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 were individually read and classified using an LLM, then fully audited with 614 corrections applied. This is not an official NTSB classification.

The analysis uses an initiator-based approach — identifying the first event in the accident chain rather than the NTSB's probable cause. 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

8,840 experimental amateur-built aircraft accidents, 1982-2026

Total Accidents

8,840

1982-2026

Fatal Accidents

2,388

27.0% of total

Engine-Initiated

2,836

32.1% — first event was engine-related

Pilot-Initiated

4,523

51.2% — first event was pilot action

Accidents by Year

Initiator Breakdown

Engine-related includes power loss events even when NTSB cites pilot error as probable cause. This follows an initiator-based approach — classifying by the first event in the chain, not the last.

Top Aircraft Types by Fleet Size

Aircraft Type	Accidents	Fatal %	Fleet Size	Rate/yr
Van's RV-6	284	28.9%	1,791	0.57%
Van's RV-7	92	35.9%	1,530	0.26%
Van's RV-8	129	26.4%	1,388	0.32%
Kitfox	237	13.1%	982	0.83%
Van's RV-4	131	31.3%	949	0.49%
Van's RV-9	47	23.4%	739	0.26%
Van's RV-10	39	25.6%	685	0.30%
CubCrafters (E-AB)	20	15.0%	625	0.25%
Sonex/Waiex/Onex	70	30.0%	579	0.46%
Glasair (I/II/III)	126	30.2%	575	0.78%
Pitts Special	110	29.1%	541	0.73%
GlaStar	58	15.5%	470	0.44%
Quad City Challenger	83	27.7%	446	0.66%
Zenith CH 750	55	3.6%	398	0.86%
Rutan Long-EZ	63	17.5%	380	0.59%
Van's RV-14	8	25.0%	367	0.27%
Zenith CH 701	84	13.1%	362	0.86%
Zenith CH 601/650	109	18.3%	329	1.23%
Pietenpol Air Camper	52	7.7%	290	0.64%
Rotorway Exec	134	9.7%	286	1.67%

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.