The Lemon Index
Photos: bomberpilot (Wikimedia Commons)
75accidents
7%were fatal
8deaths
3%aircraft destroyed
What happened. NTSB's defining event, share of accidents.
Loss of control on ground17%
Loss of control in flight13%
Loss of engine power (total)12%
Abnormal runway contact9%
Hard landing8%
Aerodynamic stall/spin5%
Pilot or plane? How often NTSB listed an aircraft problem among the causes.
15%the plane was part of the cause
engine, systems, structure or propeller
engine, systems, structure or propeller
85%people or weather only
pilot decisions, control, fuel planning
pilot decisions, control, fuel planning
Out of 61 accidents where NTSB recorded a cause. When the plane was a cause, it was most often the fuel system.
When. Phase of flight.
Landing41%
Approach16%
Enroute12%
Takeoff11%
Initial climb9%
Accidents per year.
20088
20096
20106
20116
20121
20135
20147
20158
20164
20170
20186
20194
20201
20213
20223
20233
20242
20252
More planes flying means more accidents, so counts aren't a safety score by themselves. Compare the shares above.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, U.S. accidents 2008–2025. ntsb.gov · Every plane
Updated