El Al 747 decompression, 1977
An El Al 747 lost cabin pressure over Belgrade in November 1977. Read the documented facts, source limitations and historical context.
On 3 November 1977, an El Al Boeing 747 experienced a decompression over Belgrade, then in Yugoslavia. One passenger died following the event, according to the AirSafe accident record.
What is documented
The accessible record is much shorter than the investigation reports available for many other events in this section. It identifies the date, operator, aircraft family, location and one passenger death.
A contemporary newspaper report also describes a loss of cabin pressure. These sources do not establish a verified flight number, aircraft registration or detailed technical cause, so those details are not assigned here.
Understanding decompression
Decompression means a loss of the cabin's maintained air pressure. For background on the equipment involved, see the site's 747 systems section. A passenger death following a pressure-loss event does not by itself identify the medical cause of death or a structural failure mechanism.
The photograph shows another El Al 747 for historical context; it is not identified as the aircraft involved.
Related
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against the primary and institutional references below.
- El Al: 3 November 1977 decompression event - AirSafe.com
- Contemporary report: American Dies on Israeli Jet - The Washington Post
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