What Does it Mean to Dream About a Plane Crash?

• If you dream about watching a plane crash happen, it may reveal something about your goals. You may have taken on too much and need to find a new approach.
• If you’re dreaming about being a passenger during a plane crash, you may feel out of control in your waking life and need to build up your confidence.
• While the meaning of planes crashing in your dreams may vary, they almost always reflect your inner turmoil or other emotional state.

What does it mean to dream about a plane crash?

Dreaming about a plane crash reflects the state of your emotional life. Dreams are thought to reflect your deepest psychological fears and emotions. For example, a plane crash dream could point to a loss of control, a fear of failure, or something you’re worried about. In general, airplanes symbolize new directions and experiences, often related to goals or new opportunities. Every airplane crash dream is different and can be interpreted based on its specific scenario, e.g., being a passenger, a pilot, or an observer in the crash. While plane crash dreams don’t necessarily point to something negative, they often signify that there’s something you need to pay closer attention to in your waking life. Plane crash dreams are fairly common, so rest assured that lots of people experience them and they don’t mean something is wrong with you or your life.

Plane crash dreams are not premonitions of death or disaster. There is no scientific evidence that dreaming of a plane crash means that the events of your dream will come true, or that dreams can in any way predict the future. While some people do have stories claiming that they predicted a plane crash in their dreams, these incidents are unproven or can be chalked up to coincidence. However, researchers have found that people are still influenced by their dreams almost as much as they would be by real-life events. One study found that a group of participants would be just as likely to cancel their flight if they dreamt about a plane crash as they would if the government raised the national threat level.

18 Different Scenarios in Plane Crash Dreams

Being a passenger on a crashing plane If you’re sitting as a passenger while the plane crashes, you may feel out of control or unconfident in waking life. You may feel like you’re not taking control of your life the way you would want to, or believing in yourself enough to achieve your goals. You may also struggle with indecision about your life path, perhaps because you’re worried about others’ opinions. What to do: Work on improving your self-confidence and not caring about what other people think. Trusting in yourself and your abilities is a learning process, but taking your first steps toward personal growth is worth it.

Surviving a plane crash Coming out of a plane crash unscathed in your dreams may mean that you’ll find a way through the challenges you’re currently facing in life. Whatever obstacles you’re up against, you’ll overcome them and emerge victorious. Surviving a plane crash in your dreams may also mean that you’re about to find success and go on to have a life filled with accomplishments. What to do: Keep an eye out for significant opportunities and don’t let things that excite you pass you by. If you’re dealing with a challenging situation right now, persevere and keep working hard toward your goals.

Dying in a plane crash Seeing your own death in a plane crash may leave you a bit shaken up, but it doesn't necessarily mean anything bad for your waking life! This dream may indicate that you’re about to give up on something or are about to experience a major life change that you’re fearful of. This dream may also mean that you’ve lost something recently that feels life-altering, from a pet or friend to a hobby or passion. What to do: If you have lost something recently, take time to grieve and feel your feelings. Then, invest your time into new interests and personal growth. Try to embrace change and move forward with your life.

Fire in a plane crash dream If fire plays a dominant role in your plane crash dream, this can actually indicate good luck coming into your life soon! However, you may currently be experiencing a difficult emotional time or feel strongly affected by a situation out of your control. You’ll have to persevere through this time before you get to all the good things coming your way. What to do: Remind yourself that only you have the power to change your life. Work on letting go of your negative feelings and working toward your own self-development and growth.

Plane turbulence If you dream of being on a plane where turbulence prevents the aircraft from landing, it may indicate that you’re feeling some stress or uncertainty in your waking life. The turbulence also can mean that landing the plane would be the wrong decision. In real life, this may apply to the final stage of a project or goal you’re working on. What to do: Pay attention to any parts of your life that are causing you undue pain and stress. Return to any professional or personal projects you’re working on and review all the steps and factors that could contribute to its failure.

Flying a plane and causing a crash If you are the pilot of a crashing plane in your dreams, your past mistakes are likely on your mind. Your dream is pointing out where you could have made different choices and avoided the consequences of your actions. What to do: Accept and learn from your mistakes—we all make them. Make different choices moving forward, and work on regaining any self-respect you may have lost.

Crashing a plane with no survivors If you dream of piloting a fatal plane crash, it’s normal to wake up feeling unsettled. However, you are likely just experiencing some overwhelming feelings or negative emotions in your waking life. You may feel like you are dealing with issues that you can’t handle on your own and need support with. What to do: Assess where these negative emotions are coming from. Reach out to others and ask for help, whether from your family, friends, colleagues, or a professional mental health counselor.

Witnessing a plane crash If you dream of a plane crashing right in front of you, your subconscious may be telling you something about your goals. You may have taken on a task that won’t be easy to accomplish or that you have unrealistic expectations for. What to do: Examine your current goals and projects and use the SMART Goals system to assess whether they’re realistic. This doesn’t mean to give up on your current goals—you just may have to adjust the timeline or the steps you need to take to get there.

Witnessing others surviving a plane crash If you’re watching others escape from a plane crash, you may admire their resilience and strength. You may be craving inspiration and support from others who have faced difficult times and overcome them. What to do: Ask for comfort from friends and family, and don’t be afraid to let others guide you through tough times. You can even read books or watch movies about inspiring characters that overcame major challenges, like Hidden Figures or Tara Westover’s Educated.

Trying to prevent a plane crash If your dream features you heroically trying to prevent a plane crash, you may be feeling overburdened in your waking life. This dream reflects a tendency to take on too much, especially regarding other people’s feelings and responsibilities that are out of your control. What to do: Accept that you are not responsible for other people’s emotions. Set boundaries with others about what role you can take on in their life. Practice self-care and grounding activities like yoga and meditation.

Loved ones in a plane crash Seeing your family or friends in a plane crash often reflects the deep love you have for them. You may be feeling particularly fearful or anxious about losing them, but it may also mean that you feel constrained by your need to please your family. What to do: Reflect on which meaning of the dream resonates with you. For the former, allow yourself to feel anxiety. Spend time with your loved ones and appreciate the moments you have together. For the latter, take a step back from your family, if needed, and set appropriate boundaries with them.

Plane crash during landing When you dream about a plane crashing as it lands, it may reveal a tendency to overthink things. You may repeatedly dwell on the same issues, or feel overwhelmed by the tasks and decisions in your life. What to do: Implement healthy planning strategies like using a planner, bullet journal, or daily to-do lists. Stick with these tools, but don’t stress if things need to be changed or adjusted. If you start feeling anxious, do breathing exercises or call a trusted friend.

Plane crash before take-off A plane crashing before taking off is your dream's way of telling you that you want to be free. You may feel like you can’t get started in life or are struggling to take the first steps toward your goals. What to do: Trust yourself and follow your intuition. Figure out what you want and make an action plan, and just take that first leap! Remember that there’s no wrong or right decisions: there’s only the decision you make and whatever you choose to do with it.

Plane crashing into your house Dreaming of a plane crashing into your home may feel negative, but it’s actually a sign that your future goals and accomplishments are within reach. However, it’s going to take a lot of effort and perseverance before you get there. What to do: Create a daily work schedule or habit tracker to keep yourself on track with your goals. Prioritize your most important tasks and set intermittent breaks as an incentive.

Plane crashing into another building If you watch a plane crash into a building that’s not your house, it may indicate future challenges. You may have some obstacles arise in your waking life that you can’t anticipate or control, but this dream is giving you a chance to get ahead of them! What to do: Ground yourself by improving your self-confidence and investing time in things you love. Plan ahead for any problems you foresee by saving up some money or building out time for new tasks. Ask for help and support from your loved ones when you need it.

Plane crashing into water A plane crashing into water symbolizes regret in your life—something that everyone can relate to. You may regret something you did or didn’t do in the past, whether it involves people you’ve spent time with or choices you’ve made. More generally, dreams involving water often mean that you feel overwhelmed or unsupported by the people in your life. What to do: Forgive yourself. Use positive affirmations and remind yourself that you’re still worthy of love. Make amends with anyone you hurt, and consider any positives that have come out of your life choices.

Plane crashing upside down If a plane is crashing downward in a vertical direction, you may feel like you’ve lost control over your life or some aspect of it. However, this dream also promises that you are aware of what you need to resolve and you will likely regain balance soon. What to do: Make a list of things you want to work toward and turn them into actionable goals. Break those goals down into small, achievable tasks. Even just achieving one small task can make you feel more in control, and help you stay more motivated and regain equilibrium.

Emotional aftermath of a plane crash If your dream is focused on the aftermath of a crash rather than the crash itself, you may need to process emotions in your waking life. The emotional aftermath of a crash often deals with pain, grief, and mourning, which is why you may be experiencing what’s known as a grief dream. What to do: If you’ve encountered a loss or similar trauma in your life, it may be time to work through those emotions. Find a way to express your feelings, whether through a creative or physical outlet. Reach out to trusted friends who can support you or seek out grief counseling.

Moving On From the Dream

Reflect on what the dream means for you. Consider the emotions, thoughts, and fears that the dream brought up. If your dream made you feel anxious, for example, try incorporating soothing practices like meditation and mindfulness into your life. If a certain factor in your life is making you anxious or emotional, it may be time to address that issue directly.

Pay attention to other dreams you have around this time. Whether or not you are a firm believer in dream interpretation, dreams are a manifestation of your subconscious and the feelings you’re having in your waking life. As intuitive counselor Kari Samuels explains, “your dreams are always telling you things that your conscious mind doesn’t want to pick up on.” Start using a dream journal to document your dreams and how they make you feel. Over time, you may start seeing patterns in your dreams that can help you address issues in your waking life. Try to recall your dream as soon as you wake up, especially if you struggle to remember your dreams.

Ask your spirit guide for help. If you have a question for your spirit guide, life coach Kari Samuels recommends saying “I’m calling on my highest level guides to help me get clarity or guide me.” Then, pay attention to your dreams and note any ways that your spirit guide may be giving you the answers you’re looking for. Alternatively, write letters both to and from your spirit guide, as life and happiness coach Samuels also suggests. Write, “Dear spirit guide, please assist me with this issue and help me find an answer,” then reflect and meditate on the issue before writing another letter to yourself from the perspective of your spirit guide. Counseling expert Samuels continues to instruct on “paying attention to images that come into your mind…[and] feelings you get in your body. Your spirit guides connect to you through your senses.”