Less than three months into 2025, the United States has suffered from numerous surprising and seemingly unexplainable plane crashes. Airplanes are guaranteed to be the number one safest mode of transportation, with an average injury rate of just 0.01 injuries per 100 million miles traveled (Shaw Court). However, with the recent reports of one plane crash after another, these statistics are now being called into question.
By far, the most fatal recent plane crash was the collision in Washington D.C. on the evening of January 29, 2025. An American Airlines jet carrying 64 passengers collided with the Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers. This fatal collision resulted in both planes being sent into the Potomac River, killing all 67 passengers (ABC News). This crash included the deaths of six members of the Skating Club of Boston.
Following the devastating Washington D.C. collision, there was a medical jet crash in Philadelphia on January 31, 2025. This tragedy left seven dead and dozens severely injured. With the numerous accidents and deaths in just January and February of 2025, it makes sense for people to be worried about flying.
Throughout 2025, there have been 113 aviation accidents according to the National Transportation Safety Board, fifteen resulting in fatalities. It has been a difficult and stressful last couple of months for the U.S. Air Travel system, and anxiety among passengers is prevalent. Anthony Brickhouse, a US Aviation expert states, “Obviously these recent accidents give people reason to pause, […] But I don’t think we should connect the dots from these different events until we know what happened with each one” (CNTraveler). It is not a surprise that people are nervous, however, the statistics on Aviation safety are very reassuring despite these isolated incidents.
Here at Ramapo, our students and faculty are very aware of the current plane crashes. They wish to share their thoughts and concerns on the matter. Junior Lana Jepsen states,
AP Lang Teacher Mr Hedges states, “Mostly, I am just saddened for the victims and the families of those lost. It’s not for me to say whether or not these were preventable, nor am I concerned about “blame.” I really just hope efforts are taken to avoid any similar events happening in the future.” When asked if the news of the crashes made him anxious about flying, Mr Hedges stated, “No. Even when doors were flying off of Boeing planes, that never really made me worried. These are certainly very rare occurrences, when you consider how many flights take off and land every single day without incident. In fact, I usually feel a bit more secure after events like this since I know that more safety precautions are going to be put in place for future flights.”
Tensions are high among travelers who have observed these recent incidents. However, it is important we remember Airplane travel remains the safest mode of transportati
