While aviation accidents remain relatively rare, when they do happen, the results can be catastrophic. And data from the International Air Transport Association as well as the Flight Safety Foundation indicates that both the number of fatal accidents and accident fatalities has risen significantly from 2023 to 2025. Indeed, the industry risk of a fatality almost tripled from 2024 to 2025.
At the local level, Texas and the Houston area saw examples of both categories: fatal crashes involving approach and weather-related issues, and non-fatal emergencies involving engine failures, evacuations, and forced landings that resulted in broken bones, concussions and torn ligaments.
For injury victims and families, the most important question is not just whether an aviation accident happened. It is how it happened, and whether it could have been prevented. By examing industry data for aviation accidents, we can build an understanding of how (and if) the aviation industry is addressing these issues.
2025 Aviation Accident Data: Fatal vs. Non-Fatal Events
According to the International Air Transport Association’s 2025 safety data, commercial aviation recorded 51 accidents worldwide. Of those 51 accidents, 8 were fatal accidents resulting in 394 deaths. That means the majority of reported commercial aviation accidents in 2025 were non-fatal, but the fatal accidents that did occur were severe.
The same data reported 394 onboard fatalities in 2025. That was higher than 2024, even though the total number of accidents was slightly lower.
North America Specific Data
In North America, the number of accidents increased by 14% from 14 accidents in 2024 to 16 accidents in 2025. The number of fatal accidents in the United States increased from 0 to 2, while the number of fatalities increased from 0 to 67 from 2024 to 2025.
However, data from the ASN indicates 7 crashes resulting in fatalities in 2024, and 9 crashes in 2025. The total fatalities for 2024 was 18 while 2025 saw as high as 101 deaths.
Data from the accident reports pointed to ground damage and tail strikes as common types of accidents. These events often happen when bad weather forces improper landings, and are usually more survivable than high-energy crashes.
Pre-Covid vs Post-Covid Crashes
North American pre-pandemic crashes had steadily rapidly increased from 7 crashes in 2017 to 19 in 2019 — but notably, the number of fatalities associated with these crashes was less than 8 for all three years combined. While total accidents are about the same as pre-pandemic levels, the number of fatalities is the highest it’s been in 20 years. The second highest pre-covid year for fatalities was 2009 at 51.
How Aviation Injuries Usually Happen
In 2025, global airliner data showed that approach and landing accounted for the largest number of fatal airliner accidents, while turbulance and landing accounted for most non-fatal accidents.
The most severe accident in 2025 involved two aircraft taking off, resulting in 63 deaths. The vast majority of accidents occur when airplanes fly strike ground vehicles or other grounded aircraft on takeoff or landing.
Flight Phases and Why They Matter
- Takeoff and initial climb accidents are dangerous because the aircraft is low, heavy, and still gaining altitude. Engine failure, loss of control, or improper response can result in serious injury or death to passengers.
- Approach and landing accidents are also high-risk because the aircraft is close to the ground, often in changing or difficult weather, and may be operating in a busy airspace environment.
- Cruise-flight accidents are less common, but turbulence, depressurization, or mechanical failures can result in accidents, including forced landings.
- Ground and taxi accidents tend to be more survivable, but they can still injure passengers, crew members, airport workers, and ground personnel.
Who Can Be Liable After an Aviation Accident?
Liability after an aviation accident depends on what caused the injury. Some cases involve pilot error. Others may involve poor maintenance, defective aircraft parts, unsafe airline procedures, airport hazards, air traffic control issues, or negligent emergency response. Because aviation accidents often involve multiple companies and agencies, more than one party may be responsible.
After a non-fatal injury on a flight, potential defendants may include:
- The airline or charter company
- The pilot
- The flight crew
- An airport operator
- or another negligent passenger
These cases may arise from turbulence injuries, hard landings, evacuation injuries, runway incidents, improperly stored luggage, cabin hazards, staff failure to control other passengers, engine problems, or unsafe emergency procedures.
For example, if a passenger is injured during an emergency evacuation, the investigation may look at whether the crew gave proper instructions, whether the evacuation slides worked correctly, whether the aircraft was positioned safely, whether the emergency was caused by poor maintenance, and whether passengers were exposed to unnecessary danger. If an airport worker is injured on the ramp, liability may involve the airline, a contractor, airport equipment operator, or another company working near the aircraft.
Fatal aviation accidents are usually more complex. When someone dies in a crash or flight-related emergency, the family may have a wrongful death claim, and the estate may also have a survival claim for the harm the victim suffered before death. Potentially liable parties typically include the same as a non-fatal accident, but may also include parties responsible for maintaining the aircraft and ensuring it is safe for operation.
Aviation cases require a careful investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board may investigate the accident and determine a probable cause, but a civil injury or wrongful death claim focuses on legal responsibility and compensation.
Whether the injury is fatal or non-fatal, the key question is the same: what went wrong, who had the duty to prevent it, and whether that failure caused the injury or death.
Texas and Houston Aviation Accident Incidents in 2025
| Date | Location | Injury Outcome | What Happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 2, 2025 | Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport | No reported injuries | A United Airlines flight rejected takeoff after an engine issue. The event became dangerous during evacuation because of passenger panic, communication problems, and slide deployment near a running engine. |
| Apr. 17, 2025 | Houston Hobby Airport | 1 serious injury, 138 uninjured | A Southwest Airlines flight experienced a right engine failure, returned to Houston, and evacuated after landing due to a burning odor. A flight attendant suffered a serious ankle injury during the evacuation. |
| Dec. 22, 2025 | Near Galveston, Texas | 6 fatal injuries, 2 serious injuries | A Beechcraft B300 crashed during an approach to Scholes International Airport in low visibility conditions. The preliminary report described fog, low ceilings, low-altitude alerts, and communication issues before impact. |
| Feb. 1, 2025 | Ennis, Texas | 2 uninjured | A general aviation aircraft ran out of fuel and made a forced landing in a field. The aircraft was substantially damaged, but the occupants were not injured. |
| Feb. 16, 2025 | Laredo, Texas | 1 serious injury | An aircraft performing during an air show crashed after a low-altitude sequence. |
What Aviation Accident Trends Mean for Injury Victims
The overall data does not mean that flying is unsafe. Aviation accidents are still very rare compared to volume, but recent data does show a worrying increase in serious accidents, and a spike in fatalities. If you were injured in an aviation accident in Texas, including at a Houston-area airport, you deserve to be compensated for damages caused by negligent airlines, airports or their contractors.
Hilda Sibrian has represented injury victims in negligence and explosion claims across Texas for over 22 years. If you or someone you love is seriously injured or has been killed as a result of an airplane accident, you need to call an experienced Houston attorney as soon as possible. The Law Offices of Hilda Sibrian serve all of Houston and Texas, including Sugar Land, Missouri City, La Porte, Beaumont, Pasadena, The Woodlands, The Heights, Bellaire, Kingwood, Baytown and of course Houston proper.
Call the Law Offices of Hilda Sibrian today for a free consultation, or fill out our online contact form
