Is the Boeing 767 safe?

The 767 has a strong safety record across its 40+ year service life. The Lauda Air 004 thrust-reverser accident in 1991 led to a significant design fix that has prevented recurrence. No fatal structural accident has occurred with the 767 since those changes. The type has an excellent record on transatlantic routes where it has operated for decades.

How many fatal Boeing 767 accidents have there been?

The 767 has been involved in a small number of fatal hull losses. The most significant were Lauda Air 004 (223 fatalities, 1991), Ethiopian Airlines 961 hijacking/ditching (125, 1996), and two 767s deliberately crashed on 9/11 (United 175 into WTC South Tower and American 11 into WTC North Tower, combined 157 passengers and crew). The Gimli Glider (1983) was a zero-fatality event.

Which airline has the largest 767 fleet?

Delta Air Lines is the world's largest passenger 767 operator with over 65 aircraft, primarily 767-300ERs and 767-400ERs. United Airlines is the second-largest passenger operator with around 53 aircraft. FedEx and UPS are the largest freighter operators of 767-300Fs.

What's the difference between the 767-300ER and 767-400ER?

The 767-400ER is a further 6.4-metre stretch of the -300ER, seating around 245-375 passengers versus 218-351 on the -300ER. The -400ER has a slightly shorter range (5,625 nm vs 5,980 nm) but greater payload. Only Delta and United operate the 767-400ER; it was never exported outside the US.

How many seats does a Boeing 767 have?

The 767-200 seats 181-255 depending on configuration. The 767-300ER, the most common passenger variant, typically seats 218-290 in two or three classes. The 767-400ER seats 245-375. Most airlines configure their 767-300ERs for around 210-260 passengers in a two-class layout.

When was the Boeing 767 introduced?

The 767-200 entered service with United Airlines on 8 September 1982, on the Chicago–Denver route. The extended-range -200ER entered service in 1984, the stretched -300 in 1986, and the -300ER in 1988. The -400ER, the final and longest passenger variant, entered service with Delta Air Lines in 2000.

Boeing 767 — flights, routes and airlines

Every city pair operated by the Boeing 767 worldwide. Live schedule data, recent safety events, and operator details.

The Boeing 767 is operated by 48 airlines across 1629 city pairs in our observed-flights dataset (last 14 days).

Top routes: AMS-EWR, ATL-EWR, ATL-GIG, ATL-LAX, ATL-LGA.

Variants and specifications

Variant	First flight	Typical seats	Range (nm)	Status
767-200	1981	181-255	3850	out of production
767-200ER	1984	181-255	6385	in service
767-300	1986	269-351	3900	in service
767-300ER	1986	218-351	5980	in service
767-300F	1995	0	3225	in service
767-400ER	1999	245-375	5625	in service

Notable accidents and incidents

1991-05-26 Lauda Air 004 Lauda Air 767-3Z9ER 223 fatalities

A thrust reverser on the left engine deployed uncommanded at cruise altitude over Thailand, causing the aircraft to break apart in-flight; all 223 occupants perished. The accident exposed a previously unknown failure mode and led Boeing to redesign 767 thrust-reverser controls.
1996-11-23 Ethiopian Airlines 961 Ethiopian Airlines 767-260ER 125 fatalities

Hijacked by three Ethiopian nationals seeking asylum, the aircraft ran out of fuel and ditched in the Indian Ocean near Grande Comore. Of 175 on board, 125 died; many survivors drowned because passengers inflated their life-jackets inside the cabin before exiting, preventing them from surfacing.
2001-09-11 American Airlines 11 American Airlines 767-223ER 92 fatalities

Hijacked by al-Qaeda operatives after departure from Boston Logan and deliberately flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center as part of the September 11 attacks; all 92 onboard were killed.
2001-09-11 United Airlines 175 United Airlines 767-222 65 fatalities

Hijacked by al-Qaeda operatives after departure from Boston Logan and deliberately flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center as part of the September 11 attacks; all 65 onboard were killed.
1983-07-23 Air Canada 143 (Gimli Glider) Air Canada 767-233 no fatalities

Ran out of fuel at 41,000 ft after ground crews confused kilograms with pounds when calculating fuel load; the crew glided the unpowered aircraft to a safe landing at a former RCAF base at Gimli, Manitoba — no fatalities.

About the Boeing 767

The Boeing 767 entered service with United Airlines in September 1982 as the first Boeing wide-body with a two-crew glass cockpit, eliminating the flight engineer position. Its fuselage cross-section — wider than a narrow-body but narrower than a 747 — seats seven abreast in a 2-3-2 economy layout and was the first twin-aisle Boeing designed for 180-minute ETOPS operations, opening the North Atlantic to twin-engine jets.

The 767-300ER became the backbone of medium-haul wide-body fleets through the 1990s and 2000s; Delta Air Lines remains the world's largest passenger 767 operator with over 65 aircraft, using the type on transatlantic routes. FedEx and UPS operate large fleets of 767-300F freighters. A total of roughly 1,240 767s have been delivered, and production continues for the 767-300F freighter and the KC-46 Pegasus military tanker variant. The Gimli Glider (1983) — an Air Canada 767 that ran out of fuel due to a unit-conversion error — landed safely and is one of aviation's most remarkable survival stories.

Boeing 767 — safety & facts

Safety record

Recorded occurrences: 361
Hull losses: 0
Fatal accidents: 12
Total fatalities: 1,331
Records span: 1988–2026

Based on 361 occurrences across NTSB, ASN, MAK, ATSB & Wikidata records. See full safety record →

Key facts

Manufacturer: Boeing
Typical seats: 181-375 pax
Range: 11,093 km
First flight: 1981-09

Last fatal hull loss: 2019 View full safety record →

Color reflects time since the last recorded fatal hull-loss involving this type, drawn from public datasets (NTSB, Aviation Safety Network, Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives, Wikidata). It is not a commercial safety rating and does not normalise for flights flown, hours, or fleet size — for those, see the manufacturer or IATA Safety Report.

Notable events

1999-10-31 — EgyptAir — 217 fatalities. Source.
2002-04-15 — Air China — 129 fatalities. Source.
1996-11-23 — Ethiopian Airlines — 125 fatalities. Source.
2019-02-23 — Amazon Air, opb Atlas Air — 3 fatalities. Source.
2019-02-23 — Atlas Air — 3 fatalities. Source.

Recent airline activity

Observed 1596 active routes flown by 48 airlines in the last 30 days.

Operators: FDX (290), UPS (278), Delta Air Lines (134), ATN (100), United Airlines (98)

Top routes: DUS–ATL, CDG–IAD, BOS–GIG, BCN–IAD, GRU–IAD

Based on live ADS-B observations collected by FlightFinder, as of 2026-06-04.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Boeing 767 safe?: The 767 has a strong safety record across its 40+ year service life. The Lauda Air 004 thrust-reverser accident in 1991 led to a significant design fix that has prevented recurrence. No fatal structural accident has occurred with the 767 since those changes. The type has an excellent record on transatlantic routes where it has operated for decades.
How many fatal Boeing 767 accidents have there been?: The 767 has been involved in a small number of fatal hull losses. The most significant were Lauda Air 004 (223 fatalities, 1991), Ethiopian Airlines 961 hijacking/ditching (125, 1996), and two 767s deliberately crashed on 9/11 (United 175 into WTC South Tower and American 11 into WTC North Tower, combined 157 passengers and crew). The Gimli Glider (1983) was a zero-fatality event.
Which airline has the largest 767 fleet?: Delta Air Lines is the world's largest passenger 767 operator with over 65 aircraft, primarily 767-300ERs and 767-400ERs. United Airlines is the second-largest passenger operator with around 53 aircraft. FedEx and UPS are the largest freighter operators of 767-300Fs.
What's the difference between the 767-300ER and 767-400ER?: The 767-400ER is a further 6.4-metre stretch of the -300ER, seating around 245-375 passengers versus 218-351 on the -300ER. The -400ER has a slightly shorter range (5,625 nm vs 5,980 nm) but greater payload. Only Delta and United operate the 767-400ER; it was never exported outside the US.
How many seats does a Boeing 767 have?: The 767-200 seats 181-255 depending on configuration. The 767-300ER, the most common passenger variant, typically seats 218-290 in two or three classes. The 767-400ER seats 245-375. Most airlines configure their 767-300ERs for around 210-260 passengers in a two-class layout.
When was the Boeing 767 introduced?: The 767-200 entered service with United Airlines on 8 September 1982, on the Chicago–Denver route. The extended-range -200ER entered service in 1984, the stretched -300 in 1986, and the -300ER in 1988. The -400ER, the final and longest passenger variant, entered service with Delta Air Lines in 2000.

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