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By Alice Gibbs
Senior Reporter
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The crash of an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane at Miami International Airport that killed at least five people has renewed attention on aviation safety in the United States.
The September 6 incident is among a number of high-profile aviation accidents reported this year. Federal records reviewed by Newsweek show hundreds of airplane accidents have been logged across the country in 2026, ranging from small private aircraft crashes to cargo and military aviation disasters.
How Many Plane Crashes Have Happened in 2026?
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) records show 609 airplane accidents were recorded in the United States between January 1 and September 7, 2026.
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The figure includes fatal and nonfatal accidents involving commercial aircraft, cargo planes, business jets, instructional flights and privately operated airplanes. The total does not appear to include Sunday's Amazon Prime Air crash in Miami, meaning the number is expected to increase once the latest accident is added to federal records.
Unlike major airline disasters, most accidents investigated by the NTSB involve privately operated aircraft and general aviation flights rather than scheduled passenger airlines. While several high-profile crashes have made headlines in 2026, aviation experts note that fatal accidents remain rare compared with the millions of flights conducted annually.
Newsweek reached out to the FAA via email for comment.
What Are the Recent Plane Crashes in 2026?
Amazon Prime Air Crash, Miami, Florida
An Amazon Prime Air cargo aircraft operated by 21 Air overran a runway after landing at Miami International Airport on September 6, leaving the runway at nearly 130 mph.
Authorities said at least five people were killed and five others were injured after the Boeing 767-300 struck multiple vehicles after leaving the runway. The aircraft had departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Investigators from the NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration are examining the cause of the crash.
The NTSB did not wish to provide further comment when approached by Newsweek.
Air Canada Accident at LaGuardia Airport
On March 22, two people were killed after an Air Canada plane collided with a Port Authority vehicle at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
The Air Canada Express Flight 8646, arriving from Montreal, struck a fire truck responding to a separate incident. The crash killed both pilots and injured dozens as 41 passengers and crew were taken to hospital.
Air Ambulance Crash, New Mexico
A Beech C90 air ambulance crashed near Lincoln, New Mexico, on May 14.
According to the NTSB, both pilots and two medical personnel were killed when the aircraft went down while responding to a patient transport mission. The agency's investigation remains ongoing.
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B-52 Bomber Crash, California
One of the deadliest U.S. military aviation accidents of the year occurred on June 15 when a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in California.
The aircraft was conducting a radar modernization test mission. All eight people aboard were killed, according to Air Force officials. An investigation remains ongoing.
Plane Crash on Texas Highway
On June 16, a small aircraft crashed onto a highway near Laredo, Texas, killing one person and sending five law enforcement officers to hospital during the emergency response.
The aircraft was carrying six people when it came down on Loop 20 in Laredo shortly after 10 p.m. and caught fire.
How Many Plane Crashes Happened in 2025?
The NTSB recorded 1,017 aviation accidents and incidents between January 1 and December 31, 2025. The largest aviation incident last year was the January collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C., which killed everyone aboard both aircraft. That accident became the deadliest U.S. aviation crash in more than two decades.
Are Plane Crashes Increasing?
Aviation experts often caution that a series of high-profile crashes does not necessarily indicate that flying is becoming less safe.
Federal safety data show most aviation accidents involve general aviation aircraft rather than commercial passenger jets. Major airline crashes remain relatively rare compared with the millions of flights conducted each year.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Rebecca Flood and Emma Lee-Sang
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