The wave of aviation headlines in 2025 raised an obvious question: Are aircraft accidents actually becoming more common? Current NTSB data shows a modest increase in the first quarter of both 2025 and 2026, while recent investigations have also exposed broader concerns about aviation safety.
What Do Aircraft Accident Numbers Show for 2025 and 2026?
According to the NTSB’s Monthly Aviation Dashboard, aircraft accident counts increased modestly in Q1 2025 and again in Q1 2026.
Aircraft Accidents by Month: Q1 2021-2026
| Year | January | February | March | Q1 Total |
| 2021 | 74 | 91 | 114 | 279 |
| 2022 | 82 | 99 | 114 | 295 |
| 2023 | 90 | 82 | 106 | 278 |
| 2024 | 81 | 94 | 114 | 289 |
| 2025 | 87 | 102 | 111 | 300 |
| 2026 | 98 | 93 | 117 | 308 |
Source: National Transportation Safety Board Monthly Aviation Dashboard. Q1 totals calculated by adding the NTSB’s reported January, February, and March accident counts for each year. Data accessed August 2026. Recent-year accident counts remain subject to revision as investigations are added or updated.
From 2021 through 2024, the first-quarter average was approximately 285 accidents. Q1 2025 rose about 5% to 300. As of August 2026, the dashboard reports 308 for Q1 2026, about 3% above 2025 and 8% above the 2021–2024 average.
Accident counts alone do not measure the human toll of aviation accidents. On January 29, 2025, American Airlines Flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport. All 67 people aboard were killed, making it the deadliest U.S. aviation accident since November 2001.
What Did the NTSB Find About the Potomac River Collision?
In January 2026, the NTSB concluded that systemic failures involving the FAA and U.S. Army contributed to the collision, including problems with airspace design, safety-data evaluation, and risk management. Investigators also found that the FAA had received reports of numerous close calls near Reagan National without adequately addressing the risk.
The investigation produced 50 safety recommendations, including 33 for the FAA and eight for the Army, showing how known risks and systemic failures can persist long before an accident occurs.
Evaluating Aviation Safety in 2026: Are the Trends Continuing?
Some concerns identified in 2025 have improved, but they have not disappeared.
Pilot supply has begun to rebound. A 2026 Government Accountability Office report found that the number of people qualified to be U.S. commercial passenger airline pilots increased about 10% from 2017 through 2024. Regional airlines and smaller communities continue to feel the effects of earlier shortages.
Air traffic controller staffing is improving, but shortages remain. As of April 2026, the FAA reported approximately 11,000 certified controllers, with another 4,000 in training. Fully certifying new controllers can take more than two years.
Aging infrastructure remains a concern. In 2026, the FAA announced $835.8 million for air traffic control tower and facility upgrades, but modernizing aging technology and infrastructure across the national airspace system will take years.
What Aviation Safety Problems Still Need Attention?
Preventable aviation accidents can involve:
- Mechanical and maintenance failures
- Pilot error or inadequate training
- Air traffic and ground-operation failures
- Aircraft design or manufacturing defects
Recent NTSB investigations also show how failures in oversight and risk management can allow unsafe conditions to persist.
Our Washington aviation accident attorneys represent people harmed by serious aircraft accidents and aviation safety failures.
What Did the NTSB Find About the 2025 Sea-Tac Collision?
The NTSB has issued its final report on the February 5, 2025 Sea-Tac collision, in which a Japan Airlines Boeing 787 struck a parked Delta Boeing 737 while taxiing at approximately 2.3 mph.
The NTSB attributed the collision to the Japan Airlines crew’s failure to maintain adequate clearance. Although the report recorded no injuries, seven members of one extended family have since pursued injury claims.
Several claims against Delta invoke the Montreal Convention, which governs airline liability for passengers on many international flights. The passengers allege injuries from the impact, and the claims remain pending.
The litigation shows that passengers may have claims against an airline even when another party caused the collision, particularly when international air travel is involved.
Holding the Aviation Industry Accountable
Flying remains one of the safest ways to travel, but overall statistics do not erase the consequences of a preventable accident. Aviation cases may involve airlines, manufacturers, maintenance companies, airport operators, federal regulations, or international aviation law.
If you or a family member was injured in an aircraft accident, contact Stritmatter Law for a free consultation. We can investigate what happened, identify potentially responsible parties, and explain your legal options.
