Experimental Aircraft Safety

According to the NTSB, “Experimental amateur-built (E-AB) aircraft represent nearly 10 percent of the U.S. general aviation fleet, but these aircraft accounted for approximately 15 percent of the total—and 21 percent of the fatal—U.S. general aviation accidents in 2011.” With those numbers in mind, along with the fact E-ABs represent one of the fastest-growing portions of general aviation in the U.S., the NTSB last year initiated a major study of the segment.The study’s results were adopted by the NTSB in May 2012, after detailed analysis of accident records going back 10 years, in-depth investigations of all E-AB accidents during 2011, a broad survey of E-AB aircraft builders and wide-ranging discussions with industry. What, if anything, did they find? What were the study’s recommendations? Most important, can the study’s results be applied to those of us not flying so-called “homebuilt” aircraft?

Key Takeaways:

• Experimental amateur-built (E-AB) aircraft account for a disproportionately high number of general aviation accidents, particularly fatal ones, primarily due to powerplant failures and loss of control in flight.
• A significant factor in E-AB accidents is pilots having "low/no time in type," with many incidents occurring shortly after purchase or during first flights, highlighting a critical lack of specific transition training.
• Unlike non-E-AB aircraft, E-ABs rarely experience structural failures or weather-related accidents; instead, the severity of their common accident types contributes to higher fatal accident rates.
• The NTSB study emphasizes the crucial need for improved pilot access to E-AB-specific training and aircraft performance information to reduce these preventable accidents.

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