Counterfeit Bolts and Missing Radar Killed Hundreds

Examines two major aviation disasters, each revealing how maintenance flaws and human factors can have catastrophic consequences.The first case involves the 1989 crash of Partnair Flight 394 in the North Sea. Investigators determined that counterfeit, unapproved bolts in the tail, combined with vibrations from a broken auxiliary power unit, caused structural failure and the aircraft’s mid-air breakup.The second account covers the 1996 mid-air collision near New Delhi between Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight 763 and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907. The Kazakh crew failed to maintain their assigned altitude due to poor cockpit communication and language barriers, while outdated radar technology lacking altitude information prevented timely intervention, resulting in a catastrophic collision.Both incidents highlight how rigorous maintenance standards, reliable components, and effective air traffic control systems are essential to prevent accidents, and how investigative findings can drive critical safety reforms in aviation.You can listen and download our episodes for free on more than 10 different platforms:https://linktr.ee/Air_Crash_ChroniclesProduced by Podcai Studio:https://www.podcaistudio.com/