In the wake of recent high-profile general aviation accidents in New York and Florida, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Institute is urging the aviation community to prioritize safety practices. While investigations into each accident are ongoing, they serve as reminders for all pilots that vigilance and a strong safety mindset are essential to every flight.
Despite this news, the AOPA Air Safety Institute analyzed NTSB data and found general aviation accidents are down 21% year-to-date compared to 2024. Fatalities also dropped 16% over the same period. This continues a more than 30-year trend of declining general aviation accident and fatality rates.
“By now, everyone has seen the headlines from the last few days. Our hearts are broken for the families of those who died in the aircraft accidents in New York and Florida,” said AOPA Air Safety Institute Senior Vice President Mike Ginter, “It’s important not to speculate about what caused these crashes until the NTSB has completed their detailed investigation, and it’s also important to look at current trends in the data.”
To help refocus attention on proactive safety measures, more than 5,000 pilots have participated in the National Pause for General Aviation Safety, a six-month campaign launched by the AOPA Air Safety Institute in partnership with the FAA and 22 aviation organizations on April 1. It emphasizes a renewed commitment to safety culture across all general aviation.
“Aviation safety is under a microscope, and understandably so,” Ginter said, “The National Pause for General Aviation Safety was launched because general aviation is safer than ever, but there is always room to improve. Our goal is to reach every general aviation pilot in the country and continue the downward trend of accident rates.”
To participate in the National Pause for General Aviation Safety, pilots are encouraged to visit GAsafe.org. While there, they can choose from dozens of training videos, courses and other content aimed at enhancing safety for all general aviation pilots—including charter operators, helicopter pilots, recreational flyers and more.
AOPA President and CEO Darren Pleasance echoed that sentiment, saying, “The passion and pride pilots bring to flying are matched only by their dedication to doing it safely. The National Pause for General Aviation Safety reminds us that even as technology and training improve, safety begins with the right mindset. While we won’t know for some time what caused these most recent accidents, a few intentional minutes spent sharpening our knowledge could be the difference that prevents the next accident.”
