Business Aviation Safety Suffers Worst Year since 2011

Last year was one of the worst on record for business aviation safety, as fatalities soared 53.8% year over year (YOY) to 143, only eclipsed by 156 fatalities in the sector in 2011, according to preliminary data tabulated by AIN. Fatalities from business jet accidents globally climbed 171.4% YOY, from 21 in 2024 to 57 last year, while turboprop fatalities rose 19.4%, from 72 to 86 killed.

The 104 business aircraft accidents—32 involving business jets and 72 turboprops—last year represented a 15.6% increase over 2024. Worse, more accidents were fatal as these mishaps soared 29.6% YOY—involving 13 business jets and 22 turboprops, up from eight and 19, respectively, in the previous year.

However, the number of U.S.-registered business jet fatal accidents dropped from five to four over the comparable years, but the fatality count remained flat at 15. Last year’s fatal accidents, with fatalities shown in parentheses, were February 10, Bombardier Learjet 35A during a landing excursion (1); March 13, Cessna Citation CJ2 while climbing out (1); May 22, Citation SII on approach (6); and December 18, Citation II on approach (7). All these crashes occurred under Part 91. Of the five fatal accidents in 2024, one was a Part 135 charter.

Looking at fatalities involving non-U.S.-registered business jets, the number of lives taken surged from six in three accidents in 2024 to 42 who lost their lives in nine crashes last year. Twenty-one fatalities, half of last year’s total, occurred in three charter accidents.

The nine fatal accidents of non-U.S.-registered business jets in 2025 were January 9, private Citation CJl, runway excursion (1); January 29, government-chartered Citation Sll, taking off (3); January 31, air ambulance Learjet 55, taking off (6); June 3, private Citation I on departure (5); August 7, air ambulance Citation 560, en route (4); September 24, government-operated Learjet 55 taking off (2); October 16, maintenance test Hawker 800X stalled (3); December 15, chartered Citation 650 on approach (10); and December 23, chartered Dassault Falcon 50 during initial climb (8).

Fatalities in accidents involving U.S.-registered business turboprops also recorded a significant spike year over year. Last year, 31 people died in 11 crashes versus 17 fatalities in seven accidents in 2024. One of the fatal accidents last year was a charter, and another occurred to a government public service aircraft. As for fatal accidents of non-U.S.-registered business turboprops, 55 people were killed in 11 accidents last year compared to the same number of fatalities in 12 accidents in 2024.