Sumwalt Calls The Number Of Part 135 Accidents In Alaska 'Troubling'

NTSB Chairman Robert L. Sumwalt is slated to host a public roundtable discussion Sept. 6, 2019, with Alaska-based commercial operators, safety experts, aviation industry associations, FAA officials, and Alaska native tribal leaders on ways to improve the safety of commercial operations conducted under Part 135 of FAA regulations.

Part 135 operations encompass both on-demand and scheduled operators, as well as air medical operations that provide essential air transportation services within Alaska. Between January 2008 and June 2019, 80 people died in 207 accidents involving Part 135 operations in Alaska.

“The number of Part 135 fatal accidents in Alaska is troubling,” said NTSB Chairman Sumwalt.

Alaska’s heavy reliance on aviation coupled with the unique terrain conditions, challenging weather and areas of congested airspace are factors in these accidents, but the NTSB believes many of  these accidents could have been avoided if operators had implemented safety management systems, installed flight data monitoring devices, and ensured pilots received comprehensive controlled-flight-into-terrain avoidance training. All of these measures have been recommended by the NTSB.  “Improve the Safety of Part 135 Flight Operations” is an issue on the NTSB 2019–2020 Most Wanted List of transportation safety improvements.

"If the FAA and industry do not address these safety gaps, the Part 135 accident rate in Alaska is unlikely to budge,” said Sumwalt. “The objective of this roundtable is to reduce that rate by focusing on the proven ways to make these types of flights safer.”

The roundtable session will be held Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, 8:30 a.m., Alaska Daylight Time at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Wendy Williamson Auditorium.

(Image provided with NTSB news release)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov