What happened
On 14 March 1980, an Ilyushin Il-62 belonging to LOT Polish Airlines was performing an approach to Warsaw-Okecie Airport in Poland. During the landing sequence, the flight crew initiated an aborted landing and attempted to execute a go-around procedure. During this phase of flight, the aircraft suffered a catastrophic failure. The plane subsequently crashed in the vicinity of the airport.
There were 87 fatalities recorded during the accident, as all 77 passengers and 10 crew members perished in the crash.
Investigation
An investigation into the crash determined that the aircraft experienced an uncontained engine failure. Specifically, a turbine disc within one of the engines disintegrated during the flight. This mechanical failure occurred while the aircraft was attempting to climb following the aborted landing.
Findings
Investigators concluded that the primary cause of the accident was the disintegration of a turbine disc in one of the engines. Subsequent examination of the wreckage revealed that the turbine shaft contained manufacturing defects that contributed to the failure.