A new reports shows that the number of fatal training accidents dropped 35% from 2000 through 2015.
The report, put together by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Institute (ASI) along with Liberty University School of Aeronautics, is an analysis of 240 fatal instructional accidents in piston-engine airplanes over the 16-year period. It concludes that the greatest risks in flight training are loss of control inflight (54%) and midair collisions (10%).
The report categorized fatal flight training accidents according to the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Common Taxonomy Team (CICTT) and calculated the accident rate using FAA survey data.
“The study sheds light on fatal flight training accident causes. But it also confirms a reduction in accidents over a 16-year time period,” said AOPA Air Safety Institute Executive Director Richard McSpadden. “The best way we can continue that positive trend and decrease these types of accidents, and all accidents, is through training, implementation of new technology, and continued education.”
General aviation continues to get safer and McSpadden noted that we must also “acknowledge the tremendous accomplishments of the flight training industry in reducing the fatal accident rate below the overall GA rate.”
You can read the full report on AOPA’s website.
The total number dropped by 35% but does that represent an increase in safety or a decrease in number of flight training hours? Just stating that the total number of accidents decreased is meaningless from the perspective of determining increases in safety. Give us the change in fatal accidents per 100, 000 flight hours and that will be a better representation.