Drops To Below One Fatal Accident For Every 100,000 Flight Hours

The NTSB recently released fatal accident data for all modes of transportation in the U.S., including data showing that in 2016, the fatal accident rate for GA aircraft had dropped to its lowest level in 50 years.

According to the Board, aviation deaths decreased slightly from 416 in 2015 to 412 in 2016. Nearly 94 percent of aviation fatalities occurred in general aviation accidents. Air taxi fatalities decreased from 27 in 2015 to 19 in 2016.

Preliminary aviation accident statistics also show an overall decline in the number of US registered civil aviation accidents.  Most notably, the number of fatal general aviation accidents decreased to 213 in 2016, resulting in the fatal accident rate dropping below 1 fatal accident per 100,000 flight hours for the first time in 50 years.

Overall, there were no fatal accident involving U.S. registered commercial airlines in 2016. Commuter aircraft were involved in two fatal accidents resulting in eight fatalities, and on-demand flights were involved in 31 total accidents resulting in nine fatalities.

General Aviation aircraft were involved in 1,266 total accidents. Of those, 213 involved fatalities. The Board reports that 386 people were fatally injured in those accidents.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, Aviation Statistics Spreadsheet Download