Business Jet Fatalities Climbed Steeply in 2023

Six accidents involving U.S.-registered business jets killed 23 people last year versus zero fatalities in 2022, according to preliminary statistics gathered by BJT. Five occurred under Part 91, killing 15, and one charter accident accounted for eight fatalities last year.

Three fatal accidents of non-U.S.-registered business jets killed nine last year, down from four such accidents and 17 fatalities in 2022. The August 23 crash of a Legacy 600 in Russia is not included because suspicion of malfeasance persists regarding what downed the twinjet.

Meanwhile, the number of U.S.-registered business jet nonfatal accidents decreased by more than half—11 in 2023 versus 26 in 2022. There were no nonfatal mishaps involving Part 135 operations last year, compared with five in 2022. One nonfatal accident last year involved a Part 91K operation. Nonfatal accidents of non-U.S.-registered business jets ticked up by one, to six, from a year earlier.

The number of nonfatal and fatal accidents changed little over the last two-year period for U.S.-registered turboprops, but fatalities in this category decreased from 37 in 2022 to 25 last year. Fatalities climbed in non-U.S.-registered turboprop accidents, from 26 in 2022 to 46 last year.

Runway excursions continued to be the most common type of incident or accident. There were 71 excursions involving turbine business aircraft last year.