However, crashes are most likely to occur in single engine planes ? and typically in general aviation rather than on commercial airlines. In fact, 79 percent of all aircraft accidents and 72 percent of fatal crashes involved single engine planes.

Statistically, small, single-engine piston aircraft used in general aviation (GA) have the highest accident and crash rates. These include popular models like the Cessna 172 or various Piper aircraft often used for flight training or private recreational flying. The higher crash rate in this sector is not necessarily due to mechanical failure of the airframe, but rather a combination of factors including less experienced pilots, flying into poor weather conditions (VFR into IMC), and less rigorous maintenance standards compared to commercial airlines. In contrast, large commercial jetliners (like the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320) have incredibly low accident rates due to redundant systems, dual-pilot operations, and strict regulatory oversight. For your data and education projects, it is vital to emphasize that "safety" in aviation is relative; while general aviation has more incidents per flight hour, it remains safer than many other forms of recreational transport. The vast majority of crashes in the "piston" category are attributed to human factor errors rather than the aircraft being inherently "dangerous."