Independent U.S. agency investigating civil transportation accidents
Recent small plane crashes across the US have resulted in fatalities and injuries. A North Dakota lawmaker has died in Minnesota, while other incidents in Los Angeles and Florida have raised safety concerns. Investigations are ongoing today, April 28, 2026.
The NTSB has recommended that all new school buses be equipped with alcohol-detection systems that can disable the bus if the driver is impaired, marking a first-time push for this technology in the sector. The agency cites concerns about drunken driving and notes costs and implementation would require federal or state action.
The NTSB findings on a 2023 Southwest incident highlight cockpit smoke as a safety concern; meanwhile Joby Aviation’s six-rotor eVTOL has demonstrated quiet, electric takeoffs and a possible path to urban air mobility in New York and beyond. FAA certification, charging infrastructure, and pricing are key questions as pilots and cities watch progress.
The Dali container ship’s power loss has led to a deadly bridge collapse and port closures. Prosecutors have indicted the ship’s owners, operator, and a technical superintendent, while Maryland officials estimate a multibillion-dollar rebuild of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and ongoing settlements related to the incident.
A MedEvac plane serving wildfire crews has crashed en route from Roswell to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport, killing four aboard. Investigators from the FAA and NTSB are examining the incident as the wildfire page grows in size amid windy, dry conditions.
A bus crash on I-95 in Virginia has left multiple deaths and injuries. Investigations are underway, with questions raised about fatigue, driver history, and the need for mandatory safety tech on commercial buses.
A motorcoach collided with vehicles in a work-zone backup on Interstate 95 in Stafford County, Virginia, killing Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and two children, plus others, as a Worcester, Massachusetts native dies in a related SUV crash. The driver, Jing S. Dong, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and faces further counts as investigations continue. The wedding in South Carolina will proceed as relatives mourn.
A US-registered Gulfstream G200 Galaxy has crashed near La Romana after declaring an emergency during a return to the Dominican Republic airport. The two crew members have died; MLB star Yadier Molina had been travelling with a group en route to Texas. Investigations are underway with authorities reviewing mechanical failures and weather factors.
A Pacific Aerospace P750XL has crashed shortly after takeoff from Butler Memorial Airport, Missouri, on Sunday, June 14, killing the pilot and 11 passengers. Emergency crews have extinguished a post‑crash fire and the NTSB and FAA have opened an investigation. Officials say weather does not appear to be a factor.
A skydiving plane crash near Butler Memorial Airport has killed 12 people. The NTSB is investigating and has cautioned that a final report will take a year or longer. Past crashes have highlighted maintenance issues and regulatory gaps in the skydiving sector. The industry points to a long-term decline in fatalities.
A Cessna Latitude crashed on Loop 20 in Laredo, Texas, killing one person and injuring others as bystanders helped pull victims from the burning wreckage. The highway remains closed as investigators assess the scene and determine cause.
A NetJets-operated Cessna Citation Latitude crashed on a Texas highway near Laredo, killing one person and leaving others injured. The jet was en route from Los Cabos to Austin when it suffered mechanical issues, prompting an emergency landing and a fiery crash that halted traffic. Survivors are hospitalized in stable condition; investigations by NTSB and FAA have begun.
Canada’s Transportation Safety Board has released a 136-page report detailing critical design flaws and unsafe practices in OceanGate’s Titan submersible, citing “groupthink” and “confirmation bias.” The inquiry echoes prior U.S. investigations and confirms that the craft’s carbon-fibre hull could not withstand repeated deep dives. Five people died in the 2023 catastrophe near the Titanic wreck.
Waymo is recalling nearly 3,900 robotaxis to fix software that can drive into freeway construction zones, after 13 incidents in Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area. The company has limited freeway driving during the fix and notes it continues to operate on surface streets.
Pre-dawn crash near Ruidoso, New Mexico has killed four people and sparked a weeks-long wildfire. The NTSB has released a preliminary report detailing GPS problems; a final cause is expected next year. Controllers briefly ordered a pause in jamming as pilots attempted an instrument approach, but the crew planned a visual landing when the crash occurred.
The FAA has deployed Palantir’s Foundry to analyze hundreds of thousands of records from government agencies and other sources to identify safety patterns in aviation. The system is designed to integrate disparate data, pinpoint hotspots, and guide safety measures, with funding from recent legislation. Officials say the tool enhances awareness of real and potential risks, while emphasizing human oversight.
Federal and local investigators have opened probes after a Tesla Model 3 drove across a Katy, Texas, lawn and crashed into a home on 19 June, killing 76‑year‑old Martha Avila. The driver, Michael Butler, has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and remains jailed on $150,000 bond; the victim’s family has filed a wrongful‑death suit naming Tesla and Butler.
A Long Island Expressway coach bus carrying Royal Jordanian Airlines crew has crashed near Exit 16 in Queens. One crew member has died; the driver and a passenger are dead at the scene. Several others are hospitalized with varying injuries as investigators probe the cause.
The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report on the June 14 skydiving crash near Butler Memorial Airport. Investigators say there were no pre-crash mechanical malfunctions or engine failures and the aircraft met weight and balance limits. GoPro footage is being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation.