ADJ

dreadful, horrific, major, nasty, serious, terrible, tragic, unfortunate
fatal
a fatal road accident
minor, slight
freak
Their boat sank in a freak accident
near (= that nearly happens, but does not)
hit-and-run
aircraft, canoeing, car, climbing, flying, industrial, motor, nuclear, road, traffic, etc.

VERB + ACCIDENT

be involved in, have, meet with
She met with an accident while on holiday in Spain
cause
prevent
survive

ACCIDENT + VERB

happen, occur, take place

ACCIDENT + NOUN

prevention
rates, statistics

PREP

in an/the ~

PHRASES

an accident involving
He was badly hurt in an accident involving two cars and a lorry
the scene of the accident
The ambulance took only six minutes to reach the scene of the accident

ADJ

pure, sheer
By pure accident he had come across the very man who could solve the mystery

PREP

by ~
We met by accident at the airport

PHRASES

be no accident that …
It is no accident that men fill most of the top jobs
by accident or design
It happened, whether by accident or design, that Steve and I were the last two people to leave