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LSA Safety Picture Emerging

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Preliminary studies indicate Light Sport Aircraft (LSAs) are safer than amateur-built planes but have a fatal accident rate more than double that of conventionally certificated (Part 23) personal airplanes.
  • Fatal LSA accidents are predominantly caused by loss of control (54%) and structural failure (10%), with factory-built S-LSAs demonstrating a better safety record than kit-built E-LSAs.
  • Experienced pilots transitioning from larger aircraft to LSAs are at a higher risk of fatal accidents than newly trained sport pilots, suggesting challenges in adapting to the unique handling of lighter aircraft.
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How safe are light sport aircraft? It used to be anybody’s guess. Today, thanks to early studies by the FAA and NTSB, the guessing is a lot more educated.

In fact, the FAA has recently come out with some preliminary safety numbers that suggest the safety of LSAs is substantially better than that of amateur-built airplanes, though not as good as conventionally certificated (Part 23) airplanes.

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