30 Accidents And Fails That Made People Cringe And Think: “Well, That Looked Expensive” (New Pics)
Most of us have heard the phrase "Accidents happen." It's usually to comfort us after a mistake we've made or an incident that had unintended consequences. It's true, accidents really do happen; some of them minor, like spilling tea over a coffee table at a friend's house, and others more significant, like a spacecraft crash.
Today, we're presenting you with a list of the latter. Bored Panda has collected the most noteworthy accidents and situations from the That Looked Expensive subreddit. While we hope that there were as few casualties as possible, we still can't help thinking: "Heck, that must've cost a pretty penny."
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Expensive Tip
Souvenir Photo Before We Get Fired
Believe it or not, this is more common than you think. Those machines are designed to move on narrow ledgers on open air mines, sometimes they slip or the ground gives way and they find themselves toppled. The drivers are to be strapped in at all times, and the frame is designed to survive relatively unscathed.
How in heck did they get those huge tires up on the roof just to take a photo ?
The M Stands For Magnetic
Remove your piercings, or the machine will rapidly remove them for you
Load More Replies...A six year old boy was killed when he was having an MRI and someone walked into the room while an oxygen tank was in the hallway next to the door. https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=92745&page=1
I had one. Spookiest thing I've ever done. They asked multiple times on paper and in person if I had any medical devices inside me.
Not really funny. I want to say that back in 00, or 01, a child was killed in NYC when a fire extinguisher left in the room was sucked into the MRI.
Maybe you're thinking of this? An oxygen tank: https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=92745&page=1
Load More Replies...Did you hear about the guy who had a butt plug in for an mri. It had a metal core, I don't know if he survived.
There's debate on the authenticity of this claim. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mri-butt-plug-injuries/
Load More Replies...I wonder if I had a prince albert and they turned it on if my ding dong would get bigger.....jat...
When they hear the word "accident," many people think of car crashes. Many of the entries on this list are indeed car accidents, yet they're about the cost of property and damage to material things. The 1.1 million users of the That Looked Expensive subreddit certainly enjoy a car pileup or two.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), traffic accidents are the most common reason young people (age 5 to 29) pass away. Every year, 1.9 million people are victims of road traffic injuries. Interestingly, more than half are what WHO calls "vulnerable road users," which includes motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Rare Case
It is a Ford Model T between 1908 (when the Model T was introduced) and 1915 (In 1916 Ford switched from a brass to a painted radiator shell.)
Miint
Realtor - new to the market, perfect for a separated couple who aren't quite ready to take that final step...
F150 In The Lake
My dad did this exact thing. Lost all his insulin, he's diabetic. Lost his wallet, it was on top of the passenger's seat. Broke his phone. He was also 4 hours from home. Luckily a stranger took him in. Gave his some dry closes and some food. Let his use the phone.
Mama duck is so pleased. You must leave it now. The babies need a safe space to practice ducking
Aviation accidents are another genre of catastrophe that the members of the subreddit are fans of. The most expensive aviation crash in history is the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber aircraft crash. It was America's most stealthy bomber, so, how did it end up in flames just moments after takeoff?
Thankfully, there were no casualties; the two pilots ejected themselves in time and only one of them had a spinal injury, eventually making a full recovery. The crash did, however, cost $2B. The cause wasn't any mechanical fault; it was just Mother Nature. Due to humidity, the plane's sensors misreported the aircraft's speed, and the Flight Control System (FCS) initiated a 30-degree climb upwards, guaranteeing a crash.
Sinkhole In Germany Yesterday
They will get it out of the hole using the basket. Seen this happen a few times on my friend's ranch. It's quite fascinating to watch.
When You Spend The Night At A Friend's House And They Don't Give You A Blanket
Big Oof
Yes, there is a mechanical lock that should prevent discharge of weapons while on the ground, and the trigger mechanism has several locking systems to prevent this exact issue. It was a mechanical accident and possibly defective equipment.
Load More Replies...i can explain. I Swear. It does not look like, what you think it looks like!
If we're talking about commercial flights, the title for the most expensive disaster would probably go to the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. The search efforts alone have cost around $150 million to date.
To this day, the Flight MH370 disappearance is one of the biggest aviation mysteries in history. While there are many theories out there (some more wild than others), officials think that the most credible ones are that either the plane ran out of fuel, that the pilots lost control of the aircraft, or that one of them was a rogue pilot.
Literal Fire Truck
Some fire departments are not quite understanding how a water drop works.
If You Can Walk Away From A Landing, It's A Good Landing
Looks like oilseed-rape, so that was probably a mistake. Its' not a very nice smell.
Load More Replies...Found the source for this. It happened in May 2024, a Ukrainian MiG-29 was in a training mission when it had engine troubles and had to make an emergency landing in a rapeseed field. Pilot was unhurt, the plane was repaired and returned to service. The MiG-29 was designed to handle landing in rough surfaces, including frozen rivers or dirt roads, because it was supposed to be operated out of remote airbases. it has a reinforced landing gear, with some extra vertical spring excursion and larger wheels on the wing landing strut.
Load More Replies...30 Inch Water Main Break Caused By Contractor Work
Glad it was a water main and not a sewage line....
Load More Replies...Home, recently power washed, may need water extraction of carpets. Contact : Dewey Cheatem and Howe Real Estate.
I would have hoped that they were not, given that that level of water pressure was going to shatter them anyways
Load More Replies...Um I can't come to work today because I'm being held hostage by water
In December of 2024, the efforts to find out what happened to the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 once again became the topic of public discourse. The US-based ocean exploration firm Ocean Infinity made a deal with Malaysia's Transport Ministry to renew the search. It's a "no find, no fee" arrangement, so the company will only be paid if they find the wreckage.
Oof Size : Venti
Bugger in the Ferrari deserved what he got. Tailgating is an a*****e move. And it’s not gonna make traffic move any faster
I'm all for shaming rich ar$ehole drivers, but I'm not sure it was neccessarily the Ferrari driver's fault. The boat owner may have been trying to parallel park (empasis on "trying") or just going backwards to better manoever out of the parking slot. Not saying it went that way, just that it might.
Spacex Falcon 9 Booster Tipped Over In Rough Seas While Being Transported Back To Shore
He's a menace to everyone else on earth. The stingest man on the planet, and a creature that would make even PT Barnum blush.
Load More Replies...Sigh... I should have realised that reference was way too obscure to go over.
Load More Replies...No Passenger Was Harmed In The Making Of This Error
There was a young man with a Rover / the dashboard he couldn't see over....
He drove through a sign but came out feeling fine and traded it in for a Nova.
Load More Replies...If you think only modern disasters can be this expensive, you'd be wrong. The shipwreck that's deemed the most costly in all of history happened in 1708. The San José, a ship of the Spanish treasure fleet, sank after a battle with the British and took with it a hold of gold, silver, jewelry, and emeralds. According to the newest estimates, the treasures inside the ship are worth from $7 billion to $18 billion.
Air France A350 Had An Oopsie
That's a tail strike, and it's somewhat common. It happens when the nose is pulled up too rapidly during takeoff or pulled up too sharply during landing.
It's common (they make up about 9% of aviation incidents), but it is incredibly expensive since the plane needs to be grounded, and half of it dismantled to check damage to the airframe. A tailstrike can cost anything from $50k (no damage, only inspection required) to over $5M (full rebuild of the bulkhead) + long unavailability of the plane. There was a prominent deadly accident (JAL123) that stemmed from a poorly repaired tailstrike.
Load More Replies...Imagine Rear-Ending A Car Worth Over 1 Million Euros
The Hagerty price guide values a steel-bodied 1955 300SL condition a #2 (Excellent) value of $1.4 million, an alloy-bodied version in equivalent condition has an average value of $6.7 million.
At least they stayed in the family, regarding the manufacturer.
How To Lose Almost Half A Million In 24 Hours. [oc] Porsche 911 Gt3 Rs Put In A River The Day After It Was Purchased
It was an accident, but still, it was put in the river...
Load More Replies...Watching too many Bond movies, I see? Well sweetie, it isn't an Aston Martin made by "Q"
The San José galleon sank near the shores of Colombia, and the shipwreck was recovered on its coast in 1981. Since then, there has been a fierce battle over who has the right to its treasures: Colombia, the Spanish, South American Indigenous groups, and even an American salvage company tried to claim it.
Ground Vehicle Drives Into The Enormous, Bright Red Port Nacelle Of Virgin Atlantic A350-1000 G-Vdot At Jfk
As a ground controller this makes me cringe. It's my job to make sure all planes and other vehicles can get around the tarmac without hitting each other. I'm guessing the driver of the car was distracted by something or he wasn't authorised to be in that car at all.
must be those self-driving cars... I mean they only detect LAND cars so this technically doesnt count
Big Oof
*Hires professional movers rather than relying on fam and friends with her priceless piano...*
Hmmm... I Wonder What Happened Here
at over 100 miles an hour because you think you are superior and entitled to do whatever you want and a van and a Suburban driver beg to differ!!
Load More Replies...I'm guessing someone wasn't paying attention but maybe that's just me
When some a**h*** won't let you pass on the shoulder on the freeway, in your shiny new Porsche...
The Colombian government wants to retrieve the wreckage and put it in a museum, an effort that would cost them a little over a million dollars. But archaeologists say that they find the fight over the treasure laughable.
"The treasure of the San José should remain at the bottom of the sea, along with the human remains of the 600 crew members who died there,” Juan Guillermo Martín, a Colombian maritime archaeologist, says. "The treasure is part of the archaeological context, and as such has no commercial value. Its value is strictly scientific."
Absolutely Shattered
That's gonna take a lot of white bread. (ICYMI, white bread is great for picking up tiny bits of broken glass.)
Load More Replies...Am I just tired or does it look like a giant aquarium that froze mid-burst.
A Rough Day On The Waves
Especially when they just randomly spawn in front of you on foggy days!
Load More Replies...Five passengers set sail that day for a three hour tour, a three hour tour.
The weather started getting rough. The tiny ship was tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless crew, The "Minnow" would be lost!
Load More Replies...I swear! That cliff just jumped out in front of me!! I cound't avoid it!!!
Obviously this was caused by delayed rendering between frames. Lag is a b***h.
Yes he can. He just shouldn't park there.
Load More Replies...You Crash His Ferrari, What Do You Tell To Your Dad ?
Happened in Andorra, in Sant Julià de Lòria, around Christmas 2021. An 82 year old drving a 1990s Ferrari 512TR (the so-called Testarossa, worth over €300k) lost control of the car, causing minor injuries to himself, a passenger and a clerk of the mall. The car was overspeeding and bounced repeatedly on the guardrail before crashing into the mall window.
Seen quite a few cases where people in their 80s have done this in Fords. Slightly less painful to the insurance companies I suppose!!
Load More Replies...How do you know this person never worked day and night, every hour they could, and scrimped and saved to by this?
Load More Replies..."I swerved to avoid a blind grandma being helped across the street by a cub scout pack!"
Oil spills can cost a pretty penny for oil giants. The 2010 BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig is the most expensive to date. Experts estimate that around four million barrels of oil flowed into the ocean over 87 days. BP will continue to pay for the marine restoration projects up until 2031. In the decade following the spill, BP has paid well over $71 billion.
Airplane Eepy
Flipped by tornado winds in Florida. No serious damage, it has been repaired and is still flying to this day.
The Francis Scot Key Bridge This Morning
That was a spectacular thing to see. It's not good, but seeing that bridge fall, section after section was something else.
What a mess this is. Edit: Apparently I've been downvoted for saying the collapse of a bridge into one of the busiest harbors in the country is a mess. Thanks, guys.
How is this a downvote? Baltimore is the busiest harbor on the east coast, it is a disaster
Load More Replies...And how many times have I been over that bridge?... Wow... That was heartbreaking!
‘Jack Dorsey’s First Tweet’ Nft Went On Sale For $48m. It Ended With A Top Bid Of Just $280
I choose to think this is less "NFTs are stupid" and more "Xitter has always been a cesspool and everybody knows it"
Kind of, but at least with a tulip you had an actual tulip, and even though there were millions like it, no one was complaining that you had 'their' tulip...
Load More Replies...Probably nothing can top space disasters on their scale of wreckage. Space exploration is, however, one of the most expensive human endeavors. Perhaps the most expensive failed space mission was when the space shuttle Colombia broke down while re-entering Earth in 2003. Adjusted to today's inflation, the value of the disaster would be $16.2 billion.
One Of The Largest Power Shovels Ever Built Fell Into A Swamp
So I built a second power shovel! That one burned down, fell over, and then sank into the swamp.
Good grief! That is HUGE. Check out the cars in the background compared to this monster machine!
Ferrari 488 Pista In The River
I don't think he understood how white water rafting worked.
Not An Expert In The Field But
Bit of hazard tape, log the fault, let night shift handle it...
Load More Replies...Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS San Francisco (SSN 711). It hit an uncharted underwater mountain approximately 350 miles south of Guam Jan. 8, 2005
It looks like it's built by gluing cargo containers with cement. I have one of those tarps. It'd be an improvement.
Load More Replies..."Well it was dark down there and we couldn't see where we were going...."
Has this talk about expensive accidents and disasters got you in the mood to see more, dear Pandas? Don't fret, we've got you! Check out our previous articles about the That Looked Expensive subreddit here, here, and here. And don't forget to share the expensive disasters that live in your head rent-free in the comments!
Fire Inspector Accidentally Set Off My Ansul System
18-Wheeler Swimming In Alaska
https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/video/2024/09/05/crews-work-pull-semi-truck-out-water-after-splashing-into-turnagain-arm/
Load More Replies..."What Kind Of Genius Created This?"
Remember, air intake for the engines are the weakpoint of any airplane
Load More Replies...It was like a the military plane built in the 1980"s that could be invisible to radar unless it was hit by rain.
Instant Infinity Pool
The lack of palification is disconcerting. That's third-world country construction standards.
QED, it's the U.S.A, Orange County: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11870785/Dramatic-moment-man-rescued-raging-LA-River-responder.html
Load More Replies...Tornado Went Through My Workplace And 30,000 Are Without Electricity
"Yeah, we know we know... just keep producing! This break is going to docked from your pay."
$4m Koenigsegg Jesko "Nur" Attack Burns Down In Athens, Greece
The driver and passenger were unharmed, and Koenigsegg replaced the car for free as the fire was due to a mechanical error.
Garbage Truck Crashed Into Bridge
No, the bridge you're thinking of is 11 foot, 8 inches. It's in Durham, North Carolina and is also known as the Can Opener Bridge. I guess this is his little brother?? 🤭 I just found this on YouTube for anyone who's interested. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO6x0eBnrmU The bridge has finally been raised, but still...
Load More Replies...The City Started Work On Our Neighbourhood Pond
Lamborghini Wrecked In Crash Just 20 Minutes After Purchase
We had a neighbor in Florida who was gifted a Ferrari, (for giving someone an investment tip). He took the Formula 1 racing driving course to learn how to safely drive the Ferrari. He was adamant that all those high end high performance cars should not be driven by anyone who does not have the education to drive them saely.
Load More Replies...I used to work next to a dealership that sold expensive cars, like really expensive. Every time I drove past that place I always found it funny to see that the lamp post next to the entrance was bent
Call to insurance: Erm, i didn't know how fast 'flooring it' would take it from 60 to 'oh lord'
Geez on a stick, what is wrong with you? Based on all your posts on this thread you seem miserable. If you’re having a bad day or something, that’s fine, just don’t celebrate the physical harm and monetary loss of others.
Load More Replies...Imagine Dropping A Weather Satellite On The Shop Floor
I read that a technician didn't tighten the bolts that kept the satellite upright while turning and it cost over $100mill to repair.
Just Bought This Two Months Ago For ~100 Million Smh
Planes don't just do that when they are sitting still.
Load More Replies...Crashed Stealth Bomber
Lift Has Had Better Days
They didn't set the hoist pads correctly. That happens lots more often than you think.
Load More Replies...That’s The Taxpayers Money
Cool story on this one. The tank is a danish Leopard 1A5DK, a 1990s tank that features improved armor and thus is quite on the chonky side. The tank was a retired unit that was reactivated and loaned to the Ukrainian armed forces as a trainer for tank crews, after Germany and other countries gave their stock of the aging -but still better than the average Ruzzky c**p- tanks to aid the Ukrainians fight the invaders. The truck was crossing another truck, moved to the shoulder of the road and the ground gave way under the fat tank's weight, toppling the vehicle without significant damage to the armored tank, and some bodywork required for the truck.
Plane Lands So Heavily The Landing Gear Comes Through The Floor
Jan 20 2020, Airbus A321 operated by Russian "Nordwind Airlines" on a transfer flight from Moscow to Antalya (flight N4-1801). The crew failed the approach due to mismanaging tailwinds and flare timing, and touched down hard. No injuries but severe damage to the aiframe. The Russian Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) tried to sway the inquiry, did not follow international protocols, tampered with the black boxes and initially tried to blame weather. It took a lot of international scrutiny to keep the inquiry on tracks, and ultimately the accident was pinned to the severe lack of crew's skill.
Nz Navy Ship Hits A Reef And Catches Fire Off The Coast Of Samoa
It was there surveying the area to find reefs so job failed successfully.
Lamborghini Revuelto Goes Up In Flames
It’s Likely Not Affordable
The Remains Of The Superheavy Booster Flown During Starship Flight 4
Some One Forgot To Lower The Dump On The Truck
Excavating friend was dropping 10 yards of soil, pulls forward to spread load "all of a sudden, it got real bright out, forced me to pay attention to power lines for sure"
Should I Change This ?
And with a broken wing, she still flies. She keeps an eye on the sky.
Dumpster On Roof
The 86 Meter Long Saudi Prince's Kingdom 5kr, Once Owned By Trump And Used In The Bond Movie “Never Say Never Again”, Crashed Into A Quay In Bizerte, Tunisia
There a reason you're so bitter today? Or is this just your general attitude?
Load More Replies...Someone's Insurance Company Isn't Going To Be Happy
Thousands Of New Cars Underwater In The Port Of Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico
That Looks Extremely Expensive
The scrap aluminum must be worth a tidy sum.
Load More Replies...Control tower: Pilot - did you leave the docking clamps or handbrake on???
Looks like the rear end of a F-14, and yes that is expensive
Wood Ain’t Cheap!
New Photos Of The $80 Million Mars Ingenuity Helicopter, Showing A Blade Completely Broken Off And Lodged Into A Martian Sand Dune
Designed to achieve 5 flights over 30 days, it lasted 3 years and helped discover enough to actually contribute something to the human race. That was money well spent.
Better say "scientific knowledge" rather than "human race".
Load More Replies...This doesn't belong here. It's more a big win, that it lasted 3 years. It wasn't supoosed to.
Amg Gtr Goes Snorkeling In A River
Can Anyone Explain Me This New Trend In Car Tuning?
A Three Million Dollar Caterpillar 793 Haul Truck
Truck Hit An Overpass On The Way To Delivering This Cnc Machine
For anyone interested, CNC (Computer Numerical Control) is the automated control of tools by means of a computer.
Pity it didn't control the tool driving the truck.
Load More Replies...When You Thought You Got The Keys To The Boat
And this is why that dude didn't get his jet from Pepsi! (even though it was not a F35, I know)
Load More Replies...Lamborghini Burned Up Last Night In Connecticut
Alleged Arson Attack Destroys Multi-Million Dollar 80 Car Collection
So people having nice things is a bad thing? Someone who collects cars does that usually because they like nice cars. Someone who earned money to buy nice things is supposed to donate money instead? Wich amount of money is reasonable to keep in your opinion? What a stupid statement
Load More Replies...Ferrari Blew Through A Roundabout In Houston
A Ferrari, Worth $300k, Crashed In France
Ferrari are rear-engine, and have a lot of power over lightweight chassis. The one in the photo should be a 488, that weighs about 1300 kg but can put out 670hp at 750Nm... that's slightly less weight than a Peugeot 208 compact car, but seven times the power and three times the torque. This allows extreme performances, but require some skill to handle. These people have the money, but not the driving skills to match.
Load More Replies...Shield Lost During Spacewalk Outside The International Space Station
Yamaha Fell Down On A Firebird
Speedy Delivery
Olympic Motorsports In Boca Raton Totaled My Bmw M4
Why does this car have the worst quality paint job I have ever seen?
$2.3 Million One Of One Lotus Evija X Crashes At Goodwood Festival Of Speed
Another One, I Think They Should Use Loctite On Wheels In South Africa
Nope. They were stolen. I have lock nuts for a reason
Load More Replies...[oc] Someone Without Insurance Hit My Neighbors Ferrari
Happened In My City Earlier This Week. Guy Barely Had The Car A Full Week Yet
Heard That The Driver Tried Shifting The Loader But Ran Up The Nose Of The Trailer And Tipped
The License Plate Wins The Foreshadowing Prize Of The Week
This Doesn't Look Like A Fun Repair
Yacht Washes Ashore During Hurricane Milton
Another Day In Chicago
The same thing happened to me. But it wasn't vandalism. I got in my car one day and when I shut the door the whole thing imploded. It sounded like someone dropped a bucket of ice. No one has any idea why it happened. It's possible I had a crack that wasn't obviously visible.
One Of 36 In The World Lamborghini Huracan Evo Gt's Was Crashed Into By A Guy In A Toyota Aqua In Mongolia
Why do you assume all people with nice cars are such horrible people? Maybe this person has a passion for cars and loves their history, so perhaps he worked hard and made a name for himself and became successful and bought that car with hard earned cash. Don’t hate someone because they have something better than you do.
Load More Replies...Buddy Took A Loss In Naples, Fl Following The Hurricane
Oh, that bodywork will puff right out with the vacuum thingy they use. A new paint job and you are good to go.
$15,000 Coated Hvac Condenser Tipped Off The Delivery Truck
Meh $1300
I don't know the exact application of the tool in the photo, but it appears to be an instrument not unlike a micrometer, but for measuring an inside diameter. Mitutoyo makes high-end measurement instruments, and only $1300 to replace one of their more intricate tools is a blessing. I worked with one of Mitutoyo's CMM devices (Big computer operated measurement device, room-sized machine) and the power cord for it alone was $100. The collision sensors were between $1500-$3000 for something about the size of my thumb. The actual head that carries the sensor and probes as the machine measures cost $50,000 and up and is fairly easy to break if you're not careful. Measurement tools in general are ungodly expensive.
Load More Replies...Note to self: avoid buying $150k+ cars. They sure seem to be targets for trouble.
I don't ever want to even sit behind the wheel of a Lambo or Ferrari (like I'd ever have the chance). They are just too expensive for me to think about moving even an inch.
Me neither. If I say in one, the sign would fall and split the car in half
Load More Replies...I just looked up my car's value: 6-8k. Hahaha, that does not look expensive 😔
Because it's all from r/thatlookedexpensive. The sub doesn't seem to generally post normal cars getting trashed unless they are in unusual ways, but if they did it would be nothing but random car crash pictures.
Load More Replies...Note to self: avoid buying $150k+ cars. They sure seem to be targets for trouble.
I don't ever want to even sit behind the wheel of a Lambo or Ferrari (like I'd ever have the chance). They are just too expensive for me to think about moving even an inch.
Me neither. If I say in one, the sign would fall and split the car in half
Load More Replies...I just looked up my car's value: 6-8k. Hahaha, that does not look expensive 😔
Because it's all from r/thatlookedexpensive. The sub doesn't seem to generally post normal cars getting trashed unless they are in unusual ways, but if they did it would be nothing but random car crash pictures.
Load More Replies...
