Flying is weird. You're sitting in a pressurized metal tube 35,000 feet above the ground, sipping a lukewarm ginger ale, while it's minus 60 degrees outside. It feels unnatural because, well, humans aren't birds. So, when people start googling a list of airline incidents, it’s usually coming from a place of deep-seated anxiety or just morbid curiosity. We see a headline about a door plug blowing out or a plane dropping a few thousand feet in clear-air turbulence, and suddenly, that trip to Orlando feels like a gamble. But here's the thing: the data actually tells a much weirder, more reassuring story than the news cycle suggests.
Most of what we call "incidents" aren't actually crashes. Not even close.
What we actually mean by a list of airline incidents
If you look at the records kept by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) or the Aviation Safety Network, you'll find that the vast majority of entries involve things that didn't result in a single scratch on a passenger. We're talking about bird strikes, "unreliable airspeed" indications, or smoke in the cabin that turned out to be a faulty galley oven.
Take the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 situation in early 2024. That was a terrifying "incident." A door plug blew out of a Boeing 737 MAX 9. It made every list of airline incidents for the year. Yet, everyone survived. The plane landed safely. This is the paradox of modern aviation. The planes are becoming more robust even as the news coverage makes them feel more fragile.
There’s a massive difference between an accident and an incident.
An accident usually involves hull loss or serious injury. An incident is an "occurrence, other than an accident, associated with the operation of an aircraft which affects or could affect the safety of operations." That's a broad net. It includes everything from a pilot accidentally taxiing onto the wrong runway to a hydraulic leak that forces a precautionary return to the gate. Honestly, if we logged every minor technical glitch in your car with the same rigor we use for planes, you'd never drive to the grocery store again.
The Boeing 737 MAX 9 and the Mid-Air Blowout
We have to talk about the MAX. It's the elephant in the room. When that door plug departed the aircraft over Portland, it reignited a global conversation about manufacturing quality. The NTSB’s preliminary report found that four key bolts intended to hold the plug in place were simply missing after a repair at the factory.
That is a systemic failure.
But look at the response. Within days, the FAA grounded 171 aircraft. They didn't wait for a body count. They didn't wait for a second "incident." This "list of airline incidents" grows because the industry is obsessed with self-reporting. Every time a pilot misses a radio call or a mechanic finds a loose fastener, it’s written down. This transparency is exactly why you're safe.
Turbulence is getting worse, but it won't break the plane
You’ve probably seen the videos. Trays flying. People hitting the ceiling. The Singapore Airlines flight in May 2024 was a wake-up call for a lot of people. One man died of a suspected heart attack, and dozens were injured when the plane hit severe turbulence over Myanmar.
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It was a tragedy.
However, the plane didn't fall apart. It didn't plummet. Modern airframes are tested to withstand loads far beyond what nature can usually throw at them. Boeing and Airbus wings can flex to almost 90-degree angles before they snap. You will never, ever experience that in flight. What you’re seeing on a list of airline incidents related to turbulence is a shift in climate patterns. "Clear-air turbulence" (CAT) is harder to detect with radar. It’s becoming more frequent because of changes in the jet stream.
Basically, the "incident" here isn't a mechanical failure; it's a reminder to keep your seatbelt fastened even when the sign is off.
Why the "Golden Age" of safety is actually right now
If you look at the 1970s, the list of airline incidents was horrific. Planes were colliding in mid-air. Engines were falling off. We had "controlled flight into terrain" (CFIT) regularly. In 1972 alone, over 2,000 people died in plane crashes.
Fast forward to the last decade.
In the U.S., there hasn't been a major fatal crash of a domestic Part 121 passenger airline since Colgan Air in 2009. That is an insane run of luck—except it isn't luck. It's the result of Ground Proximity Warning Systems (GPWS), better pilot training, and the fact that jet engines are now so reliable they almost never quit. Most modern engine failures involve the engine "shutting down" safely because a sensor caught a vibration, not because it exploded.
The weird incidents nobody talks about
Sometimes the things that make the list are just bizarre. Like the 2023 "incident" where a horse got loose in the cargo hold of a 747. Or the frequent diverted flights because a passenger decided that mid-flight was the best time to try and open the emergency exit (which is physically impossible under pressure, by the way).
Then you have the "near misses" on the runway.
These are officially called "runway incursions." In early 2023, there was a string of them at major airports like JFK and Austin. A FedEx cargo plane nearly landed on top of a Southwest jet. This made every list of airline incidents and prompted a "Safety Summit" by the FAA. The cause? A mix of controller fatigue, outdated technology, and increased flight volume.
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The system is stressed. We should acknowledge that.
But even in those "near misses," the secondary safety systems—like the pilots' eyeballs and TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System)—worked. The "incident" happened, but the "accident" was prevented. That's the redundant layer of safety that people forget when they're scrolling through scary headlines.
How to read a list of airline incidents without panicking
If you're going to look at these lists, you need to filter them.
- Avoid "Raw" Data Feeds: Sites that list every single squawk or minor delay aren't helpful for the average traveler.
- Look for Trends: Is it a specific airline? A specific aircraft type?
- Check the Outcome: Was there an injury? Or was it just a "precautionary landing"?
Usually, when a flight is diverted for a "technical issue," it’s the pilots being hyper-cautious. They have a checklist. If the checklist says "land at the nearest suitable airport," they do it. They don't "give it a shot" to see if it fixes itself. That's why the list of airline incidents seems long. We prioritize caution over convenience every single time.
Human error vs. Machine failure
Historically, about 80% of accidents were blamed on human error. Pilots getting disoriented. Fatigue. Poor communication in the cockpit.
Now, we're seeing a shift.
As planes become more automated, the "incidents" are often about the interface between the human and the machine. Look at the 737 MAX MCAS issue. The pilots didn't know the system was fighting them because they weren't told it existed in the way it did. That's a design and training failure.
On the flip side, look at the "Miracle on the Hudson." That was a bird strike—a classic "incident." The engines died. But the human element saved the day. Sullenberger and Skiles used their training to do something the autopilot couldn't.
When you see a list of airline incidents, remember that for every one that ends badly, there are thousands where the pilots, mechanics, and controllers caught the error before it became a problem.
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The Real Risks (They aren't what you think)
If you're worried about your next flight, don't worry about the wings falling off. Don't worry about the engines quitting.
Worry about:
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT): Get up and walk around.
- Dehydration: Drink water, not just coffee and gin.
- Turbulence Injuries: Keep that belt buckled. Seriously.
The "incidents" that actually affect passengers on a daily basis are the ones that don't make the front page. They're the twisted ankles during an evacuation or the head injury from an unsecured suitcase falling out of an overhead bin.
Practical Steps for the Anxious Traveler
You don't need to be an aviation expert to feel better about flying. But you should be a smart consumer.
First, use tools like FlightRadar24 or Aviation Safety Network if you really want the facts. They provide context that news snippets miss. Second, understand that "older" planes aren't necessarily "less safe." An older Boeing 767 that has been meticulously maintained is often more reliable than a brand-new jet with first-year production "teething" issues.
Third, stop reading the list of airline incidents right before you board. It’s like googling symptoms on WebMD when you have a headache; you're going to convince yourself of the worst-case scenario.
The reality is that aviation is the most scrutinized industry on the planet. Every "incident" is a lesson. When a window breaks or a sensor fails, the entire global fleet eventually gets a service bulletin or a mandatory inspection. The system learns. It's a giant, global, self-correcting organism.
So, next time you see a headline about a plane making an emergency landing because of a "funny smell" in the cabin, don't roll your eyes or grip your armrests. Recognize it for what it is: the system working exactly how it's supposed to.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Trip
- Download your airline's app: Often, they provide more direct updates on "technical issues" than the gate agents.
- Review the safety card: It's not just for show. Knowing where your nearest exit is (count the rows!) can save your life in the extremely rare event of a cabin fire or evacuation.
- Follow reputable aviation journalists: People like Jon Ostrower or the team at FlightGlobal provide nuance that general news reporters lack.
- Understand "Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards" (ETOPS): If you're flying over the ocean, know that your plane is certified to fly for hours on a single engine. It’s not just "hoping for the best."
Aviation safety isn't a static thing. It's a constant, grinding process of improvement. The list of airline incidents is actually a tool for progress, not a reason to stay on the ground. Keep your seatbelt fastened, trust the physics, and maybe order that ginger ale. You’re going to be fine.