The Lemon Index
Photos: The Smithsonian Institution (Wikimedia Commons)
136accidents
12%were fatal
22deaths
1%aircraft destroyed
What happened. NTSB's defining event, share of accidents.
Loss of control on ground21%
Loss of control in flight12%
Loss of engine power (partial)5%
Loss of engine power (total)4%
Nose over/nose down4%
Aerodynamic stall/spin3%
Pilot or plane? How often NTSB listed an aircraft problem among the causes.
22%the plane was part of the cause
engine, systems, structure or propeller
engine, systems, structure or propeller
78%people or weather only
pilot decisions, control, fuel planning
pilot decisions, control, fuel planning
Out of 89 accidents where NTSB recorded a cause. When the plane was a cause, it was most often the engine (reciprocating).
When. Phase of flight.
Landing25%
Initial climb15%
Approach15%
Takeoff14%
Enroute10%
Accidents per year.
200811
20097
201014
20119
20126
20135
20149
20155
20161
201710
20186
20199
20205
202112
20228
20237
20248
20254
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