Important Disclaimer

This tool presents statistical analysis of NTSB accident data for experimental amateur-built aircraft. The data is provided for informational and educational purposes only.

This data should not be the sole basis for any aircraft purchase, build, or flight decision. Aviation safety depends on many factors not captured here, including pilot training, recency, weather decision-making, maintenance practices, and individual judgment.

Key limitations of this data:

Accident rates are fleet-level statistics — your personal risk depends heavily on how you fly, not just what you fly.
Small sample sizes for some aircraft types make their statistics unreliable. A single accident can change a type's fatal percentage significantly.
No per-type flight hour data exists for homebuilt aircraft, so true exposure-adjusted rates cannot be calculated.
Accident narratives are classified by an AI model, not by professional accident investigators. Classifications are approximate.

The analysis follows Ron Wanttaja's "initiator" methodology, which reframes NTSB probable cause data to identify the first event in the accident chain. This is an analytical framework, not an official NTSB classification.

If you are considering building or purchasing an experimental aircraft, consult experienced builders, flight instructors with type-specific experience, and your local EAA chapter. No website can substitute for hands-on guidance.

We believe safety data should be free and accessible to everyone in the experimental aircraft community. This tool is free to use and always will be. If you find it valuable, consider supporting the project.

Experimental Aircraft Safety Overview

8,817 experimental amateur-built aircraft accidents, 1982-2026

Total Accidents

8,817

1982-2026

Fatal Accidents

2,383

27.0% of total

Engine-Initiated

2,831

32.1% — the first event was mechanical

Pilot-Initiated

4,505

51.1% — pilot was the first cause

Accidents by Year

Initiator Breakdown (Wanttaja-Style)

Engine-related includes power loss events even when NTSB cites pilot error as probable cause. This follows Wanttaja's "initiator" methodology.

Top Aircraft Types by Accident Count

Aircraft Type	Accidents	Fatal %	Fleet Size	Rate/yr
Van's RV-6	284	28.9%	537	1.18%
Kitfox	235	13.2%	946	0.55%
Rotorway Exec	134	9.7%	140	2.13%
Van's RV-4	131	31.3%	228	1.28%
Van's RV-8	127	26.0%	505	0.56%
Glasair (I/II/III)	126	30.2%	491	0.57%
Pitts Special	110	29.1%	528	0.46%
Steen Skybolt	110	21.8%	453	0.54%
Zenith CH 601/650	109	18.3%	378	0.64%
Lancair 235/320/360	94	37.2%	266	0.79%
Van's RV-7	92	35.9%	584	0.35%
Zenith CH 701	84	13.1%	354	0.53%
Quad City Challenger	83	27.7%	423	0.44%
Avid Flyer	82	19.5%	756	0.24%
Velocity	71	22.5%	236	0.67%
Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey	71	15.5%	242	0.65%
Sonex/Waiex/Onex	70	30.0%	479	0.32%
Lancair IV/IV-P	66	45.5%	202	0.73%
Kolb	64	31.3%	149	0.95%
Rutan Long-EZ	63	17.5%	371	0.38%

Rate/yr = annual accidents as % of registered fleet. A large fleet with many accidents may have a lower rate than a small fleet with few.