This was the first and only incident in which a superpower activated its nuclear suitcase.
All in Accidents
Death by Home Improvement
This bluesman had one of the most covered songs of all time.
Project Crested Ice
A bomber carrying four hydrogen bombs crashes, scattering radioactive debris across miles of sea ice.
The Palomares Incident
The accident dropped 4 hydrogen bombs on a small fishing village.
Sub vs Mountain
At about 2 in the morning the bow of the sub plowed into a wall of rock and mud.
Meltdown of SL-1
The only known fatal accident involving a nuclear reactor in America happened on this day.
The Ashtabula Horror
92 of 159 passengers would die when a wrought-iron bridge collapsed and the Pacific Express fell 70 feet into the frozen Ashtabula River.
Nancy Cruzan
The Cruzan Family's fight for their daughter's right to die helped raise awareness about the need for advanced health directives and living wills.
Sole Survivor
At 21,000 feet the flight ran into a severe thunderstorm and violent turbulence.
Silver Bridge Collapse
46 people died as cars and trucks plunged 100 feet into the near-freezing water of the Ohio River.
Catastrophic Fail
A Los Angeles reservoir crumbled apart and released 250,000,000 gallons of water into the surrounding neighborhoods.
John Kendrick's Final Salute
John Kendrick was a Cape Cod sea captain who lived an adventure-filled life.
The Flying Lawnmower Incident
A 40-pound airplane shaped like a lawnmower took off from the endzone and veered over the crowd.
Smoke on the Water
This was the night that the historic Montreux Casino on the shore of Lake Geneva, Switzerland burned to the ground.
Times Beach
It cost $32 million to relocate the citizens, plus another $110 million for the subsequent cleanup.
Hit by a Meteorite
Ann Elizabeth Hodges was taking a nap on this day when she was rudely awakened by a meteorite crashing through her roof.
The Westfield Ferry
In 1871, 125 lives were lost when one of the Staten Island ferries exploded.
Empire State Disaster
A B-25 bomber on a routine transport mission slammed into the Empire State Building.
Wingfoot Air Express
A dirigible burst into flames and crashed through the skylight of a Chicago bank.
Hero Boiled Alive
Others warned him not to dive in, but he told them, "Like hell I won't!"