4 (''Base Aérea N.º 4'', BA4) , is a multi-use airfield near Lajes and northeast of Angra do Heroísmo on Terceira Island in the Azores, Portugal. It is home to the Port ...
in the
Azores The Azores ( , , ; , ), officially the Autonomous Region of the Azores (), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (along with Madeira). It is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atl ...
. Eighteen people are injured – two seriously – while evacuating the aircraft, but there are no fatalities. * August 25 – An overloaded
Cessna 402B The Cessna 401 and 402 are a series of 6 to 10 seat, light twin-piston engine aircraft.Montgomery, MR & Gerald Foster: ''A Field Guide to Airplanes, Second Edition'', page 108. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992. All seats are easily removable so ...
, registration number ''N8097W'', crashes immediately after takeoff from
Marsh Harbour Airport Leonard M. Thompson International Airport, formerly known as The Marsh Harbour International Airport , is an airport serving Marsh Harbour, a town in the Abaco Islands, The Bahamas. Marsh Harbour is a major tourist attraction. The airport offe ...
in the
Abaco Islands The Abaco Islands lie in the north of Bahamas, The Bahamas, about 193 miles (167.7 nautical miles or 310.6 km) east of Miami, Florida, US. The main islands are Great Abaco and Little Abaco, which is just west of Great Abaco's northern tip. T ...
in
The Bahamas The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic and island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean. It contains 97 per cent of the archipelago's land area and 88 per cent of ...
, killing all nine people on board, including the American recording artist, dancer, actress, and model
Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton ( ; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer, actress, dancer, and model. Known as the " Princess of R&B" and "Queen of Urban Pop", she is credited with helping to redefine contemporary R&B, p ...
. * August 29 – Piloting a
Bell 47G The Bell 47 is a single-rotor single-engine light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It was based on the third Bell 30 prototype, which was the company's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young. The 47 became the first he ...
helicopter on a solo training flight for a helicopter
pilot's license Pilot licensing or certification refers to permits for operating aircraft. Flight crew licences are issued by the civil aviation authority of each country, which must establish that the holder has met minimum knowledge and experience before issui ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
n singer and television presenter Graeme "Shirley" Strachan strays from the course laid out by his flight instructor and encounters severe turbulence that causes the helicopter's rotor to sever its tailboom. The helicopter crashes on a rugged mountainside near Australia's Mount Archer in
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
, killing him.


September

* September 8 – Patrick Critton, wanted for
hijacking Hijacking may refer to: Common usage Computing and technology * Bluejacking, the unsolicited transmission of data via Bluetooth * Brandjacking, the unauthorized use of a company's brand * Browser hijacking * Clickjacking (including ''likej ...
Air Canada Air Canada is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Canada, by size and passengers carried. Air Canada is headquartered in the borough of Saint-Laurent in the city of Montreal. The airline, founded in 1937, provides scheduled and cha ...
Flight 932 over
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
on December 26, 1971 and forcing it to fly to
Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.American Airlines American Airlines, Inc. is a major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the ...
and two of United Airlines, and crash them into the World Trade Center (1973-2001), World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, Arlington, Virginia, and a field in Pennsylvania in the September 11 attacks, killing 2,996 people. The four flights are American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767-223ER with five hijackers and 87 other people on board which hits the North Tower of the World Trade Center; United Airlines Flight 175, a Boeing 767-200, Boeing 767-222 with five hijackers and 60 other people on board which almost collides in mid-air with Delta Air Lines Flight 2315 and hits the South Tower of the World Trade Center; American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757, Boeing 757-223 with five hijackers and 59 other people on board which hits the Pentagon; and United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757-222 with four hijackers and 40 other people on board which was to hit the United States Capitol or White House, but is taken over by the passengers and crashes in a rural area in Stonycreek Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, Stonycreek Township, near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. In addition to the death of all 19 hijackers and all 246 other people aboard the planes, about 2,500 people in the World Trade Center and 125 people in the Pentagon die. Among the dead are American television producer David Angell, American photographer, actress, and model Berry Berenson, American filmmaker Carolyn Beug and American astronaut Charles Edward Jones aboard American Flight 11; Canadian professional ice hockey player Garnet Bailey, Garnet "Ace" Bailey and American ice hockey player Mark Bavis aboard United Flight 175; American lawyer and television commentator Barbara Olson and American gymnastics coach Mari-Rae Sopper and former
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
Wilson Flagg aboard American Flight 77; and United States Army Lieutenant General (United States), Lieutenant General Timothy Maude, the highest-ranking military officer killed during the day, in the Pentagon. With a combined total of 2,996 killed (including people on both the aircraft and the ground), the four crashes remain the deadliest air disaster in history. The attacks cause massive financial damage and trigger an economic depression in the aviation industry. *September 12 – Ansett Australia leaves the Star Alliance due to bankruptcy. *September 14 ** In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 11 September, the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
begin Operation Noble Eagle, a permanent operation to provide for the air defense of cities in the two countries. The United States Air Force provides F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters for the operation, while Canadian Armed Forces Royal Canadian Air Force, Air Command provides CF-18 Hornet fighters and the United States Army National Guard contributes short-range ground-based air defense systems. ** Ansett Australia ceases flight operations due to financial collapse. *September 15 – TAM Airlines Flight 9755, a Fokker 100, suffers an engine failure over Belo Horizonte, fragments of the turbine blades break 3 windows and the passenger in Seat 19E is partially sucked out of the plane, the passenger does not survive, the plane makes an emergency landing Belo Horizonte International Airport, Confins International Airport *September 24 – US Airways decides to terminate all MetroJet flights. *September 28 – The Government of Venezuela establishes the National Institute of Civil Aviation as Venezuela's national civil aviation authority.


October

* October 1 **After receiving a guarantee from the Government of Australia, Ansett Australia resumes limited service between major cities using only its Airbus A320s. **
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
creates its Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission; it replaces the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission. * October 2 – A major cash-flow crisis prompts Swissair to ground all of its aircraft. * October 4 – Siberia Airlines Flight 1812, a
Tupolev Tu-154 The Tupolev Tu-154 (; NATO reporting name: "Careless") is a three-engined, medium-range, narrow-body airliner designed in the mid-1960s and manufactured by Tupolev. A workhorse of Soviet and (subsequently) Russian airlines for several decades, ...
, explodes in mid-air and crashes into the Black Sea. All 78 people on board die. * October 5 – A Government of Switzerland, Swiss government emergency loan allows Swissair to resume some flights. * October 7 – The War in Afghanistan (2001–present), War in Afghanistan begins with strikes by American military aircraft against targets in Kabul, Kandahar, and Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Jalalabad as, in response to the al-Qaeda attacks of September 11, the United States launches Operation Enduring Freedom with a goal of dismantling al-Qaeda and ending its use of Afghanistan as a base by deposing the Taliban regime there. * October 8 – Scandinavian Airlines List of Scandinavian Airlines accidents and incidents, Flight 686, a McDonnell Douglas MD80, McDonnell Douglas MD87, Linate Airport disaster, collides with a Cessna Citation CJ2 business jet while taking off on a fog-shrouded runway from Linate Airport in Milan, Italy, for a flight to Copenhagen, Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark; the airliner then crashes into a nearby hangar and catches fire. All six crew members and 104 passengers on the airliner are killed, as are the four occupants of the Cessna and four airport workers on the ground. * October 10 - Flightline Flight 101 crashes into the Mediterranean Sea near the Columbretes Islands after a lightning strike, killing all 10 on board. * October 31 – Air Canada Jetz, operated by
Air Canada Air Canada is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Canada, by size and passengers carried. Air Canada is headquartered in the borough of Saint-Laurent in the city of Montreal. The airline, founded in 1937, provides scheduled and cha ...
, commences operations.


November

*Bmi (airline), bmi begins Transatlantic flight, transatlantic flights from Manchester in the United Kingdom after a failed attempt to start transatlantic flights from London Heathrow Airport. *British Airways aborts a plan to take over KLM due to technical issues in the Treaty on Open Skies between the United States and the Netherlands. *British Airways drops its controversial British Airways ethnic liveries, ethnic tailfins, which it had first adopted in 1997. It had initially slowed the process of adopting the tailfins in 1999; finally Chief Executive Rod Eddington decides that all aircraft will be painted with the new Union Flag livery, which had been one of the "ethnic" designs. * Aeropostal Alas de Venezuela (LAV) begins service between Venezuela the Madrid, Spain. *November 1 –
Alitalia Alitalia - Società Aerea Italiana S.p.A., operating as Alitalia (), was an Italian airline which was once the flag carrier and largest airline of Italy. The company had its head office in Fiumicino, in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital. ...
becomes a member of the
Skyteam SkyTeam is one of the world's three major airline alliances. Founded in June 2000, SkyTeam was the last of the three alliances to be formed, after Star Alliance and Oneworld. Its annual passenger count is 624 million customers (2024), the second ...
airline alliance An airline alliance is an aviation industry arrangement between two or more airlines agreeing to cooperate on a substantial level. Alliances may provide marketing branding to facilitate travelers making inter-airline codeshare agreement, codeshare ...
. *November 7 – The bankrupt Belgium, Belgian airline SABENA ceases operations, having gone into liquidation the previous day. *November 12 – New York City suffers its second plane disaster in as many months when American Airlines Flight 587, an Airbus A300, Airbus A300-600, crashes in Queens, New York, Queens, New York (state), New York, shortly after takeoff from John F. Kennedy International Airport due to mechanical failure, killing all 260 people on board and five people on the ground. *November 14 – An American airstrike south of Kabul, Afghanistan, kills senior al Qaeda leader Mohammed Atef, among others. *November 19 – The Transportation Security Administration, a component of the United States Department of Transportation, begins operation. It has broad responsibilities for and powers related to ensuring the safety of the traveling public in the United States, but the bulk of its efforts are devoted to civil aviation, most notably the screening of passengers and baggage at over 450 airports in the United States. *November 20 – A Royal Order creates Belgium′s Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport. Among other things, it serves as Belgium's national civil aviation authority, and it includes an Air Accident Investigation Unit, responsible for investigating aviation accidents and incidents in Belgium. *November 24 – On approach to Zurich-Kloten Airport in Kloten near Zürich, Switzerland, in rain, snow, and poor visibility due to low clouds, Crossair Flight 3597, an Avro RJ100 (registration HB-IXM), crashes into a wooded range of hills near the small town of Bassersdorf about short of the runway, where it breaks apart and bursts into flames, killing 24 of the 33 people on board. Melanie Thornton, the lead singer of the Eurodance group La Bouche, and singers Nathaly(i.e.) van het Ende and Maria Serrano Serrano of the German pop music group Passion Fruit (band), Passion Fruit are among the dead. Singer Debby St. Maarten of Passion Fruit survives with severe injuries. *November 27 – A Beechcraft King Air, Beechcraft C90 King Air operated by Eastland Air crashes after takeoff at Toowoomba City Aerodrome, Toowoomba Aerodrome in Queensland, Australia. Four people are killed, including the pilot and three health workers from the Queensland government's mental health team.


December

*December 1 –
Afriqiyah Airways Afriqiyah Airways is a Libyan state-owned airline based in Tripoli, Libya, Tripoli, Libya. It was established in 2001 and operates both domestic and international flights. The airline's main hub is Tripoli International Airport (TIP), and it ser ...
begins flight operations. It operates Boeing 737-400 airliners. *December 2 **The 71-year history of
Trans World Airlines Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1930 until it was acquired by American Airlines in 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles ...
(TWA) comes to an end, as it officially completes its merger into
American Airlines American Airlines, Inc. is a major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the ...
. TWA had been created in 1930 in aviation#October, October 1930. **Chautauqua Airlines, Corporate Airlines, and Trans States Airlines, which previously had operated in partnership with TWA under the Trans World Express brand, begin operating under the AmericanConnection brand as part of TWA's merger with American Airlines. Under the AmericanConnection brand, they become members of the
Oneworld Oneworld (Computer reservations system, CRS: *O, stylised as oneworld) is a global airline alliance consisting of 14 member airlines. It was founded on 1 February 1999. The alliance's stated objective is to be the first choice airline alliance f ...
airline alliance An airline alliance is an aviation industry arrangement between two or more airlines agreeing to cooperate on a substantial level. Alliances may provide marketing branding to facilitate travelers making inter-airline codeshare agreement, codeshare ...
. *December 4 – Israeli Air Force aircraft strike Gaza International Airport in Gaza City in the Gaza Strip, destroying its Airport control tower, control tower and radar facility. The airport closes after only three years of operation. *December 5 **Emery Worldwide is officially liquidated. *December 22 – Aboard
American Airlines American Airlines, Inc. is a major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the ...
Flight 63 – a Boeing 767 halfway across the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
during a flight from
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, to Miami, Florida, Miami,
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
, with 197 people on board – Richard Reid unsuccessfully attempts to detonate 2001 failed shoe bomb attempt, a bomb hidden in his shoe. He is subdued by passengers and the airliner, escorted by U.S. Air Force fighters, diverts to Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts, where he is arrested. *December 23 – During the 75-day period since 2001 in aviation#October, 7 October, American aircraft have conducted 6,500 airstrikes in Afghanistan, dropping 17,500 munitions. *December 28 – USA3000 Airlines begins operations.


First flights


January

*January 4 – The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, HAL HAL Tejas, Light Combat Aircraft's (LCA's) first technology demonstrator, TD-1.


February

*February 2 – Prototype General Atomics RQ-1 Predator B, later redesignated General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, MQ-9 Reaper.


July

*July 21 – XCOR EZ-Rocket, flown by Dick Rutan. *July 27 – Sukhoi Su-38Jackson 2003, pp. 419–420.


Entered service


May

*May 18 – Dassault Rafale, with the Flottille 12F squadron


November

* RQ-4 Global Hawk, RQ-4A Global Hawk, with the United States Air Force


Deadliest crash

2001 remains the deadliest year for aviation in history. The September 11 attacks marked the deadliest ever act of terrorism; an estimated 2,977 people were killed along with the 19 hijackers who commandeered four aircraft in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and crashed them into targets including the World Trade Center (1973–2001), World Trade Center in New York City, The Pentagon in Washington D.C., Washington, D.C., and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Alongside the attacks, which changed aviation significantly in following years, there were many notable accidents both before and after September 11 that have left a lasting impact on the industry. The deadliest such crash took place when American Airlines Flight 11, the first aircraft hijacked in the September 11 attacks, crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, killing all 92 people on board and at least 1,600 in the North Tower. The deadliest non-terrorist crash took place American Airlines Flight 587, an Airbus A300, crashed in Belle Harbor, Queens, shortly after taking off from John F. Kennedy International Airport on 12 November, two months and a mere few miles from the main site of the 9/11 attacks, killing all 260 people on board, as well as five on the ground. As 9/11 was a terrorist attack, Flight 587 is also the deadliest commercial aviation accident in the 2000s decade.


References

* Jackson, Paul. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004''. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. . {{Aviation timelines navbox 2001 in aviation, Aviation by year