A military aircraft crash reported Thursday morning at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia has added urgency to questions about the rising number of U.S. aviation incidents in 2025.
The April 24 crash may be the latest in a growing list of accidents tracked by federal safety agencies.
In an emailed statement, an NTSB public affairs specialist said the agency is investigating a crash of an experimental MX Aircraft MXS near Hampton, Virginia, and preliminary information indicates the plane crashed on approach to Langley Air Force Base “under unknown circumstances.”
No immediate information about casualties or the cause was released. But the Langley crash follows a year already marked by several high-profile incidents, including a deadly midair collision near Washington, D.C., in January.
Why It Matters
Aviation data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have compiled dozens of incidents in just the first four months of the year.
Among the most serious crashes this year was the January 29 collision involving a commercial jet and a military helicopter over the Potomac River. The PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700, operating as American Airlines Flight 5342, collided with a U.S. Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk during its approach to Reagan Washington National Airport. All 13 people aboard both aircraft were killed.
That January collision was the deadliest U.S. plane crash since 2001, when a jet crashed into a New York City neighborhood shortly after takeoff, killing all 260 people on board and five more on the ground.
How Many Crashes Have There Been in 2025 Thus Far?
The NTSB logged 250 aviation incidents and accidents across the United States from January 1 to April 24, 2025.
Of those incidents, approximately 215 were fatal.
Through April 24, 2025, the NTSB logged 182 airplane-exclusive incidents and accidents across the United States.
How Many Aviation Crashes Were There in 2024?
NTSB data shows that throughout 2024, there were 1,199 aviation incidents and accidents, 180 of which were fatal.
What’s Next
Investigators from the Air Force and the NTSB are expected to release preliminary findings on the Langley Air Force Base crash within 30 days.
Meanwhile, federal agencies will continue compiling and reviewing accident data to determine if the 2025 uptick signals broader systemic issues.
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