plane crash investigation Archives

Four Miami Family Members Killed After Piper PA-34 Crashes In The Bahamas

Aviation Today News Desk / September 12, 2026

North Andros, The Bahamas: Four members of a Miami family died after their Piper PA-34 lost contact with air traffic […]

Agua Boa, Brazil: Three people were killed when a small Cessna 402B crashed and caught fire on a rural property near Água Boa in Brazil's central-western state of Mato Grosso on Thursday, September 10, 2026 according to local authorities. The aircraft was destroyed in the post-impact fire, and investigators are working to establish the circumstances of the crash, the flight's details and the identities of those onboard. The aircraft came down at a rural property about 18–20 kilometres from the urban area of Água Boa. Brazilian reports identified the aircraft as a Cessna 402B, manufactured in 1970, with serial number 402B0035. Later reports linked the aircraft to US registration N401NA, although Brazilian records and images from earlier aircraft sales have also shown other registration markings, including PS-WJR and PS-WJU. The registration discrepancy has not been resolved by authorities and should not be treated as proof of an illegal operation. The aircraft caught fire after the crash and was almost completely destroyed. The Corpo de Bombeiros was called at about 8:50 a.m. local time and used approximately 4,000 litres of water to extinguish the flames. After the fire was brought under control, firefighters found three bodies in the wreckage. The bodies were taken for forensic examination, while the Polícia Civil, Polícia Militar and Perícia Oficial e Identificação Técnica (Politec) worked at the site. Police initially said the condition of the wreckage made it impossible to identify the victims or determine key details of the flight. Delegado Carlos Alberto, who was handling the occurrence, said: “The state in which the aircraft was found initially made its identification impossible. For this reason, it was not possible, so far, to confirm information about any flight plan, the aircraft's place of origin or destination, nor the identity of the people who were onboard.” Later reporting established that three people were onboard, with all three confirmed dead. However, their names have not been officially released in the latest reports reviewed for this update. Earlier reports had used the wording “at least three killed” because authorities had initially been unable to determine the total number of occupants. The aircraft's operational purpose and operator also remain unconfirmed. Reports have not established whether it was conducting a private, charter, cargo or other type of flight. Likewise, authorities had not officially confirmed its departure point, intended destination or whether a flight plan had been filed. One local report claimed the aircraft may have departed from an airfield in Goiânia, but that detail has not been independently confirmed by the authorities and should therefore not be presented as established fact. Brazil's Centro de Investigação e Prevenção de Acidentes Aeronáuticos (CENIPA) was notified and is expected to participate in the complementary investigative work alongside the police and forensic authorities. The cause of the crash has not been determined, and there is currently no confirmed evidence identifying mechanical failure, weather, pilot action or another specific factor as the cause. Investigators are expected to examine the wreckage, aircraft documentation, registration history, possible flight-plan information and forensic evidence as they establish what happened before the Cessna 402B crashed and caught fire in rural Água Boa.

Aircraft Crashes

Three Killed After Cessna 402B Crashes And Catches Fire In Brazil’s Mato Grosso

Aviation Today News Desk / September 11, 2026

Agua Boa, Brazil: Three people were killed when a small Cessna 402B crashed and caught fire on a rural property

Aircraft Crashes

Two Killed After Beechcraft A36 Bonanza Crashes Shortly After Takeoff Outside Brisbane

Aviation Today News Desk / September 8, 2026

Stockleigh, Australia: Two people were killed after a Beechcraft A36 Bonanza crashed into open ground at Stockleigh, south of Brisbane,

New York, United States: Two people were killed after a small aircraft crashed in the Town of Enfield, west of Ithaca, New York, on Sunday, August 30, 2026, with the pilot dying at the scene and the second occupant later succumbing to injuries at a hospital. The aircraft was identified as a 1977 Lake LA-4-200, registration N6185V. The Federal Aviation Administration’s aircraft registry lists the aircraft as a single-engine Lake LA-4-200, serial number 838, registered to Big Bang Airlines LLC of Ithaca, New York. The aircraft was manufactured in 1977 and is powered by a Lycoming reciprocating engine. FAA records list the aircraft’s airworthiness date as June 10, 1977. The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office identified the pilot as David Kornreich, 52, who was described by authorities as the aircraft’s owner and a registered pilot. Kornreich was pronounced dead at the crash site. The passenger, Andrew R. Harrell, 31, was critically injured and transported to Cayuga Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries. According to investigators, the aircraft had been cleared for takeoff from Ithaca Tompkins International Airport at approximately 11:24 a.m. Its last reported contact with the airport tower came at about 12:02 p.m. The circumstances of the flight between the final tower communication and the crash have not yet been publicly established. A witness contacted authorities at approximately 12:35 p.m. to report that the aircraft had crashed in the 100 block of North Applegate Road. The witness also told authorities that the aircraft appeared to be experiencing a mechanical problem before it went down. However, officials have not determined whether a mechanical failure caused the crash, and the suspected problem has not been publicly identified. Authorities have also not publicly confirmed the aircraft’s intended destination or a complete route for the fatal flight. Available flight-tracking records identify N6185V as a private-owner aircraft and show previous flights involving Ithaca, but those records do not establish the destination of the August 30 flight. The crash did not involve any other people or structures, according to the Sheriff’s Office. No roads were closed as a result of the incident. Multiple emergency agencies responded to the crash scene, including the New York State Police, New York State Park Police, Enfield Fire & Rescue, Tompkins County Department of Emergency Response, Ithaca Fire Department, Ithaca Airport Fire Department and Trumansburg Fire Department. The first reports initially indicated one fatality and one critical injury. Authorities later confirmed Harrell’s death, bringing the total number of fatalities to two. Sheriff Derek Osborne described the incident as a tragedy, saying, “This is a terrible and tragic situation. Our hearts go out to the friends and family of the victims.” The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. Investigators will determine what happened during the aircraft’s final flight and whether the reported mechanical problem played any role in the accident. As of August 31, the official cause remains undetermined.

Aircraft Crashes

Two Killed After Small Aircraft Crashes In Enfield, New York; Investigation Underway

Aviation Today News Desk / August 31, 2026

New York, United States: Two people were killed after a small aircraft crashed in the Town of Enfield, west of

New Delhi, India: The investigation into the crash of Air India flight AI-171 has entered its final stages, with the government telling Parliament that an advanced examination of the aircraft’s fuel control switch and its locking mechanism found no abnormality. However, the inspection of the complete thrust control module remains underway at the original equipment manufacturer's facility in Seattle. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol provided the update during the Monsoon Session of Parliament on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in response to questions in the Rajya Sabha. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation's response, the tests were ordered by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as part of continuing airworthiness checks after the Boeing 787 aircraft type was grounded in February this year. "A detailed examination of the fuel control switch, including the structural integrity of its locking detents, found no abnormality," Mohol said. The government further stated: "Inspection of the complete Thrust Control Module at the OEM's facility is underway." The finding is significant because the movement of the two engine fuel control switches has been a central focus of the investigation into the June 12, 2025 crash, which happened shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad. The aircraft came down in the Meghani Nagar area, killing 260 people, including 241 of the 242 people aboard the aircraft and 19 people on the ground. One passenger survived the crash. The preliminary investigation found that both switches moved from the RUN position to CUT OFF shortly after takeoff, resulting in the loss of thrust from both engines. The preliminary report, however, did not establish why the switches moved or assign responsibility for the movement. The latest examination has so far found no abnormality in the locking mechanism of the fuel control switch. However, the government has not said that the investigation has established the cause of the switches moving to the CUTOFF position. The complete thrust control module is still being examined, and the outcome of that inspection remains awaited. The government also rejected suggestions that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has delayed the final report into the crash. Mohol said investigations into major air accidents do not follow a fixed timeline and that the AI-171 inquiry is progressing in accordance with established investigation procedures. "All probable causes and contributing factors leading to the accident are being investigated," the minister said. The Ministry of Civil Aviation said the final investigation report will contain the findings of the probe and will be made public and uploaded on the AAIB's website once the investigation is completed. The preliminary report also noted that the aircraft had been certified as airworthy before the flight and that its maintenance records did not show a reported defect involving the fuel control switches. It also recorded that the aircraft's throttle control module had previously been replaced, although the replacements were unrelated to reported fuel-switch defects. The investigation subsequently drew international attention because the fuel control switches are part of the Boeing 787's thrust control system and are designed with locking mechanisms intended to prevent unintended movement. The latest government statement indicates that the structural integrity of the locking detents has now been examined and that no abnormality was identified in that specific component. However, the government has not yet released a final conclusion on what caused the switches to move during the AI-171 flight. The continuing inspection of the complete thrust control module is therefore an important remaining part of the technical examination. The AAIB's final report is expected to establish the complete sequence of events, identify the causes and contributing factors, and determine whether any safety recommendations are required. Until the final report is released, the precise cause of the fuel control switches moving to CUTOFF remains unresolved in the publicly available investigation findings. The latest government update therefore clears one specific area of concern: the fuel control switch locking mechanism but does not, by itself, close the wider question of why both switches moved to the CUTOFF position shortly after takeoff. The investigation remains ongoing, with the complete thrust control module examination and the AAIB's final assessment is still pending.

Airlines

Govt Says Air India AI171 Crash Probe Finds No Fault In Fuel Switch Locking Mechanism

Aviation Today News Desk / July 29, 2026

New Delhi, India: The investigation into the crash of Air India flight AI-171 has entered its final stages, with the

Investigation

NTSB Preliminary Report Finds No Engine Failure In Fatal Missouri Skydiving Plane Crash

Aviation Today News Desk / July 9, 2026

Missouri, United States: The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has found no evidence of engine failure or any pre-impact

Aircraft Crashes

Small Plane Crash In Albuquerque Leaves One Dead, Second Victim In Critical Condition

Aviation Today News Desk / March 10, 2026

Albuquerque, United States: A small aircraft attempting an emergency landing at Los Altos Golf Course in Albuquerque crashed Friday morning,

Chicago, United States: Two people died Wednesday afternoon when a small twin-engine airplane crashed shortly after takeoff from DuPage Airport, local officials confirmed. The airport, located about 29 miles west of downtown Chicago, was temporarily closed as emergency crews responded and investigators began preliminary inquiries. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that a Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche aircraft departed DuPage Airport around 1:50 p.m. CST before plummeting to the ground near the runway area. Both occupants on board were adult males who were pronounced dead at the scene, according to airport officials. First responders from the West Chicago Police Department, the West Chicago Fire Protection District, and personnel from the DuPage Airport Authority were on site within minutes. Video footage circulated by local media showed significant damage to the aircraft wreckage in a snow-covered field adjacent to the airport. Airport authorities confirmed that the exact cause of the crash is not immediately known. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched a joint investigation to determine what led to the accident, with the NTSB expected to take the lead on technical analysis in the coming days. The DuPage Airport Authority issued a brief statement saying it was cooperating fully with federal investigators and that no further details would be released pending investigative findings. “Our deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident,” the statement read. Eyewitness accounts and local residents described a chaotic response as first responders secured the area and cleared debris. The FAA has stated it will review flight data and communication records as part of the investigative process. Officials have not yet released the names of the victims. The airport remains closed for part of its operations while teams continue documenting the scene and collecting evidence.

Aircraft Crashes

Two Killed In Twin-Engine Plane Crash After Takeoff At DuPage Airport In West Chicago

Aviation Today News Desk / December 18, 2025

Chicago, United States: Two people died Wednesday afternoon when a small twin-engine airplane crashed shortly after takeoff from DuPage Airport,

Wedderburn, Australia: A veteran Australian aerobatic pilot was killed after two light aircraft collided mid-air during a formation flight near Napperfield Airfield in Wedderburn, southwest of Sydney, on November 30, 2025, authorities confirmed. Both aircraft involved were Van’s RV-7 single-engine planes participating in a four-aircraft formation flight. The collision occurred at approximately 12:15 p.m. local time as the group was returning to land. One aircraft crashed into nearby bushland and was destroyed on impact. Emergency services reached the scene shortly after but pronounced the pilot dead at the site. The second aircraft, despite suffering damage, managed to land safely at the airfield, and its pilot was not injured. The deceased pilot was identified as Eddie Seve, a highly regarded aerobatic flyer and the founder of the Freedom Formation Display Team, one of Australia’s best-known civilian precision-flying groups. Seve was the sole occupant of the aircraft that crashed. Eyewitnesses told investigators that the planes were flying in close proximity moments before the collision. One witness told reporters that one aircraft appeared to pull away moments before impact, followed by a loud bang. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched a formal investigation into the accident. Investigators will examine the wreckage, review flight-tracking data, maintenance records, pilot qualifications, and weather conditions at the time of the incident. Police established multiple cordons around both the crash site and the airfield to assist with the investigation. Tributes poured in from across the aviation community following confirmation of Seve’s death. Fellow pilots and aviation organisations described him as a dedicated mentor and a key figure in promoting formation flying and youth participation in aviation. Seve had recently performed at the Gold Coast Airshow, highlighting his active role in the aerobatics circuit. Authorities have appealed for anyone who witnessed the collision or captured video footage to assist the investigation as efforts continue to determine the precise cause of the mid-air crash.

Aircraft Crashes

Renowned Aerobatic Pilot Eddie Seve Killed In Mid-Air Crash In Australia During Flight

Aviation Today News Desk / December 1, 2025

Wedderburn, Australia: A veteran Australian aerobatic pilot was killed after two light aircraft collided mid-air during a formation flight near

Kenya, Africa: A light aircraft carrying 12 people, including foreign tourists, crashed on Tuesday morning in a hilly, forested area of Kwale County, Kenya, while en route from Diani to the Maasai Mara National Reserve. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has confirmed the aircraft had 12 occupants on board. According to a statement released by the KCAA, “The aircraft had 12 persons on board.” The regulator said emergency response teams and investigators from various government agencies have been dispatched to the scene to assess the situation and determine the cause of the crash. “Investigations are underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the accident,” the Authority added. Later Mombasa Air Safari chairman John Cleave confirmed the tragic accident, stating that the aircraft had 11 passengers: eight Hungarians, two Germans along with a Kenyan captain. “Sadly, there are no survivors,” he said in an official statement. Cleave added that the airline had activated its emergency response team and was working closely with local authorities. “Our hearts and prayers are with all those affected by this heartbreaking tragedy,” the statement concluded. The aircraft, believed to be a Cessna Caravan registered 5Y-CCA and operated by Mombasa Air Safari, reportedly went down around 40 kilometers from Diani Airstrip shortly after take-off. Local witnesses described hearing a loud explosion before discovering wreckage engulfed in flames on a remote hillside near the village of Vuga. Photographs from the crash site show burnt remains of the fuselage scattered in dense vegetation. Local police and rescue teams reached the area hours later, with early reports indicating that there were no signs of survivors. Most of the occupants were foreign tourists heading to the Maasai Mara for a safari holiday. KCAA officials said the aircraft was on a scheduled charter flight to Kichwa Tembo Airstrip in the Maasai Mara, a popular tourist destination. Adverse weather and low visibility have been cited by local sources as possible contributing factors, although investigators have yet to confirm the cause. “The government is working closely with KCAA, the Kenya Airports Authority, and local law enforcement to manage the situation,” a Kwale County official said. Authorities are expected to issue a comprehensive statement once recovery operations and identification processes conclude.

Aircraft Crashes

Plane Carrying Tourists To Maasai Mara Crashes In Kenya, At Least 11 Reported Dead

Aviation Today News Desk / October 29, 2025

Kenya, Africa: A light aircraft carrying foreign tourists, crashed on Tuesday in a hilly, forested area of Kwale County, Kenya,

plane crash investigation

Four Miami Family Members Killed After Piper PA-34 Crashes In The Bahamas

Three Killed After Cessna 402B Crashes And Catches Fire In Brazil’s Mato Grosso

Two Killed After Beechcraft A36 Bonanza Crashes Shortly After Takeoff Outside Brisbane

Two Killed After Small Aircraft Crashes In Enfield, New York; Investigation Underway

Govt Says Air India AI171 Crash Probe Finds No Fault In Fuel Switch Locking Mechanism

NTSB Preliminary Report Finds No Engine Failure In Fatal Missouri Skydiving Plane Crash

Small Plane Crash In Albuquerque Leaves One Dead, Second Victim In Critical Condition

Two Killed In Twin-Engine Plane Crash After Takeoff At DuPage Airport In West Chicago

Renowned Aerobatic Pilot Eddie Seve Killed In Mid-Air Crash In Australia During Flight

Plane Carrying Tourists To Maasai Mara Crashes In Kenya, At Least 11 Reported Dead

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