One.

The NTSB in early April released preliminary general aviation accident data for 2008. No one should be happy. For example, there were 1559 accidents involving Part 91 operations, 275 of which involved fatalities. Those fatal accidents killed a total of 495 persons, one fewer than the previous year. One. After all the training improvements, the influx of new, well-equipped aircraft, all the new, high-tech equipment being installed in older ones, after weather-forecasting and observation enhancements on the ground and in the air, only one. And the accident rate jumped up, from 6.92 accidents per 100,000 hours in 2007 to 7.11 in 2008. This is despite an overall reduction in accidents, from 2007s 1650 to 1559 last year, and stems from fewer flying hours, a reduction of almost 10 percent. These results are pretty sorry for an industry desperate to be taken seriously.

Key Takeaways:

• Preliminary NTSB data for 2008 showed a concerning increase in the general aviation accident rate (from 6.92 to 7.11 per 100,000 hours), despite fewer overall accidents, due to a nearly 10% reduction in flight hours.
• Fatalities remained high in 2008, with 495 deaths in Part 91 operations (only one less than the previous year) and 66 deaths in Part 135 operations, marking the highest number of fatalities for the latter since 2000.
• The author stresses that general aviation is safe only when pilots adhere to basic precautions like sufficient fuel, appropriate weather, sound aircraft maintenance, and suitable landing areas, implying these were often neglected in 2008.

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