Where Data Tells the Story
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Every year, Boeing releases its Statistical Summary of Commercial Jet Airplane Accidents for analysis and insights into flight safety worldwide. Using data from the latest 2024 report, we learn that several airplane models common among airlines have never had a fatal hull loss crash. Two members of this zero club, however will move down the scale in 2025 after the crashes of Air India 171 (a Boeing 787 Dreamliner) and American Eagle 5342 (a Bombardier CRJ-700).
Boeing emphasizes in their report the value of crash rate vs total crashes, as the number of departures varies among planes. In their words: “there is a stronger statistical correlation between accidents and departures than there is between accidents and flight-hours, or between accidents and the number of airplanes in service, or between accidents and passenger miles or freight miles.”
The 787 Dreamliner has been in service since 2011. If we include the 2025 accident, the new rate would be approximately 0.065 based on number of aircraft in service (1,100) and estimated total departures.
For the CRJ aircraft family—in service since 2001— if we include the 2025 accident, the new rate would be approximately 0.028 based on the number of aircraft in service.
It’s important to emphasize that accidents occur due to a multitude of factors, known as the Swiss cheese model. At the bottom of the chart are “older aircraft” which includes commercial aircraft no longer operational. As an aggregate whole, their accident rate is much higher than even the highest rate of today’s flying passenger aircraft. Overall, air travel continues to become safer.
Excluded from list due to low number of aircraft still in service or low rates of passenger use: DC-9, F-28, DC-10, Fokker 100, BAe 146/Avro RJ, and the MD-80/-90.