Understand your flight

Scared to fly after a crash in the news?

When a plane crash is all over the news, it's natural to feel shaken, especially if you have a flight coming up. Here's what happens after an accident, why one event doesn't change how the system works overnight, and gentle ways to look after yourself.

5 official sources, listed at the end Checked October 18, 2026
Photo: Paul-Vincent Roll paviro, CC0
In this article · 5 sections
  1. It's okay to feel shaken
  2. What happens after an accident (US)
  3. Why one event doesn't change the system overnight
  4. Looking after yourself
  5. Keep reading

It's okay to feel shaken

A plane crash in the news can hit hard, even when you had nothing to do with it. If you're a nervous flyer, or you have a trip coming up, you might be replaying the headlines and wondering whether to go. Those feelings are normal. This page won't tell you how to feel. It explains what happens next, and how to look after yourself while it does.

What happens after an accident (US)

In the US, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates civil aviation accidents. Its own description of the process has a few phases, which often overlap:1

  1. Decision to launch: usually right after the accident, the NTSB decides to send investigators.
  2. On-scene and fact gathering: an investigator or "Go Team" travels to the site, and investigators also gather records such as flight logs, maintenance records and interviews.
  3. Analysis: specialists piece together the sequence of events and what caused it.
  4. Final report: the Board determines a probable cause.

The NTSB says it generally tries to finish within 12 to 24 months, though complexity and workload can change that.1 Its focus is solely on transportation safety; it does not investigate crimes, and if an event is found to be criminal, law enforcement or the FBI leads.1

Why one event doesn't change the system overnight

Investigations don't stop at a cause. The NTSB issues safety recommendations to regulators, manufacturers and others, then tracks whether they're adopted.1 That's how lessons from one accident are spread across the whole industry.

For the bigger picture, look at worldwide, long-run figures, not a single headline. In 2025, IATA counted 38.7 million commercial flights worldwide, of which 8 had a fatal accident.4 MIT researchers found the worldwide death rate per passenger boarding has kept falling, roughly halving each decade.5 These are industry-wide averages. They aren't a prediction, a score or odds for any particular flight, airline or aircraft.

Looking after yourself

  • Be careful with what you look up. The NHS's advice for phobias includes being careful about looking up information online, as you may not be ready to see triggering images.2 Muting the topic for a few days is fine.
  • Talk to someone you trust about how you're feeling.2
  • Slow your breathing. Breathe gently in through your nose and out through your mouth, counting from 1 to 5 each way, for a few minutes.3
  • Read calm explainers, not commentary. Our incident explainers stick to official sources, and Is it safe to fly right now? puts headlines in context.

If you're struggling more than you expected, that's worth taking seriously. A GP or doctor can help, and if you ever feel unsafe, you can call or text 988 in the US to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Keep reading

Quick answers

Should I cancel my flight after a plane crash?

That's your decision, and feeling shaken is completely understandable. It may help to know that worldwide, fatal airline accidents remain very rare across tens of millions of flights a year, and that each accident is investigated so lessons reach the whole industry. Those are industry-wide averages, not a prediction for any flight.

How long does a crash investigation take?

In the US, the NTSB says it generally tries to complete an investigation within 12 to 24 months, though complex cases can take longer. The probable cause is determined at the end of that process.

Who investigates plane crashes in the US?

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Its focus is transportation safety and finding the probable cause; it does not investigate crimes. If an event is found to be criminal, law enforcement or the FBI takes the lead.

How do I stop reading crash news?

The NHS suggests being careful about looking things up online, as you may not be ready to see triggering images. Try muting the topic for a few days, and talk to someone you trust instead.

Sources

(5)
  1. NTSB, The Investigative Process
  2. NHS, Phobias
  3. NHS, Breathing exercises for stress
  4. IATA, "IATA Releases 2025 Safety Report" (9 Mar 2026)
  5. MIT News, "Study: Flying keeps getting safer" (7 Aug 2024)

Facts last checked against these sources: October 18, 2026.