A plane crash leaves travelers feeling shaken about flying. 2025 was a difficult year in aviation, with more than 1,000 accidents and crashes altogether. It was overwhelming for frequent flyers, both commercial and non-commercial, and 2026 unfortunately began with a few sky-high tragedies.
One accident took place at the Bangor International Airport in Maine on January 25 when a private jet carrying eight people crashed amid takeoff. The incident occurred during a massive snowstorm in the Northeast. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board immediately commenced an investigation into the accident.
Two months later, an Air Canada Express plane crashed and struck a rescue vehicle at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport on March 22. Two pilots died in the accident.
Below, see data from the National Transportation Safety Board on the number of plane crashes so far in 2026.
MAINE PLANE CRASH: Police released an update this morning after a small business jet carrying 8 people crashed at a Maine airport last night. Officials are planning to hold a press conference at 10 a.m. https://t.co/9qmdfwwAop
— NBC10 Boston (@NBC10Boston) January 26, 2026
How Many Plane Crashes Were There in 2025?
In 2025 alone, there were 1,416 aviation accidents in total; 267 of those were fatal, and 1,149 were non-fatal, according to the NTSB’s monthly aviation dashboard.
How Many Plane Crashes Have There Been So Far in 2026?
There have been 227 aviation accidents so far this year, according to the NTSB’s monthly aviation dashboard. According to NTSB’s data, there have been 40 fatal accidents and 187 non-fatal incidents so far.
January 2026 Bangor Plane Crash Details
On January 25, a private jet crashed during takeoff at the Bangor International Airport in Maine. The aircraft had eight people on board. The NTSB released a statement acknowledging the case.
“The preliminary information we have is the plane crashed upon departing Bangor International Airport and experienced a post-crash fire,” the NTSB said, according to CNN.
According to audio from LiveATC.net obtained by CNN, controllers and pilots at the airport were heard discussing the low visibility in the area amid the Northeast’s snowstorm. Two minutes after one controller cleared the private jet’s pilot for takeoff at Bango, a controller was heard yelling, “All traffic is stopped on the field! All traffic is stopped on the field!”
Shortly thereafter, a controller stated, “Aircraft upside down. We have a passenger aircraft upside down.”
March 2026 LaGuardia Airport Air Canada Plane Crash Details
On March 22, an Air Canada Express plane crashed at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, striking a Port Authority rescue vehicle on the ground. Two pilots were killed in the accident.
More than 40 people were injured, and many were hospitalized. The tragedy seemingly resulted from communication problems.
