Passengers on Turkish Airlines Flight 981 had little reason to worry when they boarded their plane on March 3, 1974. At the time, the crash of Turkish Airlines Flight 981 was the worst aviation disaster in history. Turkish Air Lines Flight 881Turkish Airlines Flight 981 departed Yeşilköy Airport in Istanbul, Turkey on March 3, 1974, at 07:57 a.m. local time. The Sad Legacy Of Turkish Airlines Flight 981In the aftermath of Turkish Airlines Flight 981, the flawed cargo door on the DC-10s was fixed. After learning about Turkish Airlines flight 981, one of the worst aviation disasters in history, read about the American Airlines Flight 191, the deadliest non-terrorist-related plane crash in U.S. history.