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Safety is the foundation of aviation, and understanding aviation accidents, incidents, and occurrences is critical for every pilot. The FAA and NTSB categorize aviation events based on severity and impact, and knowing the differences between these classifications helps pilots, flight schools, and airlines maintain high safety standards.
In this post, we’ll break down what aviation accidents, incidents, and occurrences are, how they are defined, and real-world examples of each.
Definition (FAA & NTSB):
An accident is an aviation event where a person suffers serious injury or death, or the aircraft sustains substantial damage that affects its flight capabilities.
✅ Injury or Fatality: If any person on board suffers a serious injury or death as a result of aircraft operation.
✅ Substantial Aircraft Damage: If the aircraft suffers structural failure, loss of primary flight controls, or damage that requires major repairs or replacement.
✅ Occurs Between Boarding and Disembarking: The event must happen while passengers are boarding, in flight, or exiting the aircraft.
🛑 Runway Overrun with Injuries: A jet overruns the runway on landing, causing injuries to passengers and significant damage to the fuselage.
🛑 Midair Collision: Two aircraft collide in controlled airspace, resulting in fatalities.
🛑 Engine Failure Leading to Crash: A single-engine aircraft suffers an engine failure and crashes in a field, causing major aircraft damage but no fatalities.
🚨 Reporting Requirement: All accidents must be reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) immediately.
Definition (FAA & NTSB):
An incident is an event other than an Aviation accident that affects the safety of flight but does not result in serious injury or substantial aircraft damage.
✅ No serious injuries or fatalities.
✅ Aircraft is still airworthy or can be repaired easily.
✅ The event impacts safety but does not meet the criteria of an accident.
⚠ Bird Strike Without Major Damage: An aircraft ingests a bird into the engine but lands safely without significant damage.
⚠ Runway Incursion Without Collision: Two aircraft mistakenly enter the same runway, but quick action prevents a crash.
⚠ Gear-Up Landing with Minimal Damage: A pilot lands without extending the landing gear, resulting in damage to the aircraft’s underside but no structural failure.
⚠ Pressurization Issue: An aircraft experiences a pressurization failure, requiring an emergency descent, but lands safely.
🚨 Reporting Requirement: Some incidents must be reported to the NTSB, especially if they involve emergencies such as in-flight fires, control system failures, or crew incapacitation.
Definition:
An occurrence is a minor event that does not significantly impact flight safety but is still noteworthy for tracking trends in aviation safety.
✅ No injuries or aircraft damage.
✅ No direct impact on flight safety.
✅ May indicate potential future safety concerns.
🔹 Hard Landing with No Damage: A pilot lands harder than expected, but the aircraft is undamaged.
🔹 Go-Around Due to Unstable Approach: A pilot executes a go-around because the approach was too high or fast.
🔹 Deviation from Assigned Altitude: A momentary altitude deviation corrected without further incident.
🔹 Weather Diversion: A flight diverts due to thunderstorms but lands safely at an alternate airport.
🚨 Reporting Requirement: Occurrences are generally not required to be reported, but are often documented internally by airlines, flight schools, and safety organizations to track trends and improve training.
| Category | Serious Injuries? | Aircraft Damage? | Safety Impact? | Reporting Required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | Yes | Substantial | Major | Yes, to NTSB immediately |
| Incident | No | Minor or None | Moderate | Sometimes, depending on severity |
| Occurrence | No | None | Minimal | Not required, but may be tracked internally |
Understanding the differences between aviation accidents, incidents, and occurrences is critical for every pilot. While accidents are rare, incidents and occurrences happen more frequently and provide valuable learning opportunities for improving aviation safety.
✈ Aviation Accidents involve serious injury or major aircraft damage and require immediate reporting.
✈ Aviation Incidents affect flight safety but do not meet the criteria of an accident. Some must be reported to the NTSB.
✈ Aviation Occurrences are minor events with no injuries or damage, but may still be documented for safety tracking.At FLT Academy, we train pilots to recognize risks, follow proper procedures, and maintain the highest safety standards. Ready to learn how to manage real-world aviation challenges? Contact us today to start your journey!