What Happened to Akron Plane Crashes (2015 and 2026 Incidents)?

The most prominent 'Akron Plane Crash' occurred on November 10, 2015, when Execuflight Flight 1526, a British Aerospace BAe-125-700A business jet, crashed into a four-unit apartment building in Akron, Ohio, approximately two miles from its intended destination, Akron Fulton International Airport. All nine occupants – two pilots and seven passengers – perished in the fiery crash. Fortunately, no one on the ground was injured as the apartment building was unoccupied at the time.

The seven passengers were employees of Pebb Enterprises, a Boca Raton-based commercial real estate company, on a multi-city tour to scout potential shopping center locations. The victims included company executives and employees, whose deaths sent shockwaves through their community.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducted a thorough investigation, releasing its final report in October 2016. The NTSB concluded that the probable cause of the 2015 accident was the flight crew's mismanagement of the approach and multiple deviations from company standard operating procedures. This led to an unstabilized approach, a descent below the minimum descent altitude without visual contact with the runway environment, and ultimately an aerodynamic stall. Contributing factors cited by the NTSB included Execuflight's casual attitude toward compliance with standards, inadequate hiring, training, and operational oversight of the flight crew, the company's lack of a formal safety program, and the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) insufficient oversight of the company's training program and flight operations.

Following the 2015 crash, several lawsuits were filed against the plane's owner (Rais Group International NC LLC) and operator (Execuflight), as well as the estates of the deceased pilots. These lawsuits, filed by victims' families and residents of the destroyed apartment building, alleged negligence and sought damages for property loss and emotional distress.

Current Status (as of May 14, 2026): Akron experienced another plane crash on May 14, 2026. A small Piper PA-28 aircraft crashed into a house on Canterbury Circle in a residential neighborhood, resulting in the deaths of the two individuals on board the plane. Emergency crews responded to the scene, where dark black smoke was visible. No injuries to residents on the ground were immediately reported, though homes in the vicinity were evacuated. The aircraft had departed from Akron Fulton Airport. The Ohio State Highway Patrol and federal aviation officials are currently investigating the cause of this recent incident.