How Many Boeing Plane Crashes Have There Been in 2024?

The crash of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 in South Korea is the deadliest aviation disaster of 2024, marking yet another incident involving a Boeing plane in a year of growing concerns about the company’s aviation safety and performance. The jetliner skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames on Sunday after its landing gear apparently failed to deploy. All but two of the 181 passengers and crew were killed. Why It Matters With 179 victims, the crash was South Korea’s deadliest aviation disaster in decades. South Korea’s acting president has ordered an emergency safety inspection of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operating by the country’s airlines. The tragedy, coupled with scrutiny over safety protocols, added to Boeing’s challenges in 2024, which included prior incidents, production delays and financial losses. South Korean firefighters and rescue personnel work near the wreckage of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 plane after it crashed and burst into flames on Sunday. All but two of the 181 passengers and crew… South Korean firefighters and rescue personnel work near the wreckage of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 plane after it crashed and burst into flames on Sunday. All but two of the 181 passengers and crew aboard were killed. Photo by JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images What To Know The Boeing 737-800 plane, operated by South Korean budget airline Jeju Air, aborted its first landing attempt for reasons that aren’t immediately clear. Then, during its second landing attempt, it received a bird strike warning from the ground control center before its pilot issued a distress signal. The plane landed without its front landing gear deployed, overshot the runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into a fireball. The Jeju Air crash is the latest aviation tragedy involving Boeing, a company already under scrutiny following other incidents this year. The 737-800 model, often lauded for its reliability, with more than 4,500 of the planes in service around the world, has now drawn questions about its safety. Other notable events involving Boeing aircraft include: January 5: An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9, operating as Flight 1282, experienced a rapid decompression when its plugged exit door separated from the airframe shortly after departure from Oregon’s Portland International Airport. The flight returned to Portland. No fatalities occurred, though minor injuries were reported. March 12: A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8, operating as Flight 746 from Phoenix to Oakland, California, encountered a “Dutch roll” oscillation during flight, leading to structural damage to the rudder standby power control unit. The aircraft landed safely, and the incident prompted an investigation by U.S. authorities. October 15: A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, preparing for departure from Brindisi to Turin, Italy, aborted takeoff because of a fire beneath its wing. All 184 passengers and six crew members evacuated via emergency slides, and no injuries were reported. The suspected origin of the fire was an engine problem. November 20: A Total Cargo Boeing 737 freighter made an emergency landing at São Paulo International Airport in Brazil after a fire broke out in its cargo hold. The blaze destroyed a portion of the cargo and caused significant damage to the aircraft’s fuselage. No injuries were reported. Boeing Stock: How the Crash Affected the Business The company’s stock dropped nearly 5 percent in the aftermath of Sunday’s crash, reflecting market concerns about the potential fallout. The extent of the financial and reputational damage will hinge on the findings of ongoing investigations and Boeing’s ability to address these challenges effectively. Who Owns Jeju Air? Jeju Air is a South Korean low-cost airline established in 2005. The airline is majority-owned by the Aekyung Group, a prominent South Korean conglomerate, which holds a 50.37 percent stake in the company. Other notable shareholders are the National Pension Service of Korea, owning 7.087 percent, and Aekyung Asset Management Co., with a 3.221 percent stake. What Is the Most Commonly Used Boeing Plane? The Boeing 737 is the most commonly used Boeing aircraft, particularly the 737 Next Generation (NG) and 737 MAX series. This narrow-body aircraft has been a staple in short- to medium-haul flights since its introduction in 1968, with over 11,000 units delivered across various models as of 2024. What People Are Saying Choi Sang-mok, South Korea’s acting president, said Monday at a press conference: “The essence of a responsible response would be renovating the aviation safety systems on the whole to prevent recurrences of similar incidents and building a safer Republic of South Korea.” Robert Clifford, a lawyer representing some of the families of victims of the 737 MAX crashes, told Newsweek: “Our current understanding is that, at some point during the go-around process, communication became somewhat ineffective or was interrupted prior to the landing and impact.” What Happens Next South Korea’s Transport Ministry said Monday it plans to conduct safety inspections of all of the 101 Boeing 737-800 jetliners operated by the country’s airlines as well as a broader review of safety standards at Jeju Air, which operates 39 of those planes. Senior ministry official Joo Jong-wan said representatives from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and Boeing were expected to arrive in South Korea on Monday to participate in the investigation.