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List of aviation accidents and incidents with a sole survivor

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of aviation accidents and incidents with a sole survivor
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Presented below is a list of aviation accidents and incidents with a sole survivor, when the event involved 10 or more people onboard. Within this list, "sole survivor" refers to a person who survived an air accident in which all other aircraft occupants died as a direct consequence of the accident. Specific criteria are outlined below.

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The 1959 crash of Piedmont Airlines Flight 349 near Crozet, Virginia, had 26 fatalities and a sole survivor.
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History

The earliest known instance of an incident with 10 or more people on board that had a sole survivor was a New Jersey sightseeing flight on 17 March 1929, which crashed into a sand-filled freight car in an unsuccessful forced landing due to engine failure. The pilot was thrown out on impact and suffered serious injuries; the crash killed all 13 in the cabin and another person in the cockpit.[1]

The most recent aviation accident with a sole survivor is Air India Flight 171, which crashed on 12 June 2025. This accident also has the most fatalities of any sole survivor crash.

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List

Summarize
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The below table lists known aviation accidents and incidents with a sole survivor, when such events are consistent with the following criteria:

  • The incident involved 10 or more people onboard, per official accident reports or other reliably sourced accounts of the incident.
  • Excluded are incidents with an initial sole survivor who later died, possibly in another location, due to injuries sustained during the event.[a]
  • When the incident was a collision of two aircraft, on the ground or during flight;
    • Excluded are instances in which there were, in total, multiple survivors.[b]
    • Excluded are instances in which all occupants of one aircraft died and the sole occupant of the opposing aircraft survived.[c]
  • Excluded are incidents involving heavy bombers during World War II, which frequently had 10 or more crew members.[d]

"Nationality" refers to the country of the sole survivor, and "Age" refers to the age of the sole survivor at the time that the event occurred. In some instances, details about the sole survivor are unknown or were not disclosed.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
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See also

Notes

  1. Such incidents, from which an initial sole survivor later succumbed to their injuries, include: 1961 Ndola Transair Sweden DC-6 crash, Delta Air Lines Flight 723 (1973), and Avioimpex Flight 110 (1993).
  2. Such incidents, in which there was a collision between aircraft and there were multiple survivors in total, include the Air Vietnam incident of 20 September 1969 involving a commercial Douglas C-54 (1 survivor) and a USAF military F-4 Phantom (2 survivors).
  3. Such incidents, in which the sole occupant of the opposing aircraft survived, include: Eastern Air Lines Flight 537 (1949) and All Nippon Airways Flight 58 (1971).
  4. Non-combat events during World War II, such as the Dunbeath air crash, a VIP transport mission, are included.
  5. The aircraft involved, a Short Sunderland, was being used as a VIP transport.
  6. The aircraft involved, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, was being used as a personnel transport.
  7. The aircraft involved, a Consolidated B-24 Liberator, was being used as a personnel transport.
  8. The aircraft involved, a Dornier Do 24, was being used to transport civilians.
  9. Chinese: 黃裕, Hanyu Pinyin: Huáng Yù, Cantonese: Wong Yu
  10. Including 1 ground fatality
  11. Including 2 ground fatalities
  12. Later known by her married name, Crocker.[125]
  13. Accident final report states two survivors,[140] as another passenger initially survived but later died from his injuries.
  14. Including 30 ground fatalities.
  15. Including 6 ground fatalities
  16. Including 19 ground fatalities
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Bibliography

  • Darby, Paul; Johnes, Martin; Mellor, Gavin (2005). Soccer and disaster (2005 ed.). Routledge. ISBN 978-0-7146-8289-1. Total pages: 193
  • Williamson, Ronald M. (2000). Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, 1940–2000: An Illustrated History (2000 ed.). Turner Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1-56311-730-5. Total pages: 200
  • Congressional Record (2003 ed.). Washington, D.C.: United States Government Publishing Office. 2003. Total pages: 15,591
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References

Further reading

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