Make no mistake--even after the September 11, 2001 tragedy, flying by commercial aircraft is the safest form of transportation possible. Your chances of being involved in a fatal accident are incredibly higher in any other form of transportation, particularly in your own automobile!

Being a major tourist destination, Florida is, and has been for decades one of the most heavily-traveled states in the nation, so it only stands to reason that we've had our fair share of accidents, which also includes commercial aviation.

There will be no gory photos or descriptions of these accidents, as I do not operate that way. In several instances these wrecks yielded evidence that has led to changes that henceforth have led to the saving of untold lives, making commercial aviation an even safer, and more efficient form of travel. Incidents will be listed first by location, then by chronological date:

1.. Location of Crash--Bolivia, North Carolina: Bound For-Miami: January 6, 1960: Aircaft Type-Douglas DC-6B: Airline- National Airlines: Fatalities-34: Flight 2511 from New York Idlewild Airport to Miami International Airport came to rest around the countryside of Bolivia, North Carolina after an a bomb was detonated within the passenger cabin. All 34 aboard were killed.
2.. Location of Crash--Cali, Colombia: Bound From--Miami: December 20, 1995: Aircaft Type- Boeing 757-200: Airline: American airlines: Fatalities-164: This flight from Miami International Airport to Cali's Alfonso Aragon Airport crashed into a mountainside as a result of both faulty flight management systems and pilot error. All 164 on board perished in the wreck on this twin engine narrow body jetliner.
3.. Location of Crash--Daytona Beach: May 24, 1980: Aircaft Type--Convair 240: Fatalities-3: A Convair 240 with 3 on board crashed on take off during take of from Daytona Beach International Airport due to an engine fire in this twin engine piston aircraft.
4.. Location of Crash--Gulf of Mexico: Bound From--Tampa: February 14, 1953: Aircaft Type- Douglas DC-6: Airline- National Airlines: Fatalities-46: This flight from Tampa International Airport to New Orleans Moissant International Airport with 46 aboard presumably crashed 35 km south of Mobile, Alabama as a result of catastrophic structural failure due to severe turbulence.
5.. Location of Crash--Gulf of Mexico: Bound From--Tampa: November 16, 1959: Aircaft Type- Douglas DC-7B: Airline- National Airlines: Fatalities-42: Flight 967, again bound from Tampa International Airport to New Orleans Moissant International Airport may have been the result on an unlawfully act. It was never proven if "an unlawfully act" indeed took down the four engine piston aircraft and was ruled as cause unkown.
6.. Location of Crash--Jacksonville: December 21, 1955: Aircraft Type-Lockheed L-749 Constellation: Airline- Eastern Air Lines: Fatalities- 17: Flight 642, a four engine piston aircraft from Miami International crashed and caught fire while in a foggy landing approach to Jacksonville International Airport killing all 17 aboard.
7.. Location of Crash--Melbourne, Fl. Bound For--Miami: July 13, 1947: Aircraft Type-Curtiss C-46: Airline- Burke Air Transport: Fatalities- 21: Originating in Newark New Jersey, this C-46 with 36 aboard also had stops in Baltimore, Maryland, and Augusta, Georgia before continuing to Miami International Airport. The twin-engine piston aircraft experienced engine problems resulting in a crash outside of Melbourne, Florida.
8.. Location of Crash--Miami: December 28, 1948: Aircraft Type-- Douglas DC-3: Airline- Airborne Transport: Fatalities- 32: Originating at San Juan, Puerto Rico's Isla Grande Airport, this twin engine piston aircraft last reported to the tower at Miami International Airport, its destination, that it had the night lights of Miami in sight. The aircraft was never heard from or seen again and was presumed lost in the Atlantic Ocean. This aircraft was featured in La Floridiana #19 in NCPCR Issue 88 of December 3-9, 2001 in the story "The Paranormal in Florida Part 5- The Bermuda Triangle Part I-Facts, Myths and Outright Lies!"
9.. Location of Crash--Miami: June 2, 1950: Aircraft Type-- Curtiss C-46: Airline- WestairTransport: Fatalities- 28: 65 passengers were on board this aircraft when its number one engine lost power over the Atlantic Ocean while on approach to Miami International Airport, forcing theaircraft to ditch in the Atlantic Ocean, killing 28.
10.. Location of Crash--Miami: August 4, 1952: Aircraft Type-- Curtiss C-46: Airline- Resort Airlines: Fatalities- 4: Crashed while landing at Miami International Airport killing all 4 aboard, This aircraft was being ferried from the Hollywood-Burbank Airport. The cause was attributed to poor maintenance.
11.. Location of Crash--Miami: December 21, 1952: Aircraft Type-- Curtiss C-46: Airline- RANSA: Fatalities- 3: Missing over the Atlantic Ocean en-route to Miami International Airport.
12.. Location of Crash--Miami: March 25, 1958: Aircraft Type--Douglas DC-7C: Airline-Braniff Airways: Fatalities- 9: This four engine piston with 24 aboard experienced an enginefire after take off, crashing in a marsh near Miami International Airport, killing 9.
13.. Location of Crash--Miami: February 12, 1963: Aircraft Type--Boeing 720: Airline- NorthwestOrient Airlines: Fatalities- 43: This four engine jetliner from Miami International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport was destabilized due to severe vertical updrafts, leading toan irrecoverable dive 37 miles southwest of Miami.
14.. Location of Crash--Miami: February 13, 1965: Aircraft Type--Curtiss C-46: Airline- AESA(Aerolineas El Salvadore): Fatalities- 2: This twin engine piston cargo hauler crashed shortlyafter take off from Miami international Airport. It crashed into a mobile home park and Orange Blossom Hobbies off of 36th Street causing no ground injuries. T.R.E.E. Inc. Vice Presiden Bob Scheible, who worked at Miami international Airport as a cargo handler, unloaded plantains off of this same aircraft immediately before its departure, and he also witnessed its crash as he drove home completing his work shift.
15.. Location of Crash--Miami: April 14, 1970: Aircraft Type--Douglas DC-4: Airline- Ecuatoriana: Fatalities- 2: This four engine piston crashed on take off from Miami International Airport hauling cargo to Tocuma International Airport in Panama City, Panama.
16.. Location of Crash--Miami: December 29, 1972: Aircraft Type--Lockheed L-1011: Airline-Eastern Air Lines: Fatalities- 112: Flight 401 from New York Kennedy International Airport to Miami International Airport with 163 aboard crashed into the Everglades 18.7 miles west northwest of Miami. The massive three engine jumbo jet crashed as a result of a faulty landing gear light, and crew inattention to the aircraft's altitude. This aircraft was featured in La Floridiana #13 in NCPCR Issue 82 of October 15-21, 2001 in the story "The Paranormal in Florida Part 4- Ghosts and Hauntings", and was a story about "The Ghost of Flight 401".
17.. Location of Crash--Miami: December 15, 1973: Aircraft Type--Lockheed L-1049H, Constellation: Airline-Aircraft Pool Leasing Corporation: Fatalities- 9: Loaded with 39,000 pounds of Canadian-grown Christmas trees headed for Maiquita Airport in Caracas, Venezuela, this four engine piston with three vertical stabilizers crashed on take off from Miami International Airport killing all 3 crew and 6 on the ground. The crash was attributed to the rearward movement of unsecured cargo.
18.. Location of Crash--Miami: May 14, 1996: Aircraft Type--McDonnell-Douglas DC-9-30: Airline-ValuJet: Fatalities- 110: On its climb out from Miami International Airport, headed forAtlanta Hartsfield International Airport, improperly stored oxygen canisters ignited an on-board fire that debilitated the crew, rendering an irrecoverable 7,207' vertical dive into the Evergladeskilling all 110 on board.
19.. Location of Crash--Miami: August 7, 1997: Aircraft Type--McDonnell-Douglas DC-8-61F:Airline- Fine Air: Fatalities- 5: This large four engine jet cargo transport crashed on take off at Miami International Airport hauling its goods to Los Americas Airport in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The crash was attributed to the rearward movement of unsecured cargo leading to an irrecoverable stall. Four crew members and one person on the ground was killed.
20.. Location of Crash--Pensacola: May 8, 1978: Aircraft Type-- Boeing 727-200: Airline-National Airlines: Fatalities- 3: Flight 193, a Miami to Pensacola flight with stops in Melbourne, Tampa, and Mobile. On the final leg between Mobile and Pensacola, the aircraft crashed in Escambia Bay, flying in fog while in its landing approach to Pensacola. Pilot error was cited as there was a nine second altitude warning that the crew did not respond to. 3 of 58 on board were killed in the misshap.
21.. Location of Crash--St. Petersburg: March 20, 1953: Aircraft Type-- Curtiss C-46: Airline- Aerovias Sud American: Fatalities- 0: Headed for Guatamala City from Tampa International Airport, the twin engine piston cargo hauler experienced engine trouble shortly after take off. It attempted an emergency landing at the nearby St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, but overran the runway crashing into nearby woods.
22.. Location of Crash--Washington D.C.: Bound For--Tampa and Ft. Lauderdale: January 13, 1982: Aircraft Type--Boeing 737-200: Airline- Air Florida: Fatalities-74: Air Florida Boeing 737-200 Flight 90 with 79 passengers on board bound for Tampa and Ft. Lauderdale crashed on take-off at Washington D.C.'s National Airport due to a stall created by icing on the wings. The twin engine jetliner aircraft clipped a portion of the I-395 bridge over the Potomac River before its final descent into that river.