Nall report shows GA accidents are down
October 11, 2012, 03:04 pm
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Associations Air Safety Institute recently released its 22nd edition of the Joseph T. Nall report showing that flight activity in general aviation increased in 2010 while the accident rate showed little difference from previous years.
Federal Aviation Administration data showed that flight activity increase in all four segments of general aviation, including an increase of 21 percent in commercial helicopter flights hours, 7 percent in non-commercial helicopter flights, 4 percent in commercial fixed wing and 3 percent in non-commercial fixed wing activity.
The data also showed that commercial accident rates, both fixed-wing and helicopter, remained nearly unchanged in 2010 compared to recent years and showed slight declines in non-commercial fixed-wing accident rates.
“The accident rate for traditional homebuilts dropped 9 percent, and the fatal accident rate was down 28 percent from 2009,” said Bruce Landsberg, president of the AOPA Foundation. “Mechanical problems continue to account for disproportionate numbers of accidents in these aircraft, and a recent National Transportation Safety Board study confirms the elevated risk during the flight-test period.”
In addition, the report showed that the number of fuel management accidents on non-commercial fixed-wing flights increased for two years in a row, even after five consecutive years of decreases. There were nearly 20 percent more fuel-management accidents in 2010 when compared to 2008. Despite fuel management issues, fewer landing accidents occurred on student solo flights when compared to any other year, dropping more than 40 percent on a year-over-year comparison.
“There is always the discussion about how to teach decision-making and help people make the right choice,” Landsberg said. “The vagaries of human nature make this a really difficult problem to hand to flight schools and universities. The airlines depend on a system to avoid high risk where one person is never allowed to make a decision in a vacuum. But this is the essence of personal GA flight, especially among private owners.”
The FAA announced in September that it is forming a new Fuels Program Office in response to a letter sent by members of the General Aviation Avgas Coalition urging further funding for an unleaded aviation gasoline program.
With the Nall report showing an increase in accidents related to fuel management, the Fuels Program Office will look to reduce those numbers. The FAA said the office would offer technical expertise and strategic direction in planning, managing and coordinating activities related to fuels for aircraft.
Pilots in the general aviation community should consider pilot life insurance, even with the reduced accidents, because a family's financial future should never go overlooked.
Are you covered? Are you overpaying? Find out! Get a Quote Now!
| 
