Aviation Accident Analysis

A federal jury awarded $49.5 million to the family of an Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 victim, a verdict that may influence future aviation wrongful death litigation involving the Boeing 737 MAX.

A Trans Aero MedEvac aircraft crashed before dawn on May 14, 2026, in the Capitan Mountains near Ruidoso, New Mexico, killing all four aboard. Communications and radar contact were lost before the plane reached Sierra Blanca Regional Airport. The NTSB and FAA are investigating.

A Frontier Airlines Airbus A321neo struck an unauthorized person during takeoff at Denver International Airport, leading to an aborted departure and runway evacuation that injured passengers and drew NTSB attention.

A United Airlines Boeing 737 struck a runway light pole during landing rollout at Newark Liberty International Airport, drawing federal scrutiny to runway clearance margins, aircraft tracking, and airfield lighting placement.

A Beechcraft Bonanza crashed shortly after takeoff from Crystal Airport in Minnesota, killing both occupants. Investigators are focusing on the aircraft’s initial climb performance and departure sequence to determine what led to the loss of control.

A Beechcraft King Air B200GT crash in Louisiana is under investigation after an autopilot disconnect preceded a rapid, high-speed descent from FL280.

The NTSB’s preliminary report on Bering Air flight 445 identifies a low-altitude offshore descent near Nome, winter icing conditions, and significant preliminary weight findings as central areas of the ongoing investigation.

A United Airlines Boeing 737 collided with deice trucks while taxiing from a deicing pad at Denver International Airport, prompting an NTSB investigation into communication and ground operation procedures.

Federal investigators are examining the April 8, 2026 crash of a Piper PA-32 at Marana Regional Airport after the aircraft reportedly went off the runway during landing and burned, killing both people aboard.

A preliminary NTSB report on the March 23, 2026 fatal crash of a Robinson R44 near Boynton Beach states that the instructional flight impacted a warehouse during the return to Lantana and identifies early investigative focus on main rotor flight control components and related hardware findings.

A preliminary NTSB report says a Cessna 172N instructional flight ditched in the Hudson River near Newburgh after the engine reportedly showed zero oil pressure and then lost power following a touch-and-go at Stewart International Airport.

A preliminary NTSB report says a Cessna 750 was substantially damaged after losing directional control during landing rollout near Mountain Village, Colorado. Investigators are examining the reported wind conditions, crew control inputs, and the airplane’s response as the runway excursion sequence developed.

Delta Flight 104 returned safely to São Paulo/Guarulhos shortly after takeoff on March 29, 2026, after a reported mechanical problem involving the left engine on an Airbus A330-323 registered N813NW. CENIPA and the FAA are investigating the event.

A preliminary NTSB report says a Cessna T210M crashed near Deerfield, Illinois on March 4, 2026 during the RNAV Runway 16 approach to Chicago Executive Airport after repeated low altitude alerts in night instrument conditions.

A Hughes/MD 500 air tour helicopter crashed near Kalalau Beach on Kauai’s Na Pali Coast on March 26, 2026, killing three people and injuring two others. Federal investigators are now examining the crash sequence, the operator’s records, and the technical evidence recovered from the remote shoreline site.