Jump to content

List of accidents and incidents involving general aviation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This list of accidents and incidents involving general aviation is grouped by the years in which the accidents or incidents occurred. "General aviation" here includes private as well as corporate aircraft operating under general aviation rules,[note A] i.e. not flights of airliners, commuter or military aircraft.

Overall, this is an incomplete listing, but is intended to be a complete listing of notable accidents and incidents with Wikipedia articles and those involving notable persons with Wikipedia articles. For more exhaustive lists, see the Crash Record Office[1] or the Aviation Safety Network.[2]

Introduction

[edit]

General aviation safety in America

[edit]

The number of deaths per passenger-mile on commercial airlines in the United States between 2000 and 2010 was about 0.2 deaths per 10 billion passenger-miles.[3][4] For driving, the rate was 150 per 10 billion vehicle-miles for 2000 : 750 times higher per mile than for flying in a commercial airplane.

General aviation safety in Europe

[edit]

About three accidents per day are reported in Europe. As the reporting of every GA accident and incident is not mandatory everywhere, these figures may be higher. However, most major accidents are likely to be reflected due to involvement of outside authorities. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the national civil aviation authorities support and encourage the collection of light aircraft accident data in order to provide more in-depth statistics and analysis.

In the UK, there were 27 fatal accidents involving GA aircraft in 2007, resulting in the loss of 48 lives. This compares with 16 accidents claiming a total of 19 lives the previous year, and although the 2007 statistics are higher than average, they are not exceptional.[5]

In 2018, 12 persons were killed in general aviation accidents involving EU-registered aircraft with a MTOM above 2250 kg, an increase of around 70 % compared to the previous year where 7 fatalities were recorded. Since 2006, it is only the second time that more than 10 fatalities were registered from accidents on EU territory involving such large aircraft registered in the EU. In 2013, there were 11 fatalities registered in such accidents.

For light general aviation, i.e. involving aircraft under 2250 kg MTOM, 159 persons lost their lives in accidents with EU-registered aircraft within the EU-28 territory in 2018. This category includes, in addition to smaller aeroplanes, balloons, dirigibles, para- and motorgliders, microlights and small helicopters. EASA’s Annual Safety Review notes that most fatalities occur in accidents with small aeroplanes (especially during the landing phase) and gliders.

— EASA

1912

[edit]
  • May 13 – A Flanders Monoplane crashed at Brooklands, England, killing the pilot and his passenger. The accident was investigated by the Royal Aero Club, which issued the first-ever report into an aviation accident and established the science of aviation accident investigation.

1935

[edit]

1937

[edit]

1952

[edit]

1959

[edit]

1963

[edit]

1964

[edit]

1969

[edit]

1971

[edit]

1972

[edit]

1973

[edit]
  • January 22 – The personal Piaggio P.136L-2 airplane of Alexander Onassis crashed at Ellinikon International Airport in Athens, Greece.[6] A few seconds after takeoff from runway 33, the plane's right wing dropped and stayed down, and the plane crashed shortly after losing balance.[7] The pilot, Donald McCusker, and another passenger both suffered serious injuries in the crash, and Onassis died the next day from his injuries.[8] Reports into the crash concluded that it had occurred as a result of the reversing of the aileron connecting cables during the installation of a new control column. Manslaughter proceedings initiated against McCusker were later dropped,[9] and six people were also charged over Onassis's death in January 1974, with their indictment indicating that faulty controls had been fitted to his plane.[10] Onassis's father, Aristotle Onassis refused to believe his son's death was an accident.[11]
  • September 20 – Musicians Jim Croce and Maury Muehleisen were killed in a Beechcraft E18S due to fly from Natchitoches, Louisiana to Sherman, Texas. The plane crashed into trees shortly after takeoff from Natchitoches Regional Airport.

1974

[edit]

1977

[edit]

1979

[edit]

1981

[edit]

1985

[edit]
  • December 31 – Popular singer and actor Ricky Nelson and six others died in a Douglas DC-3 near De Kalb, Texas, United States during an off-airport emergency landing attempt prompted by dense smoke in the cabin; the aircraft struck trees and utility poles, suffering severe damage and bursting into flames. The National Transportation Safety Board was unable to verify the origin of the smoke, stating in the final report that "... the ignition and fuel source were not determined."[20][21]

1987

[edit]

1990

[edit]

1991

[edit]

1993

[edit]

1996

[edit]

1997

[edit]

1999

[edit]

2000

[edit]

2002

[edit]

2003

[edit]
  • March 5 – at Saint-Forget, France a Socata Rallye MS.892 (registered as F-BLSO) collided midair with a Cessna F150 (registered as F-BSIQ) killing the instructor and student pilot in the latter aircraft. After investigation, the BEA called for obligatory use of transponders in a large zone around Paris.[32]
  • July 21 – a South African registered aircraft, carrying 12 passengers and two crew, crashed into Mount Kenya: there were no survivors.[33][34]
  • October 10 - A Utva 75 crashed after suffering left wing damage when it got shot midair by revolver bullets fired by the guests of the traditional wedding in Ratina, Serbia. The aircraft crashed into overhead power-cables, seriously injuring two on board.[35][36]
  • December 17 – Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne suffered a collapsed landing gear and a runway excursion during a freefall flight prior to its space launches.

2004

[edit]
  • October 24 – a Beechcraft Super King Air aircraft, registered N501RH[2] and owned by Hendrick Motorsports, crashed into mountainous terrain in Stuart, Virginia, during a missed approach to Blue Ridge Airport. All ten people on board were killed; among them, members of the Hendrick family including John Hendrick, president of Hendrick Motorsports, and former NASCAR Busch Series driver and owner Ricky Hendrick.

2006

[edit]

2007

[edit]

2008

[edit]

2009

[edit]

2010

[edit]
  • February 18 - the 2010 Austin suicide attack, in which a Piper Dakota was intentionally flown into the side of a building housing a local IRS office. The pilot and an IRS manager were killed, 2 people were critically injured, and another 13 were also injured.

2013

[edit]

2014

[edit]

2015

[edit]

2016

[edit]

2017

[edit]

2018

[edit]

2019

[edit]

2020

[edit]

2021

[edit]
  • May 29 – A Cessna Citation I/SP carrying actor Joe Lara, author, dietician and church founder Gwen Shamblin Lara, and five others crashed into Percy Priest Lake in Tennessee, killing everyone on board.
  • November 5 - A Beechcraft King Air crashed on approach to the Caratinga Airport, near Caratinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil, killing all 3 passengers and 2 crew members on board. Among the victims was Brazilian singer Marília Mendonça.
  • November 24 – American snowboarder and YouTuber Trevor Jacob parachuted out of a Taylorcraft BL-65, which then crashed unoccupied in Los Padres National Forest in California; Jacob suffered minor injuries from the parachute landing. Jacob later posted a video of the event on YouTube, provoking controversy among members of the aviation community who believed that the crash was staged.[85][86][87] The FAA revoked Jacob's pilot certificate in 2022 after determining that he crashed the aircraft for the sole purpose of filming it.[88][89] Jacob pleaded guilty in 2023 to a federal felony charge of destroying the aircraft wreckage without authorization while lying to federal investigators about its disposition.[90][91]

2022

[edit]
  • April 2 - A Piper PA-28R carrying two pilots was lost in the English Channel during a flight from the UK to Le Touquet in France. The pilots became disoriented when flying into a cloud. Despite searching, neither plane or pilots has been found.[92]
  • September 4 - A Cessna 551 Citation business jet crashed into the Baltic sea after widely diverting from its course to Cologne, Germany after taking off in Jerez, Spain.

2023

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

Note A: ^ General aviation operating rules are U.S. Federal Aviation Regulations 14 CFR Part 91 or the international equivalent.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Home Aircraft Crash Record Office
  2. ^ Home Aviation Safety Network
  3. ^ "Fatalities". Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
  4. ^ "Passenger miles". Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
  5. ^ "SRG Safety Plan 2008 Update" (PDF). Civil Aviation Authority. June 2008. p. 49. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-02-25. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
  6. ^ Mr Alexander Onassis The Times London 24 January 1973 page 18
  7. ^ Evans, Peter (1987). Ari: The Life, Times and Women of Aristotle Onassis. London: Penguin. p. 271. ISBN 978-0-14-009961-4.
  8. ^ Mario Modiano. "Onassis son dies from air crash injuries.", The Times London, 24 January 1973, pg. 10
  9. ^ News in Brief The Times London 13 February 1973 page 6
  10. ^ News in Brief The Times London 19 January 1974 page 6
  11. ^ Onassis reward for proof on son's fatal crash The Times London 24 December 1974 page 1
  12. ^ "Aircraft Accident Investigation Report" (PDF). Department of Transport. 7 October 1974.
  13. ^ Airframe information and photographs of N48784.
  14. ^ Photograph of N48784 with its original (pre-crash) United States Army Air Corps markings. Lloyd Stearman can be seen climbing into the front cockpit while Robert Cummings converses with Pelham Burnett (Lt. Col., USAF, retired), father of Jacquelyn Burnett (crash victim).
  15. ^ National Transportation Safety Board report number LAX79FVG71.
  16. ^ THE STATE-Los Angeles Times – ProQuest Archiver – Aug 26, 1979.
  17. ^ Photograph of electrical transmission lines at Mississippi Bar, Lake Natoma, California.
  18. ^ "Pilot gets jail, fine, in fatal crash". The Orangevale News, August 27, 1980, page 1.
  19. ^ Fatal Crash The Orangevale News August 27, 1980 page 3
  20. ^ "NTSB Report DCA86AA012" (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board.
  21. ^ Bill Deener & Mary C. Bounds (1986-01-01). "RICK NELSON, 6 OTHERS KILLED IN CRASH – Dallas-bound DC-3 goes down in Texas". The Dallas Morning News.
  22. ^ a b "NTSB Aviation Accident Final Report DCA93GA042". National Transportation Safety Board. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  23. ^ "Crash Kills George S. Mickelson; South Dakota's Governor Was 52". New York Times. New York City. 20 April 1993. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  24. ^ "Propellers' inspection ordered - FAA grounds planes after fatal accident". The Dallas Morning News. Dallas, Texas. 30 April 1993. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  25. ^ "Propeller Inspections Ordered After Crash". The New York Times. New York City. 30 April 1993. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  26. ^ Higdon, Dave (March 31, 1999). "Cirrus SR20 demonstrator kills test pilot in prison crash". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
  27. ^ NTSB Accident Report NYC99MA178 National Transportation Safety Board 2000-12-12
  28. ^ "Body of former publisher found". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. September 20, 1999. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  29. ^ Kershaw, Sarah (10 October 2000). "Charles B. Yates, 61, Banker And Ex-New Jersey Legislator". New York Times. New York City. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  30. ^ "NTSB Aviation Accident Final Report NYC01FA005". National Transportation Safety Board. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  31. ^ Kevin Lynch. Helicopter crash kills Woodridge man: Boaters save pilot, co-pilot in Indiana Chicago Tribune July 12, 2002. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  32. ^ "Rapport: Accident survenu le 5 mars 2003 à Saint-Forget (78) à l'avion Socata Rallye MS 892 immatriculé F-BLSO et l'avion Cessna F150 immatriculé F-BSIQ" Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses, October 2010
  33. ^ Charter aircraft crashes into Kenya's Mount Kenya., Airline Industry Information, 21 July 2003
  34. ^ Rescue teams resume efforts to recover bodies of those killed in charter aircraft crash, Airline Industry Information, 23 July 2003
  35. ^ Serbia wedding guests 'down plane'
  36. ^ Svedok: Avion pogodili svatovi
  37. ^ Liz Minchin. Five killed in skydive plane tragedy The Age 3 January 2006. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  38. ^ AAIB Bulletin 3/2007
  39. ^ "5 die in Angola chopper crash" Archived 2012-08-21 at the Wayback Machine. News24, 18 November 2007. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  40. ^ Angela Macdonald-Smith (2007). "BHP Suspends Operations in Angola After Fatal Helicopter Crash". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
  41. ^ "Engine fault 'caused Sudan crash'". BBC News, 3 May 2008. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  42. ^ http://www.wdsu.com/news/18409935/detail.html WDSU.com 8 Killed, 1 Injured In Helicopter Crash – Lone Survivor In Critical Condition Archived September 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  43. ^ http://www.santiagotimes.cl/santiagotimes/index.php/2009021615626/news/political-news/helicopter-crash-kills-pilot-and-12-crewmembers-in-chile.html The Santiago Times – Helicopter crash kills pilot and 12 crew members in Chile
  44. ^ http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/RafAircraftInSuccessfulNorthSeaHelicopterRescue.htm Ministry of Defence News – RAF aircraft in successful North Sea helicopter rescue
  45. ^ All rescued as helicopter ditches BBC News 18 February 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  46. ^ "No signals from locator beacons in crashed helicopter: officials". CBC News, March 12, 2009. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  47. ^ "Probe launched into Montana crash". BBC. 2009-03-23. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  48. ^ "'Children die' in US plane crash". BBC News. 22 March 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
  49. ^ "FAA: 17 killed in Montana plane crash". CNN. 22 March 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
  50. ^ Welch, William M.; Levin, Alan (22 March 2009). "Montana plane crash kills 17". USA Today. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
  51. ^ "FAA: Children among 17 dead in Montana plane crash". Yahoo! News. 22 March 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
  52. ^ "Eight dead as helicopter crashes". BBC News. 1 April 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  53. ^ "CAA Air Report AAIB Ref: EW/C2009/04/01" (PDF). Air Accidents Investigation Branch. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  54. ^ "Accident Summary". Aviation Safety Network. 4 January 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  55. ^ "Search continues for missing plane carrying Missoni CEO, five others off Venezuela". Daily News. Associated Press. 10 January 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  56. ^ a b "Vauxhall helicopter crash leaves two dead: latest news from London". The Guardian. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  57. ^ a b c "London helicopter crash: Two die in Vauxhall crane accident". BBC Online. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  58. ^ "London helicopter crash victim Matthew Wood killed in fire". BBC website. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  59. ^ Davey, Ed (4 March 2013). "Vauxhall helicopter crash 'was preventable'". BBC News. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  60. ^ Siddique, Haroon; Kingsley, Patrick (26 February 2013). "Luxor hot air balloon crash kills 19 tourists". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  61. ^ "Deadliest balloon crash in decades kills 19 in Egypt". CNN. 26 February 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  62. ^ Maggie Michael (26 February 2013). "Fiery Balloon Accident Kills 19 Tourists in Egypt". ABC. AP. Archived from the original on February 26, 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  63. ^ "Victim in mid-air crash was experienced glider pilot". CBC News. June 30, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  64. ^ RUGGIERO, VIVIANA. "Accidente en Carmelo ocurrió por falla humana". El País. Archived from the original on 7 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  65. ^ "Pakistani-American Haris Suleman's aircraft crashes into sea". Dawn.Com. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 2014-07-24.
  66. ^ "At least 3 dead as plane crashes into Gaithersburg house". ABC. 8 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  67. ^ "Encontrados destroços de avião que caiu em Paraty, na Costa Verde do Rio". Globo. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  68. ^ Grou, Vincent (30 March 2016). "Îles-de-la-Madeleine: le pilote Pascal Gosselin était un pionnier d'Internet au Québec". Ici Radio-Canada.ca. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  69. ^ "Seven dead in Iles de la Madeleine plane crash: SQ". CTV Montreal. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  70. ^ "Breaking Îles-de-la-Madeleine leaves 6 dead, 1 man injured". CBC News. 29 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  71. ^ Authier, Philip (29 March 2016). "Seven people dead following plane crash on Îles-de-la-Madeleine, SQ says". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  72. ^ Everett, Rebecca (8 September 2017). "Troy Gentry of country music duo Montgomery Gentry killed in helicopter crash in N.J." NJ.com. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  73. ^ "Zimbabwe opposition leader among 5 killed in Raton helicopter crash". KOAT. 19 January 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  74. ^ Sariyuce, Isil; Masters, James (Mar 12, 2018). "Mina Basaran: Turkish socialite killed in plane crash after bachelorette party". CNN. Retrieved Sep 13, 2021.
  75. ^ "Helicopter crash leaves 4 dead after aircraft explodes near world's longest zip line in UAE". Fox News. 30 December 2018.
  76. ^ Gillespie, Tom (3 February 2019). "Emiliano Sala: Missing Premier League footballer's plane found". Sky News.
  77. ^ "Emiliano Sala: Body identified as footballer". BBC. 7 February 2019.
  78. ^ "Plane Crashes in Prison Yard of Facility in Norco: FAA". KTLA. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  79. ^ Westin, Adam; Tronarp, Gustaf; Jamshidi, Jamshid; Toll, Michael; Laneby, Sebastien (14 July 2019). "Flygplan har kraschat utanför Umeå – nio personer döda" [Aircraft has crashed near Umeå – nine people dead]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  80. ^ "EASA AD No.: 2019-0177-E" (PDF). European Aviation Safety Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  81. ^ "Nine-Time NASCAR Champion, Modified Racing Legend Mike Stefanik Killed In Plane Crash". racedayct.com. 15 September 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-16.
  82. ^ Owens, David; et al. (October 2, 2019). "7 dead, 7 injured in crash of World War II bomber at Connecticut's Bradley International Airport". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  83. ^ Owens, David (March 25, 2020). "FAA says owner of World War II bomber that crashed at Bradley, killing seven, did not take safety seriously and can no longer carry passengers". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  84. ^ "NTSB: Plane Was Surveying Bald Eagle Nest At Time Of Crash Near Lincoln". WGLT. 2020-03-17. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
  85. ^ Medina, Eduardo (January 23, 2022). "A YouTuber's Plane Crash Draws Doubts From Aviation Experts". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  86. ^ Jun Starkey (January 4, 2022). "Did YouTuber Trevor Jacob Crash His Plane in Los Padres on Purpose?". Santa Barbara, California: Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  87. ^ Godlewski, Meg (January 21, 2022). "FAA Investigates Former Olympian". Flying. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  88. ^ Medina, Eduardo (April 20, 2022). "A YouTuber Purposely Crashed His Plane in California, F.A.A. Says". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  89. ^ Helsel, Phil; Stelloh, Tim (April 21, 2022). "YouTuber who jumped from plane caused it to crash in order to record video of it, FAA says". nbcnews.com. NBC News. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  90. ^ "Santa Barbara County Man Who Deliberately Crashed Airplane for YouTube Video Admits to Obstructing Federal Investigation" (Press release). U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California. May 11, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  91. ^ Phelps, Mark (May 11, 2023). "YouTuber Faces Up To 20 Years For Obstruction Of A Federal Investigation". AVweb. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  92. ^ "AAIB Report: Piper PA-28R-200-2 (G-EGVA), Disappeared from radar over the English Channel". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
  93. ^ May, Natasha (2023-02-06). "Pilots survive Boeing 737 water bomber crash while fighting bushfire in Western Australia". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  94. ^ Barnes, Julian E.; Albeck-Ripka, Livia; Hauser, Christine; Walker, Mark (2023-06-04). "Investigators Seek Answers About Plane Crash That Followed Sonic Boom Scare". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  95. ^ Easwaran, Elill (17 August 2023). "10 dead in Elmina plane crash". MalaysiaKini.
  96. ^ "Elmina plane crash: Six passengers, two crew were on board, says CAAM". The Star. 17 August 2023. Archived from the original on 17 August 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.