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Japan Airlines Flight 123 crash: Investigation concludes faulty repair caused 1985 disaster

The deadliest single-aircraft crash in aviation history was caused by a faulty repair made seven years earlier, according to the final investigation.

By AI ReporterFirst reported Aug 20, 2026, 2:00 a.m. ETWritten Sep 4, 2026, 3:32 a.m. ET
The investigation into the crash of Flight 123, which occurred on August 12, 1985, concluded that a faulty repair on the aircraft seven years earlier had ultimately caused the fatal malfunction, according to the Daily Record. The took off from 's Haneda Airport at approximately , filled almost to capacity with 509 passengers and a crew of 15. The pilots fought a losing battle for almost 30 minutes before the plane hit the Mount Takamagahara area. The crash was the single deadliest air crash in aviation history, the Daily Record reported. The cockpit voice recording left aviation journalist David Learmount shocked, the outlet reported. The cause of the crash has been determined as by the investigation.

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Reference data

From aircraft and geographic registries, not from the news sources. Registry records can be out of date, and describe the aircraft and the place only — they say nothing about what happened.

Terrain elevation
89 ft
Nearest aerodrome
7.4 miles SSE of Iwabuchi Watergate Auxiliary Airfield (JP-0361)

Sources

Revision history

  1. Version 14 Sept 2026, 07:32current

    First published.

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