Warren Releases New Pentagon Data on Military Aviation Accidents, Pushes Reforms to Protect Service Member Safety
New data shows mishaps killed 90 service members, and cost billions; 55% increase in severe mishaps from 2020-2024
Warren-Sullivan amendment to NDAA would force release of root-causes and safety issues related to accidents
“In the face of increasing rates of costly and deadly aviation mishaps, it is critical that Congress and DoD take all necessary action to address this problem.”
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released new data from the Department of Defense (DoD) revealing a massive increase in military aviation mishaps between 2020 and 2024. Senator Warren also wrote to DoD with ongoing concerns about the Pentagon’s ability to prevent future accidents and follow-up requests for more updated data through present day.
“These accident rates are incredibly troubling and demand action. The reforms I’ve secured in the NDAA are desperately needed so Congress can understand the root causes of these accidents to save service member lives,” wrote Senator Warren.
The new data reveals a concerning rise in Class A mishaps, the most serious category of accidents which result in damage of at least $2.5 million, destroyed aircraft, or fatalities or permanent total disabilities. The rate of Class A mishaps rose from 1.30 mishaps per 100,000 flight hours in 2020 to 2.02 mishaps per 100,000 flight hours in 2024, a 55 percent increase.
These mishaps cost the military $9.4 billion, killed 90 service members and DoD civilian employees, and destroyed 89 aircraft between 2020 to 2024. Among the service branches, the Marine Corps had the highest average Class A mishap rates, with a 194 percent increase from 2020 to 2024.
The increase in these mishap rates appears to be part of a longer-term trend. In 2018, the Navy found Class C mishap rates in naval aviation had doubled in the past decade. That same year, the Air Force’s overall aviation mishap rate hit a seven-year high. In 2022, 48 Marines died in aviation mishaps, prompting the then-Acting Commandant to order a review of the Marines’ “culture of safety.” In 2024, the Air Force announced it had lost 47 airmen through preventable mishaps in just one year.
“This loss of life due to mishaps poses an unacceptable risk to service members, their families, and military readiness,” said Senator Warren.
These mishaps also cost the military billions of dollars. The new Pentagon data reveals that the cost of Class A mishaps rose significantly from FY2022 to FY2023, costing $1.6 billion in FY2022 and $2.9 billion in FY2023. In just the first half of 2024, Class A mishaps cost the military $1.7 billion. So far this year, the Navy has lost four F/A-18Fs to mishaps, one of which costs approximately $60 million.
“The waste of taxpayer dollars due to increasing mishap rates also poses a threat to our military’s readiness and budget…it is DoD’s job to ensure that those systems work and that there are plans and measures in place to keep service members safe,” said Senator Warren.
In order to study and address safety concerns related to military aviation, Congress created the National Commission on Military Aviation Safety in 2018 to study rising mishaps rates and the Joint Safety Council in 2022 to further address safety challenges.
“I am still concerned that the Joint Safety Council may not have the tools and authorities necessary to prevent future accidents,” said Senator Warren.
One key failure, she noted, is the lack of transparency regarding accident investigation reports. After any aviation accident, the military prepares accident investigation boards (AIBs) and safety investigation boards (SIBs) to investigate the accident and write a report that reveals information about the accident. AIB reports are used to identify the fault of an accident while SIB reports identify root factors and safety issues that contributed to the accident. While AIB reports are typically made public, SIB reports are not made available to the public or Congress.
Senators Warren and Dan Sullivan secured language in the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that requires the Joint Safety Council to provide Congress with the executive summaries of SIBs conducted over the past three years and any corrective actions that were taken.
“In the face of increasing rates of costly and deadly aviation mishaps, it is critical that Congress and DoD take all necessary action to address this problem,” concluded Senator Warren.
Senator Warren asked the Pentagon to provide updated mishap data from August 2024 to present and the Department’s plan to address aviation safety deficiencies by December 2, 2025.
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