Air France Flight 447 - 228 dead: 1 June 2009 flight 447 disappeared on its way to Paris from Rio de Janeiro. Although the wreckage was found after 5 days the black box was recovered 2 years later. The cause was found to be an inappropriate pilot response to faulty air speed indicators due to bad weather conditions and ice. - Swissair Flight 111 - 229 dead:On 2 September 1998 Swissair flight 111 from New York to Geneva crashed into the ocean just off of Nova Scotia due to a rapidly spreading cockpit fire.