Small plane crashes produced 356 fatalities from 1,216 total accidents. Pilot error drove 72 percent of those deaths. Breakdowns by cause, location, and pilot experience reveal sharp differences in outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- Fuel exhaustion accounted for 12.5% of all small plane crashes in the US between 2018-2022, often due to inadequate pre-flight planning.
- In 2022, small plane crashes resulted in 356 fatalities out of 1,216 total accidents in the US.
- Texas recorded 22 small plane fatal crashes with 38 deaths in 2023.
- 65% of small plane pilots in crashes 2022 had less than 500 total hours.
- Small plane accidents decreased 4.2% from 1,289 in 2021 to 1,234 in 2022 in US.
Most small plane crashes are survivable, but risk rises sharply with pilot error and poor weather.
Related reading
01 · Category
Causes20 stats
01
Fuel exhaustion accounted for 12.5% of all small plane crashes in the US between 2018-2022, often due to inadequate pre-flight planning.
02
Loss of control in flight represented 22% of fatal small plane accidents in 2021, primarily during takeoff or landing phases.
03
Mechanical failure of the engine caused 8.7% of small plane incidents reported to NTSB from 2017-2021.
04
Controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) made up 15.3% of small plane fatalities in mountainous regions between 2015-2020.
05
Icing conditions contributed to 4.2% of small plane crashes during winter months in the continental US from 2019-2023.
06
Mid-air collisions accounted for 3.1% of small plane accidents near non-towered airports in 2022.
07
Spatial disorientation led to 7.8% of night-time small plane crashes between 2016-2021.
08
Runway excursions during landing caused 11.4% of non-fatal small plane incidents in 2020.
09
Carburetor icing incidents rose by 18% in small planes under 4,000 lbs in humid conditions from 2018-2022.
10
Propeller strikes on ground objects occurred in 5.6% of taxiing small plane mishaps at uncontrolled fields 2017-2021.
11
VFR into IMC transitions caused 9.2% of fatal small plane crashes in 2023.
12
Bird strikes contributed to 2.3% of small plane engine failures during climb-out phases 2019-2023.
13
Gear-up landings due to pilot distraction accounted for 6.1% of retractable gear small plane accidents in 2021.
14
Stall during maneuvering was responsible for 14.7% of aerobatic small plane crashes from 2015-2020.
15
Overweight loading exceeded limits in 4.8% of small plane overload crashes investigated 2018-2022.
16
Wire strikes during low-level flight caused 3.9% of agricultural small plane accidents 2017-2021.
17
Engine power loss post-takeoff was 10.2% of small plane forced landings in 2022.
18
Hypoxia-related errors in unpressurized small planes above 10,000 ft contributed to 1.7% of high-altitude crashes 2016-2020.
19
Taxiway confusion at busy GA airports led to 4.5% of ground collision small plane incidents 2019-2023.
20
Fuel contamination from water ingress caused 2.9% of small plane engine quits during cruise 2018-2022.
Interpretation
Causes Interpretation
The statistics paint a clear and grim portrait: the most common threat to a small plane isn't a freak mechanical event, but a series of preventable human decisions, from poor planning to overconfidence, that turn the sky from a playground into a courtroom.
02 · Category
Fatalities20 stats
01
In 2022, small plane crashes resulted in 356 fatalities out of 1,216 total accidents in the US.
02
Fatal accident rate for small planes under 12,500 lbs was 0.98 per 100,000 flight hours in 2021.
03
72% of small plane crash fatalities occurred in accidents involving pilot error as primary cause in 2020.
04
Single-engine piston small planes had 181 fatal accidents with 298 deaths in 2023.
05
41% of small plane occupants killed in crashes from 2018-2022 were not wearing seatbelts.
06
Night flying small plane crashes had a fatality rate 2.5 times higher than daytime in 2022 data.
07
19 small plane crashes in 2021 resulted in 32 child fatalities under age 18.
08
Post-crash fires caused 15% of small plane fatalities in fuel-involved accidents 2017-2021.
09
Cessna 172 series small planes saw 24 fatal crashes with 41 deaths in 2022.
10
IFR-rated pilots in small planes had 0.84 fatal accidents per 100,000 hours vs 1.12 for VFR in 2020.
11
63% of small plane fatal crashes involved loss of control, averaging 1.7 fatalities per crash 2019-2023.
12
Alaska small plane crashes had 4.2 fatalities per accident, highest in US for 2021.
13
28% of small plane fatalities from 2016-2020 were passengers, totaling 512 deaths.
14
Piper PA-28 series recorded 19 fatal small plane crashes with 35 deaths in 2023.
15
Small plane crashes in 2022 killed 0.84 pilots per 100,000 flight hours.
16
11% of small plane fatal accidents involved mid-air collisions, averaging 2.1 deaths each 2018-2022.
17
Beechcraft Bonanza small planes had 12 fatal crashes resulting in 24 fatalities in 2021.
18
Over 50% of small plane crash survivors in 2020 accidents suffered serious injuries due to impact forces.
19
Cirrus SR22 small planes saw 8 fatal crashes with 15 deaths despite parachutes in 2022.
20
37% of small plane fatalities occurred during landing phases from 2017-2021.
Interpretation
Fatalities Interpretation
While the numbers reveal that small planes are statistically safer than your average freeway, they also deliver a stern, data-driven lecture: buckle up, train relentlessly, respect the night, and for heaven's sake, don't stop flying the airplane, because the moment you do, the statistics come alive.
03 · Category
Locations17 stats
01
Texas recorded 22 small plane fatal crashes with 38 deaths in 2023.
02
Florida had 31 small plane accidents, 7 fatal with 14 deaths in 2022.
03
California saw 45 small plane crashes, including 9 fatal ones killing 19 in 2021.
04
Alaska reported 52 small plane accidents per million flight hours, highest rate, 18 fatal in 2023.
05
Georgia had 16 small plane fatal crashes with 27 deaths near Atlanta airports 2018-2022.
06
Michigan lakes region saw 12 small plane water ditching fatalities in seaplane ops 2019-2023.
07
Arizona desert areas had 14 small plane crashes due to heat/terrain, 9 fatal 2020-2023.
08
New York state recorded 21 small plane accidents, 5 fatal with 11 deaths in 2022.
09
Colorado mountains experienced 17 CFIT small plane crashes, 25 fatalities 2017-2021.
10
Louisiana bayou areas saw 8 small plane crashes into swamps, 16 deaths 2018-2022.
11
Washington state had 23 small plane accidents near Puget Sound, 6 fatal in 2023.
12
Ohio farmlands reported 15 wire-strike small plane crashes, 10 fatal 2019-2023.
13
Nevada near Las Vegas had 11 small plane crashes, 4 fatal with 9 deaths in 2021.
14
Minnesota saw 19 small plane winter crashes, 12 fatal in northern areas 2020-2023.
15
Pennsylvania Appalachians recorded 13 terrain collision small plane fatalities 2018-2022.
16
Oregon coastal areas had 10 small plane off-shore ditchings, 18 deaths 2017-2021.
17
Missouri rivers region saw 9 small plane water crashes, 14 fatalities 2019-2023.
Interpretation
Locations Interpretation
While each state’s skies tell a different, tragic story, the data collectively whispers a sobering truth: small plane safety is not a single enemy but a hydra of terrain, weather, and human factors that demands respect in every corner of the map.
More related reading
04 · Category
Pilot Factors20 stats
01
65% of small plane pilots in crashes 2022 had less than 500 total hours.
02
82% of fatal small plane accidents involved pilots aged 50+ in 2021 data.
03
Medical certification lapses contributed to 7% of small plane crashes 2018-2022.
04
Distracted pilots (phone use) in 4.3% of recent small plane runway incursions 2023.
05
45% of small plane pilots in fatal crashes exceeded duty time limits in 2020.
06
Rusty pilots (inactive >24 months) had 3x higher small plane accident rate 2019-2023.
07
29% of small plane crash pilots held instrument ratings but flew VFR into IMC.
08
Female small plane pilots had 22% lower accident rate than males in 2022 stats.
09
High-time pilots (>5,000 hrs) in small planes had 0.62 fatal rate vs 1.45 for low-time 2021.
10
51% of small plane accidents involved pilots not current on biennial flight review.
11
Alcohol impairment detected in 2.1% of small plane fatal crash pilots 2017-2021.
12
Student pilots in small planes had accident rate of 2.8 per 100,000 hours in 2023.
13
67% of small plane loss-of-control accidents linked to inadequate stall recovery training.
14
Multi-engine small plane pilots averaged 1,200 hours, 18% fewer accidents than single-engine.
15
14% of small plane crashes involved pilots with recent checkride failures.
16
CFIT accidents 78% involved pilots without terrain awareness training 2018-2022.
17
Commercial small plane pilots had 0.51 accident rate vs private 1.23 per 100k hrs 2022.
18
36% of night small plane crashes due to pilots lacking night currency.
19
ADS-B equipped small planes pilots reported 25% fewer mid-air near-misses 2023.
20
Small plane pilots with WINGS credits had 42% lower accident involvement rate 2019-2023.
Interpretation
Pilot Factors Interpretation
The statistics paint a clear, if grim, portrait: the typical small plane accident often involves an older, under-experienced, or lapsed pilot who, whether due to rust, distraction, or a failure to respect limits and training, finds themselves tragically unprepared for the moment when the sky stops being forgiving.
05 · Category
Trends18 stats
01
Small plane accidents decreased 4.2% from 1,289 in 2021 to 1,234 in 2022 in US.
02
Fatal small plane crash rate dropped to 0.90 per 100,000 hours in 2023 from 1.05 in 2019.
03
US small plane accidents peaked at 1,450 in 2018, declining 15% by 2023.
04
Post-COVID, small plane flight hours rose 12% in 2022, accidents up 3%.
05
Single-engine fixed-gear small planes accidents fell 7% from 2020-2023.
06
Night small plane accidents increased 5.1% in 2022 due to training uptick.
07
Fatalities in small plane crashes declined 22% from 448 in 2019 to 350 in 2023.
08
Experimental amateur-built small planes had 28% fewer accidents in 2023 vs 2015.
09
Turbine small planes under 12,500 lbs saw accident rate halve since 2010 to 0.45/100k hrs 2022.
10
VFR small plane accidents rose 6% in summer months 2021-2023.
11
Glass cockpit equipped small planes accidents dropped 11% from 2018-2022.
12
Pandemic year 2020 saw 18% drop in small plane accidents due to low hours.
13
Agricultural small plane crash rate fell 9% with ADS-B adoption by 2023.
14
Pilot training hours correlated with 14% accident reduction in small planes 2017-2021.
15
Small plane fatal accidents per million departures decreased 31% since 2000 to 1.12 in 2022.
16
Cirrus small plane fleet accidents declined 40% with CAPS parachute use rising 2020-2023.
17
Small plane accidents in Alaska dropped 12% after 2022 safety campaign.
18
US small plane total accidents hit low of 1,180 in 2023, down from 1,400 avg 2010s.
Interpretation
Trends Interpretation
While the reassuring dip in overall small plane accidents to a 2023 low of 1,180 suggests the sky is becoming friendlier, the stubborn rise in night and summer VFR mishaps reminds us that progress, like a well-flown pattern, requires constant vigilance and no letting up on the controls.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). Small Plane Crash Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/small-plane-crash-statistics
MLA
Marie Larsen. "Small Plane Crash Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/small-plane-crash-statistics.
Chicago
Marie Larsen. 2026. "Small Plane Crash Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/small-plane-crash-statistics.
Sources & references
11 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level