On February 25, 2009, Turkish Airlines Flight 1951, operating an Airbus A320, met with disaster during its final approach to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. The flight, which was on a scheduled route from Istanbul, Turkey, was nearing the end of its journey as it attempted to land in inclement weather conditions. The flight crew encountered difficulties with the aircraft's radio altimeter, which provided incorrect altitude readings. As the aircraft descended, it erroneously indicated that it was at a safe altitude when it was actually much lower, leading to a drop in power and subsequent crash just short of the runway.

The crash claimed the lives of nine individuals, including all three pilot crew members: Captain Mustafa Dogan, First Officer Hakan Duran, and Flight Engineer Ercan Akbulut. There were also several injuries among the 135 passengers and crew members. Immediate rescue efforts were implemented to recover survivors from the wreckage. In the aftermath, investigations revealed serious issues with flight safety protocols and the functioning of critical aircraft equipment, raising discussions within the aviation industry regarding the reliability of navigation instruments.

Investigators from the Dutch Safety Board conducted a detailed examination of the incident, pointing out that a lack of proper responses to cockpit alerts contributed to the fatal outcome. The accident prompted a re-evaluation of training procedures for flight crews and increasing emphasis on the importance of proper operating protocols when dealing with malfunctioning equipment.