520 fatalities
1985-08-12: Japan Air Lines Flight 123 — Japan
On August 12, 1985, a Japan Air Lines Flight 123 was involved in an aviation accident near Japan. 520 people were killed. The investigation identified loss of control as a causal factor. This summary draws on records from Wikidata contributors; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Accident narrative
Japan Air Lines Flight 123 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Tokyo to Osaka, Japan. On the evening of Monday, August 12, 1985, the Boeing 747 flying the route suffered a severe structural failure and explosive decompression 12 minutes after takeoff. After flying under minimal control for 32 minutes, the plane crashed in the area of Mount Takamagahara, 100 kilometres from Tokyo.
Contributing factors
loss of control