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Private jet operators are known for maintaining a strong safety record. Although business aviation is generally safer than general aviation, it does not reach the safety levels of commercial airlines. Recent high-profile incidents resulting in deaths indicate that the business aviation industry has room for improvement.Business aviation has 0.1 to 0.3 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours, while general aviation's rate is about eight times higher. Commercial airlines report just 0.006 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours.
The NBAA Safety Committee has identified its top safety focus areas "that highlight multiple priorities in support of a greater commitment to business aviation safety standards."
"These safety priorities are intended to help promote safety-enhancing discussions and initiatives within flight departments and among owner-flown operations," the committee stated.
One area of focus includes addressing preventable accidents, such as loss of control in-flight (LOC-I), runway safety, controlled flight into terrain (CFIT), and ground operations and maintenance accidents.
In addition to the NBAA, several global government agencies investigate accidents, identify safety trends and compile lists focused on areas to improve aviation safety.
In the United States, for more than three decades, the NTSB published its most-wanted list for safety improvements. Retired in 2023, it highlighted the transportation safety improvements needed to prevent accidents, reduce injuries, and save lives. The board now uses other forms of media to advocate for emerging safety issues and its safety priorities.
The NTSB Most-Wanted List was a campaign to spearhead safety improvements across several modes of transportation. Topics specific to aviation included promoting organizational safety systems for smaller operators, such as safety management systems (SMS) or flight data monitoring.
Frequently, features like terrain awareness systems for helicopters or stricter certification standards for aircraft operating in known icing conditions are mandated by the FAA. After these safety improvements are put in place, they prove effective in saving lives. Current NTSB aviation safety issues focus on implementing SMS, improved investigative technologies and runway safety.In Canada, the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) publishes a watchlist that identifies key safety issues that need to be addressed to make the transportation system safer.
"These issues are supported by investigation reports, Board safety concerns and recommendations," the board has stated. Top aviation safety issues on the latest watchlist include runway incursions, runway excursions, SMS, and fatigue management.Australia publishes a comprehensive National Aviation Safety Plan (NASP) which sets the strategic direction for aviation safety, outlining goals, safety enhancement initiatives and performance indicators to ensure a safe and sustainable aviation system. The NASP areas of focus include LOC-I, CFIT, runway safety and midair collisions.
The Top 5 Aviation Safety IssuesAn examination of each list offered valuable insights into each organization's priorities and revealed common themes that can be addressed to enhance aviation safety. The most common issues identified were Loss of Control Inflight (LOC-I) accidents and runway safety, which includes runway incursions and runway excursions. Two further emerging issues—pilot experience and qualification, and professionalism, complacency and checklist discipline—raise safety concerns and reputational risks for business aviation.
Loss of Control Inflight (LOC-I)
LOC-I is the leading killer in all segments of aviation. According to the ICAO, EASA, and NTSB, LOC-I is defined as an extreme manifestation of a deviation from the intended flightpath.
In the last decade, pilots losing control of their aircraft have been responsible for more than 40% of all deadly incidents involving fixed-wing general aviation and commercial flights. During the same period, Boeing data indicate that LOC-I accidents have resulted in 428 deaths. Data from the AOPA suggest that, on average, LOC-I accidents occur once every four days in GA aircraft, most of them fatal.
The NBAA Safety Committee has identified LOC-I as a top safety focus. Classified as a preventable accident type, the committee recommends improved in-flight upset prevention, recognition and recovery skills through advanced training such as a comprehensive upset prevention and recovery training (UPRT) program.
UPRT programs for airline pilots became mandatory in March 2019 to address the LOC-I risk. Effectively implemented UPRT programs are a proven strategy that strengthens pilots' manual flying skills and equips them to prevent the onset of, or recover from, unexpected in-flight upset events.
UPRT Association International (UPRTA) is committed to advancing UPRT programs beyond regulatory compliance to save lives.
"At UPRTA International, our growing team of diverse experts in the mitigation and risk of Loss of Control Inflight (is) committed to driving upset training excellence in aviation to save lives globally," said UPRTA International President Paul "BJ" Ransbury.
"Loss of Control In-Flight remains aviation's most persistent and deadly threat," said UPRTA International Executive Vice President of Operations Dave Carbaugh. "Global best practices are evolving beyond compliance — to truly save lives."
Runway Incursions
On March 22, a Bombardier CRJ900 hit a firefighting truck at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York, resulting in both pilots' deaths and multiple serious injuries. Classified as a runway incursion, the fire truck - as instructed by air traffic control - entered the runway as the regional jet was on its landing rollout.RELATED ARTICLE: Flight attendant survives 320-foot ejection after Air Canada Express flight hits fire truck
Runway incursions are a persistent threat to aviation due to human factors, complex airport layouts or operational pressures. The FAA defines a runway incursion as "any occurrence at an aerodrome involving the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle or person on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and takeoff of aircraft."
In 1977, two Boeing 747s collided in foggy weather at Tenerife, in Spain's Canary Islands. The crash killed 583 people, the deadliest disaster in aviation history.
During fiscal year 2025 (Oct.1, 2024-Sept. 30), the FAA recorded 1,636 runway incursions; 61% were due to pilot deviations, 20% to ATC mistakes; and the rest to vehicles or other factors. Pilot errors can be caused by a loss of situational awareness, failure to comply with ATC instructions or poor/misread airport markings. ATC makes mistakes due to high workload, delayed clearances or miscommunication. Vehicles may blunder onto a runway due to an emergency or airport maintenance.
Runway excursions
Runway excursions - where an aircraft overruns or veers off a runway - are the most common accident type for business aviation aircraft. "Runway excursions are a significant concern in business aviation, accounting for nearly one-third of all business aviation accidents," the NBAA states. "The most common causes of runway excursions include unstable approaches, runway conditions and pilot decision-making errors."
Runway excursions are frequent but largely avoidable unless caused by mechanical failure. In late 2025, business jets experienced a series of runway excursions.
In September, there were two separate runway excursions on the same day. Each case involved a high-energy (unstable) approach, and in each case the aircraft was stopped on an Engineer Material Arrestor Systems (EMAS) bed - a crushable concrete pad.
The first event involved a Gulfstream G150 at Chicago Executive Airport (PWK). Air Traffic Control reported that the plane landed midway along the 5,000-foot runway, which was completely wet. The aircraft overshot the runway's end, travelled through the EMAS, and broke through the airport perimeter fence.RELATED STORY: Gulfstream jet crashes through fence at Chicago Executive Airport
Later that day, a Bombardier Challenger 300 experienced a runway excursion while landing at Boca Raton Airport (BCT) in Florida. According to ADS-B data, the aircraft was moving at 50 knots when it entered the EMAS area at the runway's end near a busy road.
On Sept. 18, a Citation CJ4 overran the 5,002-foot runway at Mayfield Graves County Airport (M25) in Kentucky, crossed a road, and hit a house. ADS-B data showed its groundspeed exceeded 200 knots at 1,300 feet AGL. During the subsequent investigation, the pilot reported problems with the aircraft's braking system.RELATED STORY: Citation CJ4 crashes into Kentucky homeLess than a month later, a Citation CJ3 overran the 3,580-foot runway at Louisville's Bowman Field (LOU) during instrument meteorological conditions that included 2.5 miles of visibility in heavy rain and an 8-knot tailwind. The aircraft exited the runway at 55 knots, breached a perimeter fence and came to rest on a public golf course. There were no injuries reported, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage.RELATED STORY: Citation CJ3 skids off wet runway in LouisvilleTo mitigate such risks, the NBAA produced a guide in 2023, "Reducing Runway Excursions in Business Aviation," that encourages operators to conduct runway excursion risk assessments, implement SOPs and provide training that emphasizes stabilized approaches and go-around decision making.
Other resources include FAA Advisory Circular 91-79B "Aircraft Landing Performance and Runway Excursion Mitigation," and FAA SAFO 19001 "Landing Performance Assessments at Time of Arrival."
Pilot experience and qualifications
Our next two "most-wanted" safety improvements are emerging issues and reflect poorly on the reputation of the business aviation community.
The initial issue concerns pilot experience and credentials; none of the pilots in the following examples were legally licensed to operate the aircraft.
The NTSB recently published the preliminary report on a Cessna Citation II (550) accident in Statesville, South Carolina, on Dec. 18, 2025. All seven people on board the aircraft died.RELATED STORY: Pilot reported instrument problems before crash that killed NASCAR's Greg Biffle and family
The Citation crashed shortly after takeoff, following a brief flight where the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) captured the pilot discussing flight instrument malfunctions. At one point, the autopilot was disengaged and control of the aircraft was transferred to the right-seat occupant. As the aircraft maneuvered back to the airport and configured for landing, a radio transmission stated: "We're having some issues here." The aircraft then hit the approach light system short of the runway and burst into flames.
One discovery identified during the investigation focused on pilot qualifications and experience. The pilot held multiple type ratings, but his CE-500 rating required a second-in-command and did not permit single-pilot operations. The right-seat occupant was not qualified under 14 CFR 61.55 to serve as second in command and held only a private pilot certificate with 175 hours, all in single-engine aircraft.
In September 2018, a Dassault Falcon 50 crashed at Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) in South Carolina, killing the pilot, co-pilot and seriously injuring two passengers. After landing, the aircraft was unable to stop on the runway and went over an embankment, causing the cockpit to separate from the rest of the fuselage. Investigators found the primary braking system to be inoperative.
The NTSB final report determined the probable cause to be "the operator's decision to allow a flight in an airplane with known, unresolved maintenance discrepancies, and the flight crew's failure to properly configure the airplane in a way that would have allowed the emergency or parking brake systems to stop the airplane during landing."
Investigators found that the pilot was not qualified to be pilot-in-command, holding only second-in-command privileges for the Falcon 50 despite an ATP certificate. The co-pilot was unqualified for second-in-command duties as he held only a private pilot certificate without any type rating or an instrument rating.
Pilot professionalism, complacency and checklist discipline
Next on our list are two incidents that demonstrate the continued need to promote pilot professionalism, checklist discipline and avoid complacency.
In 2014, a high-time flight crew of a Gulfstream IV attempted to take off with the gust lock installed, killing all seven occupants.
The NTSB in its final report found that the flight crew failed to adhere to required preflight procedures. Critically, according to the report, the pilots failed to conduct a flight control check, which would have revealed that the airplane's gust lock system was installed.
The final report determined, based on data from the airplane's quick access recorder, that the pilots had consistently failed to conduct complete flight control checks before 98% of their last 175 takeoffs in the aircraft. This pattern suggested the oversight was routine rather than isolated.
In another case, NTSB investigators revealed that the pilots of a Gulfstream G150 "acted as if they were engaged in a race to beat another aircraft to their destination, before an unstable approach at an excessive speed resulted in an overrun that badly damaged the jet."RELATED STORY: Gulfstream G150 crew was racing before runway overshoot, NTSB says
Throughout the flight, CVR information indicated the flight crew intentionally exceeded regulatory speed limits and made references to "NASCAR," while racing another jet inbound to the destination airport.
At one point during the descent, the overspeed warning sounded. The captain responded: "Goal achieved."
During the approach, the aircraft was grossly unstable, flying 50 knots above its approach reference speed with multiple GPWS warnings of "sink rate" and "pull up." The flight crew continued the approach despite a 10-15 knot quartering tailwind. The Gulfstream touched down long, exited the runway and was substantially damaged.
Business jet operators generally adhere to strict safety standards. This list highlights ways to mitigate preventable accidents through improved training and consistent implementation of standard operating procedures.