#2. Brazil Plane Crash
Aviators call São Paolo's Congonhas Airport "the aircraft carrier,"
because landing on its notoriously short runway, surrounded by densely
populated residential areas, is as touchy as trying to put down on the deck
of a ship at sea. Though a Brazilian court had banned large jets from the
airport in February, citing safety concerns, the ban was later overturned.
On July 17, the pilot of TAM Airlines Flight JJ3054, tried to land at
Congonhas, but realizing he wouldn't be able to stop in time on the
rain-slicked tarmac, tried to take off again. He failed. The Airbus A320
skidded across a road, smashed into a gas station and then into a building
owned by the airline. The ensuing fireball killed all 186 people on the
plane and 13 more on the ground, making this the worst air disaster in
Brazilian history.