PrAtlas - Michigan's Plane Crash Data Points Away from Big Airports

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A new decade-long review of NTSB data by The Kryder Law Group finds that 86.6% of Michigan aviation accidents from 2016 to 2025 happened beyond the state's 15 primary commercial service airports.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - PrAtlas -- A decade of aviation accident records tells a story many Michigan residents might not expect. The Kryder Law Group, LLC Accident and Injury Lawyers, today published findings showing that the state's busiest commercial airports account for only a small slice of reported plane crashes. The far greater share happens at smaller regional fields and general aviation airstrips scattered across Michigan.

The firm reviewed National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) records spanning 2016 through 2025. Two figures stand out:

The state's 15 primary commercial service airports recorded 24 accidents during that decade, roughly 13.4% of all reported events.
Every other airport combined recorded 155 accidents, or about 86.6% of the total.

Headlines tend to follow incidents at large passenger terminals, yet the data points in a different direction. Michigan's aviation system stretches well beyond its major hubs, with 211 facilities listed in the 2026 Michigan Airport Directory. Of those, 196 are smaller public-use, general aviation airports, airfields, and heliports. Looking at the full picture helps clarify where aviation risk actually concentrates, and it gives the public a more accurate sense of where these events tend to happen.

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"People naturally picture a busy terminal when they think about a plane crash, but the numbers tell us something else entirely," said Andrew Kryder, Esq. "The vast majority of these accidents happen at smaller airfields, and families touched by them deserve the same answers, support, and accountability as anyone else."

The firm hopes the report sharpens public understanding of how Michigan's aviation network really operates. Commercial airports and general aviation airfields serve very different purposes, and recognizing that distinction matters when communities weigh accident trends and safety priorities across the state.

Publication: Where Do Most Plane Crashes Happen in Michigan?

About The Kryder Law Group, LLC Accident and Injury Lawyers

The Kryder Law Group, LLC Accident and Injury Lawyers, represents individuals injured due to negligence. Our Grand Rapids personal injury lawyers fight for justice for victims and promote greater public awareness of safety data. We help families navigate the complexities of plane crash cases and will work to secure the compensation you deserve. Injuries hurt—that's why we make the legal process painless.

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