Are more airplane crashes happening? Here’s what Idaho numbers say

IDAHO FALLS — Fatal airplane crashes have been in the news a lot lately, starting with a commercial airplane colliding midair with an army helicopter in Washington, D.C., in January. That aviation disaster killed 67 people.

Several other highly publicized airplane crashes have occurred nationally, but it was a recent fatal helicopter crash in eastern Idaho that had many locals asking — are more aircraft crashes happening than usual?

At least in Idaho, that doesn’t appear to be the case. The latest crash involved a private helicopter crashing into Ririe Reservoir, killing a Utah CEO and injuring another man. It was among a few fatal aviation crashes in the Gem State over the last 12 months.

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So, how does Idaho’s flight record compare to the nation?

Idaho’s flight record

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, from 2014 to 2024, the United States saw 13,813 aircraft accidents, 2,351 of which were fatal. Idaho had 324 accidents, 42 of which were fatal.

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On average, Idaho has 25 nonfatal accidents and three fatal crashes a year. Of these years, 2021 saw the highest number of nonfatal accidents, 37, but 2022 saw the most fatal crashes, six.

In 2024, Idaho saw 30 nonfatal accidents and only five fatal incidents. Two of the fatal crashes were in eastern Idaho.

The first occurred in Arco, where an Air Tractor 502B and Air Tractor 802 planes collided mid-air in June. The second was in Irwin, where a pilot crashed in the Palisades Reservoir after practicing aerobatic maneuvers. The NTSB has not released the final reports of these crashes.

RELATED | NTSB releases report after fatal midair collision involving two planes

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Idaho has had 13 commercial accidents from 2014 to 2023, according to NTSB. The types of aircraft involved in the incidents were small planes and helicopters. Only three were fatal, which caused six fatalities and seriously injured four.

Within approximately the same time frame, Idaho had 274 general aviation accidents, involving noncommercial aircraft. Thirty-four of those were fatal crashes. These typically involve recreational or personal business activities.

Before pilots can fly

EastIdahoNews.com spoke with a local flight instructor about the crashes and the type of training private pilots need to fly.

Brayden Spaulding, flight instructor and commercial pilot, started taking flying lessons 12 years ago. In 2018, he obtained his private pilot certificate and became a commercial pilot and flight instructor in 2019.

He told EastIdahoNews.com that statistically, general aviation (involving private aircraft) are responsible for most of the incidents and crashes across the country. Although each incident has different variables, he believes many are due to pilot error or mechanical failures.

Spaulding said most aviation rules have stemmed from crashes or significant incidents in the past. An example of this is the Colgan Air crash in 2009, which prompted a 1,500-hour rule, raising the hours needed to become an airline transport pilot.

Another example is Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, which displays critical information to inform pilots of other aircraft near them. Spaulding said this has been required for most controlled airspaces since Jan. 1, 2020. Most planes must have this technology because they fly within 10,000 feet in Idaho.

Spaulding said he was on a flight a few years ago with a student pilot, but before conducting a maneuver, his iPad alerted him of traffic, and they climbed to a higher altitude to resolve the issue.

“All of a sudden, we saw this aircraft come through the area that we did not see previously due to somewhat reduced visibility conditions,” Spaulding said.

Looking nationally at the major crashes that have occurred, he believes there will be regulation changes once the final reports come out.

Spaulding said that before becoming a student pilot, people need to meet a medical standard to fly, especially alone. He said most who are interested in flying should look at the medical requirements before taking classes.

He said the training is progressive, meaning the flight instructor assigns more responsibility to the student the further along in the classes they go. They go on their first solo flight once they become comfortable and proficient with the plane.

This typically means the instructor has endorsed the student pilot’s proficiency with what federal law and regulation requires.

“That’s kind of a weird concept for a lot of people because you’d never imagine driving a car by yourself without a license, but you can fly an airplane by yourself without a pilot’s license,” Spaulding said.

After the solo flight, the student pilot goes on to learn more, such as going to other airports, using navigation techniques, and flying long distances. During this time, Spaulding said they are building knowledge and confidence to take the practical test and build their flight hours.

Before taking the practical test, which gives student pilots their private pilot certifications, they must obtain at least 40 flight hours. He said most reach a high number before taking the test with an examiner. There is a written test students must take prior to the practical test.

The practical test require students to under go an oral questioning, which means questions based on scenarios to see if they understand regulations, weather and aircraft safety.

After that, there is a flight portion where students are required to demonstrate maneuvers, including a simulated cross-country flight, a divert to two different airports and different landings and takeoffs.

If students fail one of these parts, they fail the whole test. If they pass, then they receive their private pilot certificate.

Should you fly?

Spaulding said that according to his discussions with Designated Pilot Examiners — which oversees the exams before student pilots get their private license to fly — the majority of aircraft crashes often come from bad decision-making. He said it usually happens when pilots become complacent.

The flight instructor told EastIdahoNews.com that he holds pilots in Idaho in high regard due to the area’s nature, where conditions change rapidly. However, he said having a set minimum of requirements, like good weather or good wind before flying, can help reduce these incidents.

“I would still say it is generally safer to fly, even recreationally, than (to) drive, with all circumstances being equal, if we’re talking about good weather,” Spaulding said.

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