Learn what happens when you crash in MSFS multiplayer, whether other pilots are affected, how collisions work and how to rejoin the flight.
In Microsoft Flight Simulator multiplayer, an aircraft crash is normally local to the pilot who crashed. With crash detection enabled, that player's flight ends or must be restarted; everyone else keeps flying. Other players may see the aircraft hit the ground or disappear, but their aircraft and multiplayer session are not damaged.
Does crashing affect the other players?
No. Standard multiplayer synchronises aircraft positions and selected flight data, but each participant runs a separate aircraft simulation. Your crash cannot end another pilot's flight, reset the group or bring down the multiplayer session.
What others see depends on network updates: your aircraft might strike the ground, freeze briefly or disappear when you restart. Our explanation of how MSFS multiplayer sessions and visibility work covers the underlying online modes.
This assumes normal multiplayer, where everyone occupies a separate aircraft. Shared control is different; see our guide to flying the same aircraft with another person for that distinction.
What happens on your screen?
Your crash and damage assistance settings determine whether the simulator stops the flight.
| Configuration | Result for the pilot who crashes | Result for other pilots |
|---|---|---|
| Crash detection enabled | The flight is marked as crashed and must be restarted, reset or reloaded using the option available in that mode. | They continue flying normally. |
| Crash detection disabled | The impact does not automatically end the flight, although the aircraft may be inverted, stuck or unusable. | They continue flying normally. |
The exact prompt differs between Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, and between free flight and structured activities. Individual aircraft can also model failures beyond the simulator's general crash detection. If you want accidents to stop interrupting a casual group flight, follow our instructions for disabling MSFS crash detection.
Can multiplayer aircraft collide with each other?
Other player-controlled aircraft are normally non-collidable in standard MSFS multiplayer. Two online aircraft can overlap or pass through each other without transferring impact damage, so clipping another player's wing should not trigger a physical collision for either pilot.
Terrain, buildings and other solid objects simulated on your own system can still cause a crash. Network latency may also place another aircraft slightly differently on each screen, which is another reason multiplayer traffic should not be treated as a shared physical object.
How do you continue flying after a multiplayer crash?
You can restart without making the other players restart their flights.
- Use the available restart or reset command. Your aircraft may disappear from the other players' screens while the flight reloads.
- Respawn from the world map if necessary. Select the airport, parking position, runway or airborne starting point you want.
- Restore the same multiplayer setup. Match the group's online mode and server or region where those choices are available. Being at the same airport is not enough if the visibility settings differ.
What if “crash” means the simulator closed?
A crash to desktop, console dashboard or an unresponsive application is a technical failure, not an in-game aircraft accident. Your network connection ends, your aircraft eventually disappears from other players' screens, and their sessions continue.
After relaunching, you can rejoin the group, but the simulator will not generally restore your aircraft at its exact previous position and state. If multiplayer appears to trigger the application failure, use our MSFS 2024 and 2020 crash troubleshooting steps to isolate online services, add-ons and local system faults.