1999: Egypt Air Flight 990

Egypt air plane 990 was a Boeing 767 scheduled to travel from Los Angeles to Cairo with a stop at New York on Oct 31, 1999. 60 minutes after departing from the John F. Kennedy International Airport, the plane vanished from radar and disconnected with air traffic control. The plane made a rapid descent in 36 seconds, and crashed into the Atlantic south of Massachusetts killing 217 passengers and crew.

Although debris was later found, the cause of this accident has never been fully established. According to the NTSB, the American investigatory body, a possible theory is that co-pilot committed suicide. But Egypt claims it was a mechanical failure. The Egyptian report suggested various control failure scenarios as possible causes of the crash.

Egyptair SU-GAP Boeing 767-300 at Dusseldorf Airport. The aircraft crashed in the Atlantic Ocean in 1999 as Egyptair Flight 990. File Photo

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