In Focus

There have been many plane crashes lately. They happen all the time, but they seem to have been more prominent lately. 

Last month, an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army helicopter collided, leaving 67 dead. And recently, the crash landing of Delta Air Lines flight 4819 in Toronto was insane. I have never seen a plane flip over like that. The video was intense. How nobody died is beyond me, but I am very glad at the same time. 

I decided to investigate to see if there are really more plane crashes happening right now, and, surprisingly, there are fewer.  

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, there were 63 incidents in January 2025, which is lower than the 80 reported in January 2024. In February 2025, there were 36, and in February 2024, there were 93. There were a total of 1417 crashes in 2024.

Crashes that resulted in fatalities—10 last month and 19 in January 2024. So far, there were four in February, with 12 in the previous year. In 2024, there was a total of 258 fatal accidents. Minnesota specifically had one crash in January, and a total of 24 for 2024, only one of those were fatal. A small plane crashed in Afton on March 2, 2024, killing two people. 

Statistically speaking, flying is still the safest way to travel. There were 472 fatal traffic accidents in Minnesota in 2024, a 12% increase from 2023. This means that, on average, someone dies in a traffic crash in Minnesota every day, significantly higher than the one aviation-related fatality in the state last year and higher than the 24 total airline incidents. 

  Oddly, 2024 was also the deadliest year for plane crashes since 2018, with no comparison, of course, to September 11, 2001. But when commercial airlines crash, killing most, if not all on board, the fatalities add up quickly. 

As it remains, you are far more likely to get in an auto accident than be involved in a plane crash.

I just hope neither happens to anyone (I know that’s wishful thinking). Safe travels, everyone!