Wikipedia:WikiProject Aviation/Aircraft accidents and incidents

This essay includes generally accepted criteria for when to add mention of aircraft accidents to articles about airports, airlines and aircraft type articles.

By consensus this should not be used to determine whether a stand-alone article should exist or not. If an accident or incident meets the criteria for inclusion in an airport, airline or aircraft article it may also be notable enough for a stand-alone article, if it also meets the criteria provided by the general notability guideline, a notability of events guideline and a guide on the use of news reports.

Because this is an essay and not policy and also because it should not be applied to stand-alone accident articles, it is recommended that it not be cited at Articles for Deletion discussions for either keeping or deleting.

Airline and airport articles

Accidents or incidents at the airport should only be included in airline and airport articles if:

• The accident was fatal to humans; or
• The accident involved hull loss or serious damage to the aircraft or airport; or
• The accident or incident resulted in changes to procedures, regulations or processes affecting airports, airlines or the aircraft industry

Aircraft articles

For articles about airline aircraft and large civil aircraft, a listing of notable aircraft incidents and accidents may be appropriate. Accidents or incidents should only be included in aircraft articles if:

• The accident was fatal to humans; or
• The accident involved hull loss or serious damage to the aircraft or airport; or
• The accident or incident resulted in changes to procedures, regulations or processes affecting airports, airlines or the aircraft industry.

Accidents involving light aircraft and military aircraft are mostly non-prominent. They account for many more accidents and incidents than larger civil aircraft. Military aircraft accidents may be suitable for inclusion in the relevant List of accidents and incidents involving military aircraft. For accidents involving light aircraft (maximum gross weight of 12,500 lb (5,670 kg) or less) or any military aircraft the standard for inclusion is:

• The accident involved the death of a person of sufficient individual notability to have their own biography page in Wikipedia (and the biography is not solely due to them being an accident victim), or
• The accident resulted in a significant change to the aircraft design or aviation operations, including changes to national or company procedures, regulations or issuance of an Airworthiness Directive (or the equivalent to an AD in the case of non-certified aircraft).

See also

• WP:GNG – the general notability guideline
• WP:EVENT – guideline on the notability of events
• WP:NOTNEWSPAPER – a guide on the use of news reports
• WP:SPECULATION – Wikipedia is not a crystal ball
• WP:WikiProject Aviation/Aircraft accidents and incidents/Factors – draft document