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Safety · Causes Aircraft Accident Causes 98,998 occurrences from official investigations, classified into the recurring causes of aviation accidents.
Engine failure 30,588 occurrences · 1948–2026 · 14,435 fatalities Fuel exhaustion & starvation 15,184 occurrences · 1949–2026 · 4,289 fatalities Loss of control in flight 11,950 occurrences · 1947–2026 · 20,212 fatalities Aerodynamic stall 10,133 occurrences · 1952–2023 · 5,222 fatalities Controlled flight into terrain 9,883 occurrences · 1948–2026 · 33,948 fatalities Maintenance error 7,830 occurrences · 1953–2026 · 2,727 fatalities Weather 7,093 occurrences · 1949–2026 · 9,578 fatalities Runway excursion 6,809 occurrences · 1950–2026 · 1,167 fatalities Structural failure 5,697 occurrences · 1950–2026 · 7,097 fatalities Icing 2,577 occurrences · 1949–2026 · 3,792 fatalities Midair collision 2,382 occurrences · 1949–2026 · 8,312 fatalities Spatial disorientation 2,206 occurrences · 1950–2020 · 4,133 fatalities In-flight fire & smoke 1,459 occurrences · 1949–2025 · 4,080 fatalities Counts are derived from official investigation records; one accident may involve several causes, and older or foreign records can be incomplete. This page explains patterns — it is not a safety ranking.