Eight Fatal Software-Related Accidents

Eight Fatal Software-Related Accidents

Written By
John McCormick
John McCormick
Mar 4, 2004
1 minute read
eWeek content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More
DateDeathsDetail
20033Software failure contributes to power outage across the Northeastern U.S. and Canada.
20015Panamanian cancer patients die following overdoses of radiation, amounts of which were determined by faulty use of software.
20004Crash of a Marine Corps Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft partially blamed on “software anomaly.”
1997225Radar that could have prevented Korean jet crash hobbled by software problem.
19971Software-logic error causes infusion pump to deliver lethal dose of morphine sulfate. Gish Biomedical reprograms devices.
1995159American Airlines jet, descending into Cali, Colombia, crashes into a mountain. Jury holds maker of flight-management system 17% responsible. A report by the University of Bielefeld in Germany found that the software presented insufficient and conflicting information to the pilots, who got lost.
199128Software problem prevents Patriot missile battery from picking up SCUD missile, which hits U.S. Army barracks in Saudi Arabia.
19853Software-design flaws in Therac-25 treatment machine lead to radiation overdoses in U.S. and Canadian patients.
eWeek Logo

eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site's focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.