Aviation accidents in Costa Rica
The NTSB database holds 53 accidents and incidents in Costa Rica, recorded between 1988 to 2026. 20 of them were fatal (38%), and 66 people died.
The deadliest year was 2000, with 16 deaths.
The aircraft types that appear most often are Boeing 757, Cessna 208 and Boeing 737.
32 of these records have no coordinates in the source data, so they appear in the list below but not on the map.
53
Records
20
Fatal
66
Deaths
38%
Share fatal
1988 to 2026
Period
Show these on the map
21 of 53 have coordinates
By decade
Aircraft types involved
Operators involved
All 53 records by number of deaths, then by date
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Dec 2017 | Cessna 208 | Punta Islita, Costa Rica | Nature Air | Fatal | 12 |
| 26 Aug 2000 | Cessna 208B | La Fortuna, Costa Rica | Sansa Aircraft | Fatal | 10 |
| 16 Jul 2005 | Pilatus PC-6 | Brasilito, Costa Rica | Greg Gund | Fatal | 6 |
| 25 Nov 2024 | Cessna U206 | Cantón Central San José y Distrito de Pavas, Costa Rica | - | Fatal | 5 |
| 31 May 2005 | Cessna 206C | Puntarenas, Costa Rica | Skydive Costa Rica | Fatal | 5 |
| 15 Jan 2000 | Let 410 UVP-E | Pavas, Costa Rica | Aviones Taxi Aereo S.a | Fatal | 4 |
| 29 May 2005 | Cessna 206 | San Jose, Costa Rica | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 10 Jul 2003 | Beechcraft S-35 | San Vito Java, Costa Rica | Raymond Raineri | Fatal | 3 |
| 28 Nov 2001 | Cessna 208 | Quepos, Costa Rica | Servicios Aereos Nacionales S.a. | Fatal | 3 |
| 16 Jul 2024 | Piper PA34 | Carate, Costa Rica | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 28 Apr 2018 | Cessna 172 | Corozalito, Nandayure, Costa Rica | Aerobell Flight School | Fatal | 2 |
| 5 Sep 2017 | Cessna U206 | San Jose, Costa Rica | Airbell Air Charter | Fatal | 2 |
| 15 Jan 2006 | Beechcraft D35 | Tierra Blanca, Costa Rica | Conrad W. Randell | Fatal | 2 |
| 11 Dec 2000 | Piper PA-28-160 | Alaj Uela, Costa Rica | Alfredo Sevila | Fatal | 2 |
| 13 Mar 2020 | Piper PA28 | Paquera, Province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 22 Aug 2018 | Piper PA34 | Loma Linda, Costa Rica | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 18 Sep 2017 | Bell 47G | Llano Bonito de Pococí, Costa Rica | Heli Green of Costa Rica | Fatal | 1 |
| 28 May 2017 | Cessna 182 | Palmar Norte de Osa, Puntarenas, Costa Rica | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 20 Feb 1996 | Cessna 207 | San Jose, Costa Rica | Saeta Air | Fatal | 1 |
| 17 May 2026 | Boeing 737-8 | Liberia, Costa Rica | Southwest Airlines | Unknown | - |
| 13 Mar 2026 | Cessna U206 | Tanque, Costa Rica | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 11 Mar 2024 | Air Tractor AT502 | San Alberto, Costa Rica | - | Unknown | - |
| 17 Jan 2024 | Cessna 182 | Quepos, Costa Rica | - | Unknown | - |
| 2 Nov 2022 | Boeing 757-232 | LIberia, Costa Rica | Delta Air Lines Inc | No injuries | - |
| 7 Apr 2022 | Boeing 757 | San Jose, Costa Rica | DHL | No injuries | - |
| 26 Mar 2022 | Boeing 757 | San Jose, Costa Rica | DHL | No injuries | - |
| 2 Apr 2021 | Piper PA-34-200T | Tambor, Costa Rica | Carmonair | No injuries | - |
| 5 Mar 2021 | Cessna 182 | Sierpe river, OSA, Puntarenas, Costa Rica | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 Dec 2020 | Boeing 737-824 | San Jose, Costa Rica | United Airlines | No injuries | - |
| 6 Oct 2020 | Boeing 737-4B6 | San Jose, Costa Rica | AER Caribe Cargo | Unknown | - |
| 9 Feb 2020 | Boeing 757 | San Jose, Costa Rica | American Airlines | No injuries | - |
| 11 Jul 2019 | Boeing 737 | San Jose, Costa Rica | United Airlines | No injuries | - |
| 4 Mar 2019 | Piper PA34 | Lagunilla, Costa Rica | Prestige Wings SA | No injuries | - |
| 29 Nov 2018 | Thrush S2R | Bataan, Costa Rica | - | Fatal | - |
| 21 Dec 2010 | Bell UH1B | Bataan, Costa Rica | - | Unknown | - |
| 8 Aug 2010 | Piper PA-28 | San Jose, Costa Rica | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Mar 2007 | Cessna 208B | Quepos, Costa Rica | SANSA of Costa Rica | No injuries | - |
| 10 Jan 2006 | De Havilland DHC-6 | Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica | Nature Air | Minor injuries | - |
| 16 Dec 2005 | De Havilland DHC-6-300 | Tamarindo, Costa Rica | Travelair S.A. | Serious injuries | - |
| 3 Nov 2003 | Cessna 206C | Golfito, Costa Rica | Alfa Romeo Aerotaxi | Serious injuries | - |
| 1 Nov 2003 | Ayres S2R-T34/510 | Sarapiqui, Costa Rica | Servicio Nacional de Helicopteros | Serious injuries | - |
| 21 Sep 2003 | Piper PA-60 | Pavas, Costa Rica | Multi Time Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 3 Jul 2003 | Cessna 208B | Bahia Ballena, Costa Rica | Servicios Aereos Nacionales S.A. | Minor injuries | - |
| 4 Jan 2003 | Beechcraft A-36 | Carate, Costa Rica | Luminaire, LLC. | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jan 2002 | Bell 47G2A | Pococi, Costa Rica | Agroservicios Helicopteros de Costa Rica S.A. | Minor injuries | - |
| 20 Dec 2000 | Cessna 402B | Nosara, Costa Rica | T S Aviation | Serious injuries | - |
| 28 Mar 2000 | Bell 206B | Puntarenas, Costa Rica | Beyond Productions Party, Ltd. | No injuries | - |
| 23 Mar 2000 | Cessna 402B | San Jose, Costa Rica | Pitts Aviation Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 7 Mar 1997 | Britten-Norman BN2A-26 | Paseo Las Palma, Costa Rica | Travelair | Serious injuries | - |
| 18 Nov 1991 | Boeing 737-200 | San Jose, Costa Rica | SVC. Aero. de Honduras SA | Unknown | - |