Methodology & data
Source data
All accident data comes from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) aviation accident database — the same records investigators publish. We use NTSB's bulk dataset, refreshed on a regular cycle, and link every accident back to its official NTSB docket.
Current scope
Fatal, fixed-wing, Part 91 (personal/GA) accidents, 2008–present.
We start here because these accidents are the most relevant to private pilots flying personal and general-aviation aircraft. The dataset will expand to non-fatal accidents, rotorcraft, and earlier years over time.
- 3,421 accidents in scope
- 5,780 fatalities
- 3,001 with pilot total hours on record
Accident classification
Each accident is assigned a primary failure mode (stall/spin, VFR-into-IMC, CFIT, fuel, and so on) from the NTSB's coded defining occurrence and cause findings. This is a deliberately simplified, single-label classification to make patterns navigable; the original NTSB findings are always shown on each accident page, and the official docket is one click away.
What we add
Beyond the raw record, we provide a plain-language account of what led to each accident and how a pilot might have broken the chain, plus aggregate analysis — most importantly, exposure-normalized risk (see Risk by Experience).
Important limitations
NTSB records contain errors, omissions, and undetermined causes. Pilot flight-hour figures are as reported and are sometimes estimated. Our classification and editorial analysis are interpretations for educational purposes — not official findings, legal conclusions, or flight instruction. Always consult the original NTSB report.