How often do planes crash?

In brief

• Commercial aviation accidents are extremely rare, with millions of flights operating safely all over the world every year
• Stats shows that the global accident rate has been roughly one accident per several million flights
• Fatal accidents are rare and flying is one of the safest forms of transport ever created
• Learning about how planes fly – and how safe flying is – can help to reduce anxiety

TLDR: Plane crashes are *incredibly* rare

Plane crashes involving commercial passenger aircraft are exceptionally rare. In 2024, for example, the accident rate was 1.13 per million flights. That’s one accident per 880,000 flights.

Commercial air travel is the safest mode of transport, with millions of flights taking off and landing each year, with the overwhelming majority arriving safely. 

As nervous flyers, we know that plane crashes can cause significant anxiety, especially when they feature prominently in the media. But the reason they’re such big news is precisely because crashes are so rare. 

When they do happen, aviation authorities analyse the data to understand the cause of the crash – ensuring it doesn’t happen again. You could fly every day for thousands of years before you’re statistically likely to be involved in a fatal accident.

We know that understanding the science of flight and the statistics about how safe flying is doesn’t eliminate anxiety. But it can help you to put the risk of a crash in context.

Why commercial flights are so safe

Commercial aviation safety is something that has developed over years. It’s the result of incredible and diligent engineering, learning, and global regulation. Together, they ensure plane crashes are as rare as they are.

Every plane crash has a cause, and it’s up to aircraft crash investigators to understand why and to ensure it doesn’t happen again. The findings from accident investigations are shared across the entire industry. Because of this, the same mistake rarely happens again.

This process has led to major improvements in several areas, including aircraft design, pilot training and global safety regulation and standards.

Aircraft design

Modern aircraft are built with one word in mind: redundancy. Each critical system has multiple backups. That means if there’s a problem with the hydraulics, navigation systems and controls, there’s an alternative. Planes can even fly on one engine if required. 

If one component fails, there’s an alternative. In some cases, there’s more than one backup (this is known as double redundancy).

Turbulence is a key trigger for many anxious flyers, with some worried that the wings bending will cause them to break.

Check out this video to see the kinds of forces a wing can withstand. It’s also important to understand that every system is pushed to its limits and beyond.

As you’d expect, airplane structure and operations systems are all tested in extreme conditions and certified by authorities to ensure they’ll work when needed.

Pilot training

Airline pilots complete incredibly rigorous training to become qualified. When they’ve received their wings, pilots keep training. Every year, pilots will train for unusual situations and challenges, to ensure their skills are sharp if they’re ever needed.

This video will give you an idea of just how tough it is to become a pilot. 

Of course, pilots can’t fly a plane in a dangerous situation, so they use simulators and regular simulator assessments. These incredible simulators recreate emergency scenarios that pilots may never experience in real life, giving them a safe space to practice and hone their skills. 

Thankfully, commercial flight is so safe, it’s unlikely they’ll ever need to put the into practice.

Global safety standards

Behind the scenes, commercial aviation is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the world. 

There are strict frameworks for airlines, aircraft manufacturers and maintenance providers. Everything is overseen by international and national regulators, including the CAA, FAA,  IATA, and GAMA. (If you’re interested, you can access a full list here.) 

Regulators, associations and collaborations all work to kep you safe. They’ll monitor safety data and spot emerging risks. If and when a problem occurs – like the highly publicised issues affecting the  Boeing 737 MX, for example – they’ll introduce new procedures when necessary.

There’s a culture of transparency in aviation. If and when a problem is discovered, it’s shared globally and when a solution is discovered, it’s applied across the entire fleet. This ensures every plane, and passenger, is safe and protected.

Why crashes feel more common than they are

Commercial aviation is incredibly safe, but, like all human operated systems, accidents happen. Extreme weather, technical failures, and human error can cause problems.

As we’ve established that crashes are incredibly rare, but many anxious flyers believe crashes happen more often than they actually do. That’s because plane crashes and accidents receive prominent media coverage across the world.

To understand what’s happening and how you can fight back, read our article on why plane crashes cause anxiety (and how you can do about it).

What you need to know about plane crashes

It’s natural to be concerned about plane crashes and we know that flying anxiety can peak after reading media coverage of an accident. It’s vital to remember that while accidents do happen, your risk of being involved in one is incredibly rare.

We know that understanding the stats and the risk won’t remove all fear, but hopefully it can provide some context. Instead of worrying about being in an accident, focus on the present and experience your flight for what it is – not what your mind might trick you into thinking it is. 

Learning more about aviation can help reduce your fear of flying. If you’re flying soon, download our Calm Flight Toolkit for some extra reassurance and in-flight relaxation.

Please share this with anyone who might benefit from it.

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