Aviation accidents and incidents in 2009 (2009)

Glen Kinglas is a glen located on the Cowal Peninsula, in Argyll and Bute, west of Scotland. The glen is one of the main glens in the Arrochar Alps, the A83 road from Arrochar and Loch Lomond passes through the glen. At the north end of the glen, a pass leads to Glen Croe, passing Loch Restil. At the south of the glen the A815 road leaves the A83 and leads through the Cowal Peninsula to Dunoon on the Firth of Clyde coast. The A83 continues on past Cairndow and Loch Fyne Oysters to Inveraray and Inveraray Castle on Loch Fyne.

Empire Airlines Flight 8284 was a cargo flight operated by Empire Airlines for FedEx Feeder from Fort Worth Alliance Airport to Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport, Texas. On January 27, 2009, it crashed on final approach to its destination. Both crew members survived with minor injuries but the aircraft was written off.

Northwest Airlines Flight 188 was a regularly scheduled flight from San Diego, California, to Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota, on October 21, 2009, which overshot its destination by more than 150 miles (240 km) because of pilot error. During the event, air traffic control lost contact with the flight for approximately 75 minutes. The flight later landed at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport over an hour past its scheduled arrival.

The attempted bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 occurred on December 25, 2009, aboard an Airbus A330 as it prepared to land at Detroit Metropolitan Airport following a transatlantic flight from Amsterdam. Attributed to the terrorist organization al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the act was undertaken by 23-year-old Nigerian national Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab using chemical explosives sewn to his underwear. These circumstances, including the date, led to Abdulmutallab being commonly nicknamed either the "Underwear bomber" or "Christmas Day bomber" by American media outlets. It also could have been the worst plane crash in the history of Michigan beating out Northwest Airlines Flight 255.

On 28 November 2009 at 08:12 (UTC+8), Avient Aviation Flight 324, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, registration Z-BAV (c/n 48408) operated by Avient Aviation departing Shanghai Pudong International Airport destined for Manas International Airport, near Bishkek, crashed during its takeoff roll with the loss of three lives.

RwandAir Flight 205 was a Canadair CRJ100ER that crashed into the Terminal Building after an emergency landing at Kigali, Rwanda killing one passenger. The flight was operated by JetLink Express on behalf of RwandAir. In the aftermath of the accident, RwandAir suspended all operations with JetLink Express.

On 1 November 2009, an Ilyushin Il-76 operated by the Russian Armed Forces crashed shortly after takeoff from Mirny Airport in Yakutia, killing all 11 occupants on board.

The 2009 California mid-air collision occurred at sea, west of San Diego, on 29 October. It involved a Lockheed HC-130H Hercules of the United States Coast Guard and a Bell AH-1 SuperCobra of the U.S. Marine Corps. There were no survivors among the nine crewmates aboard either aircraft.

Sudan Airways Flight 2241 was a scheduled cargo flight from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates to Khartoum, Sudan operated by a Boeing 707-330C. On 21 October 2009, the cargo plane's No. 4 engine cowling separated during lift off, and in an attempt to turn the plane around, it stalled and crashed north of the airport. All six occupants were killed.

Aeroméxico Flight 576 was a Mexican domestic passenger flight from Cancún to Mexico City that was hijacked on 9 September 2009. The plane was flown to Mexico City International Airport where the passengers were released. A short while later, the crew was also released and authorities detained five men in connection with the hijacking. However, only one of those taken into custody was identified as the perpetrator by the authorities. The hijacker's main demand was to speak with President Felipe Calderón. This has been the only hijacking for Aeroméxico.