The *Kegworth Air Disaster was a tragic aviation accident that occurred on January 8, 1989, involving British Midland Flight 92, a Boeing 737-400.
### Summary:
*Flight: British Midland Flight 92
*Route: London Heathrow to Belfast International Airport
*Aircraft: Boeing 737-400
*Fatalities: 47 of the 126 people on board
*Injuries: 74 serious injuries, many others with minor injuries
*Location: Near the village of Kegworth, Leicestershire, England
### What Happened:
Shortly after takeoff from Heathrow, one of the plane's engines (the left engine) began to malfunction. The flight crew mistakenly believed the issue was with the right engine, which they subsequently shut down. This was a critical error.
As the aircraft attempted an emergency landing at East Midlands Airport, it lost all engine power during final approach. Unable to maintain altitude, the plane crashed onto the embankment of the M1 motorway, just short of the runway.
### Key Contributing Factors:
*Crew Error: The pilots misidentified the faulty engine due to a combination of unfamiliarity with the new 737-400 model and misleading cockpit instrumentation.
*Communication Issues: Cabin crew had observed smoke and fire from the correct (left) engine but were unable to communicate this in time to the cockpit.
*Aircraft Design: The 737-400 was a relatively new model, and pilots had limited experience with its updated systems.
*Training Gaps: Simulator training did not fully replicate the aircraft’s behavior during engine failure.
### Aftermath:
The accident prompted significant changes in *pilot training, particularly regarding engine failure diagnosis and cockpit communication.
It also led to *modifications in aircraft instrumentation and improved coordination between cabin and flight crew.
### Memorial:
There is a memorial* near the crash site in Kegworth commemorating the victims and survivors. Many local residents, emergency services, and even passing motorists played heroic roles in the rescue efforts.