The National Transportation Safety Board released aviation accident statistics for 2014 showing a slight increase in fatal general aviation accidents, which rose from 222 in 2013 to 253 in 2014.
The overall number of GA accidents dropped slightly from 1,224 in 2013 to 1,221 in 2014, but the accident rate increased from 6.26 per 100,000 flight hours in the previous year to 6.74 in 2014.
The figures are dramatic since 2014 actually got off to one of the safest starts in GA history, with just four fatal crashes accounting for six deaths in the year's first month.
The NTSB, meanwhile, reported 28 accidents involving Part 121 airline operations. On-demand Part 135 operations, which include charter, air taxi, air tour, and air medical flights, reported 35 accidents in 2014, down from 44 in 2013. The Part 135 accident rate decreased from 1.30 per 100,000 flight hours in 2013 to 1.02 in 2014.
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