Settlement Reached After U.S. Court Ruling on 2020 Istanbul Crash Involving Boeing 737-800
The Tragic Incident
On February 5, 2020, a Pegasus Airlines Boeing 737-800, en route from İzmir to Istanbul, suffered a catastrophic accident while landing at Sabiha Gökçen International Airport. The plane skidded off the runway, broke into three sections, and resulted in the deaths of three passengers, with 179 others sustaining injuries. The aircraft disintegrated upon impact after a failed landing attempt during adverse weather conditions. The crash sent shockwaves through the global aviation community and sparked widespread concern over aircraft safety protocols.
Legal Battle in the U.S.: Claims of Defective Systems
Following the accident, victims and their families filed a lawsuit in the United States, alleging that Boeing was at fault due to critical defects in the automatic braking and speed reduction systems of the aircraft. The lawsuit sought accountability for what the plaintiffs claimed were design flaws that contributed to the accident’s severity. Although the final settlement amount was not disclosed, Attorney Seyit Şahin, who represented some of the victims, announced that Boeing has agreed to a “satisfactory compensation” for his clients.
Investigation Findings: A Complex Mix of Factors
The incident prompted a thorough investigation in Turkey, which revealed a series of events and decisions that contributed to the crash. Six minutes before the aircraft’s descent, it was reportedly struck by lightning, creating heightened stress in the cockpit. The pilots diverted from their original landing plan, switching to a different runway due to the challenging weather conditions. This sudden change of plans likely added to the pressure on the flight crew.
Compounding the issue, there was a language barrier in the cockpit. The air traffic controller communicated crucial weather updates and runway conditions in Turkish, which the foreign co-pilot, unfamiliar with the language, was unable to understand. This miscommunication undermined the co-pilot’s ability to assist in the final moments before landing, further escalating the situation.
Pilot Decision-Making and Human Error
The report also criticized the actions of Captain Mahmut Arslan, who deactivated the automatic braking system before landing and attempted to manually brake with a six-second delay. This proved insufficient to slow the aircraft, which rapidly approached the end of the runway. The manual braking effort failed to achieve the necessary deceleration, and the aircraft eventually plunged off the runway from a height of approximately 40 meters.
Runway and Infrastructure Deficiencies
The crash also exposed deficiencies in the airport’s runway infrastructure. According to Turkey’s General Directorate of Civil Aviation, the runway at Sabiha Gökçen Airport was found to have safety flaws that could have exacerbated the incident. The report did not specify the nature of these deficiencies, but it pointed to larger issues concerning the airport’s ability to safely accommodate landings during extreme weather conditions.
Boeing’s Response and Settlement Agreement
In response to the lawsuit, Boeing did not publicly acknowledge fault but has opted for an out-of-court settlement. While the specifics of the settlement remain confidential, the company’s decision to settle suggests an effort to resolve the matter without prolonged litigation. Boeing, already under scrutiny from previous aviation disasters involving its 737 MAX aircraft, continues to face questions regarding the safety and reliability of its aircraft.
The settlement marks a significant moment for the victims and their families, who have sought justice for four years following the tragic crash. As aviation regulators and airlines continue to analyze the findings from this investigation, the Pegasus Airlines incident serves as a sobering reminder of the critical importance of safety measures, clear communication in the cockpit, and rigorous airport infrastructure standards.
