The following is a list of people who were decapitated, arranged alphabetically by country or region and with date of decapitation. These individuals lost their heads accidentally. This includes animal-related deaths. A list of people who lost their heads through execution or murder can be found at List of people who were beheaded.

Argentina

Oscar Lofeudo (1998) – Decapitated in a Argentinean Turismo Carretera Championship pre-race qualifying session in Rafaela circuit; Lofeudo was co-driver along with Raúl Petrich, who also died. Daniel Ponce (2001) – Decapitated in a Mendoza Cross Country Championship race, in San Martín, Mendoza. Matías Viapiano (2003) – Decapitated in a Tucuman Province Dirt Karting Championship race in Estación Aráoz, Tucumán.

Australia

Shirley Ann Durdin (1985) – Durdin was decapitated by a great white shark while snorkeling in Port Lincoln, South Australia; she was eaten alive Kerry McLoughlin (1987) – Decapitated by a saltwater crocodile at Cahills Crossing, Northern Territory Unnamed construction worker (2005) - Decapitated when concrete slabs fell onto him at a work site in Sydney. Three other workers were injured in the accident.

Canada

Roberta McIvor (2011) - Decapitated in a botched carjacking in Sandy Bay First Nation. The carjackers, aged 15 and 17, were sentenced to two years in jail in August 2012.

Chile

José Larenas Miranda (1980) – decapitated by a great white shark.

France

Jean Larivière (1951) – decapitated in racing car crash in the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans. Gerry Birrell (1973) – decapitated when competing in Round 9 of European Formula 2 Championship at Rouen-Les-Essarts.

Germany

Csaba Kesjár (1988) - decapitated in a practice session for German Formula 3 race at the Norisring.

Great Britain

Henry Byng, 4th Earl of Strafford (1899) – decapitated by a train at Potters Bar railway station Donald Campbell (1967) – decapitated in crash of his hydroplane Bluebird K7 during world water speed record attempt in Coniston Water. Simon Brown from East Grinstead was killed while leaning from a train window when travelling on the Gatwick Express on Sunday 7 August 2016.

Netherlands/Belgium

Chris Bristow (1960) – decapitated in crash during the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix. Alain Vincx (1987) – decapitated in car racing stunt challenge at Circuit Zandvoort.

New Zealand

Dr. Alistair Kenneth Sr. (2011) - Decapitated by the blade of a homemade hovercraft he was demonstrating to his family when a structural failure caused the blade to shear off.

Palestine Ismail al-Ghoul (2024) – decapitated by an Israeli airstrike.

Papua New Guinea

Melas Mero (2014) – decapitated by a saltwater crocodile

Philippines

Unnamed girl (2009) – decapitated by a saltwater crocodile

Portugal

Paulo Jorge Caracitas (2000) – decapitated while kart racing, when the scarf he was using got stuck in the drive shaft.

Romania

Nicolae Labiș (1956) – fell off of a tram while going to a friend's house and was decapitated when his head hit the pavement between the two trams in University Square, Bucharest.

United States

Tom Ketchum (1901) – accidentally decapitated in New Mexico Territory in a botched hanging for train robbery Eva Dugan (1930) – decapitated in a botched hanging for murder Denny Keith (1964) – decapitated in racing car crash Charles Bassett (1966) – decapitated in a crash of a T-38 jet aircraft Les Ritchey (1966) – decapitated in a drag racing crash Ken Kotalac (1969) – decapitated in a drag bike racing crash Rocky Marciano (1969) – decapitated when his airplane crashed Jim Croce (1973) – decapitated when his airplane crashed Helmut Koinigg (1974) – decapitated in a racing car crash in the 1974 United States Grand Prix after his racing car went under the sharp guardrails Boris Sagal (1981) – decapitated by the tail rotor blades of a helicopter Vic Morrow and Myca Dinh Le (1982) – decapitated by a crashing helicopter during film shoot for Twilight Zone: The Movie Three occupants of the Piper PA-28-181 Archer involved in the Cerritos mid-air collision (1986) Doug Vermeer (1987) – decapitated in a car racing crash Dave Prater (1988) – decapitated in a high-speed car crash Jim Brouk (1990) – decapitated in a car racing crash Rodin Joseph (1990) - Decapitated by a flying washing machine part at a commercial laundry. Randy Hill (1993) – decapitated in a stunt car challenge; in a botched attempt at a mid-air collision, Hill's car was too low, its roof was sheared off, and Hill's head was crushed Russell Phillips (1995) – decapitated in a racing car crash at Charlotte Motor Speedway Eldon Hoke (1997) – decapitated by a train Randy Fry (2004) – decapitated by a great white shark Katie Flynn (2005) – decapitated in a car crash Asia Leeshawn Ferguson (2008) – decapitated after being struck by the Batman: The Ride roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia Jesse Burley (2011) - decapitated when a firework he lit exploded in front of him while setting it out in the street when celebrating the Fourth of July with family. Martin Lara (2012) - decapitated when a rope used to tie cleared brush he was feeding into a wood chipper got caught around his neck Caleb Schwab (2016) – the 10-year-old son of Kansas state representative Scott Schwab, decapitated while sliding down the world's tallest water slide (Verrückt) at Schlitterbahn Kansas City in Kansas City, Kansas Fabian Zepeda (2017) - Decapitated when his motorcycle drove in the path of a downed tension wire. The wire had been downed when another vehicle crashed into a nearby utility pole. Salvatore Disi (2019) - decapitated when he was struck by the main rotor blades while trying to jumpstart a helicopter at the Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport Esther Nakajjigo (2020) - decapitated by a gate swung open by a gust of wind while leaving Arches National Park Maria Rubalcava de Ruesga (2025) - decapitated when she was struck by a garbage truck while crossing the road Magdalena Jablonska (2026) - decapitated in a boating accident

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