General Aviation Safety: Fatal Accident Rates Maintain Downward Trend Despite Slight Increase in Overall Accidents
Despite a minor increase in overall accident rates, general aviation safety continues its decades-long improvement trajectory, as revealed by the latest Air Safety Institute report.
The report indicates a slight rise in overall accident rates from 4.26 per 100,000 flight hours to 4.30. However, the fatal accident rate continued its downward trend, moving from 0.76 to 0.68 per 100,000 hours.
According to the data, general aviation has experienced a significant 45% decline in accident rates since the early 1990s. The fatal accident rates have shown an even more impressive drop of 55%.
Non-commercial fixed-wing aircraft recorded a total of 965 accidents, which included 157 fatal incidents. Despite increased flight activity, the accident rate for this category trended downward to 4.84.
Pilot-related accidents continue to account for around 70% of incidents, with loss of control events remaining as the primary causal factor. Weather-related accidents, while decreasing in total numbers, still pose a high lethality risk.
- The report emphasizes that VFR into IMC conditions led to 10 accidents, all of which were fatal. This highlights the critical importance of weather awareness and proper flight planning.