A PERSONAL MATTER

Analysis of GA Fatal Accidents

Your Presenter:

Brian Poole
Office of Accident Investigation
Federal Aviation Administration

What Is An Aircraft
Accident?

Aircraft Accident:
An

Occurrence Associated With the Operation

of an Aircraft Which Takes Place Between the
Time Any Person Boards the Aircraft With the
Intention of Flight and Until Such Time as All
Such Persons Have Disembarked, and in Which
Any Person Suffers Death or Serious Injury, or
in Which the Aircraft Receives Substantial
Damage

Serious Injury:

An Injury Which (1) Requires Hospitalization for More

Than 48 Hours, Commencing Within 7 Days From the
Date the Injury Was Received; (2) Results in a Fracture
of Any Bone (Except Simple Fractures of Fingers, Toes,
or Nose); (3) Causes Severe Hemorrhages, Nerve,
Muscle or Tendon Damage; (4) Involves Any Internal
Organ; or (5) Involves Second or Third Degree Burns
or Any Burns Affecting More Than 5 Percent of the
Body Surface

Substantial Damage:

Damage or Failure Which Adversely Affects the

Structural Strength, Performance, or Flight
Characteristics of the Aircraft, and Which Would
Normally Require Major Repair or Replacement of the
Affected Component. Engine Failure or Damage
Limited to an Engine Cowling, Dented Skin, Small
Punctured Holes in the Skin Fabric, Ground Damage to
Rotor or Propeller Blades, and Damage to Landing
Gear, Wheels, Tires, Flaps, Engine Accessories, Brakes,
or Wingtips are not Considered Substantial Damage

General Aviation Accidents

1930-2001
Number of Accidents

10000
9000
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
1930

1936

1941

1946

1951

1956

1961

1966

Year

1971

1976

1981

1986

1991

1996

2001

General Aviation Fatal Accidents

1930-2001
1000

Number of Fatal Accidents

900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1930

1936

1941

1946

1951

1956

1961

1966

Year

1971

1976

1981

1986

1991

1996

2001

General Aviation Fatalities

1930-2001
1600

Number of Fatalities

1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
1930

1936

1941

1946

1951

1956

1961

1966

Year

1971

1976

1981

1986

1991

1996

2001

General Aviation Accidents

1997-2001
1997 1998 1999

2000 *2001

Accidents

1845 1904 1906

1838

1721

Fatal Accidents

350

364

340

343

321

Fatalities

631

624

619

594

553

*Preliminary data
Source: NTSB

Homebuilt Aircraft Accidents

1997-2001
1997 1998 1999 2000 *2001
Accidents

177

226

219

226

186

Fatal Accidents

59

61

61

46

45

Fatalities

72

79

79

68

58

*Preliminary data

General Aviation Accident Rate

For Hours Flown
1950-2001
Accidents Per 100,000 Hours

50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1950

1956

1961

1966

1971

1976

Year

1981

1986

1991

1996

2001

General Aviation Accident Rates by

Purpose of Flight
1983-2001
25

Accidents Per 100,000 Hours

Personal

20

15

Aerial Application
10

All GA
Instruction

Business
Corporate

0
1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

Year

1995

1997

1999

2001

Homebuilt & General Aviation

Accident Rates
1983-2001
50

Accidents Per 100,000 Hours

45
40
35

Homebuilt

30
25
20
15

General Aviation

10
5
0
1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Year

Homebuilt & General Aviation

Fatal Accident Rates
1983-2001
Accidents Per 100,000 Hours
25
20
15

Homebuilt

10
5

General Aviation

0
1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Year

General Aviation Fleet, Activity and

Fatal Accidents By Type of Operation
1998
Operation

Percent of Fleet

Personal
Business
Instruction
Corporation
Aerial Application
Public Use
Air Taxi
Miscellaneous

61
16
6
6
2
2
2
5
100%

Percent of
Flight Hours
35
13
14
11
8
5
10
3
100%

Percent of
Fatal Accidents
65
5
6
0
2
3
4
15
100%

General Aviation Personal Flying Fatal

Accidents Breakdown of
Broad Causes 1995 - 1999
Personnel - 1044
Pilot - 998
Others (Aboard) - 4
Others (Not Aboard) - 55
Aircraft - 173
Propulsion System and Controls - 131
Airframe - 21
Systems/Equipment/Instruments - 19
Environment - 19
Weather - 9
Object (Trees, Wires) - 6
Terrain/Runway Conditions - 4

Primary Causes of General Aviation

Fatal Accidents

Weather
Attempted VFR into IMC conditions

Maneuvering flight
Maneuvering during low slow flight
Buzzing or low level aerobatics

Approach
Improper IFR approach
Steep turn/stall

Test flying homebuilt aircraft

Fuel mismanagement
Midair collisions

Accident Description
When
Where
What
Who
Why
NTSB

Probable Cause

What Caused This Accident?

How Could This Accident

Have Been Prevented?

Accident Information
Date: July 4, 1993
Time: 8:05 PM MDT

Location: Philip, South Dakota

Aircraft Type: Avid Flyer, N42CJ
Injuries: 1 Fatality
1 Serious Injury

Pilot Information
Age: 51
Certificates: Student Pilot

Medical: Third Class

Total Time: 88 Hours

Time in Type: 85 Hours

Time Last 90 Days: 44 Hours

Occupation: Businessman

NTSB Probable Cause

The

pilots selection of unsuitable

terrain for takeoff and the pilot
inadvertently stalling the airplane.

Accident Information
Date: August 7, 1993
Time: 1:45 PM EDT

Location: Wadesboro, North Carolina

Aircraft Type: Midget Mustang, CFYSJ
Injuries: 1 Fatality

Pilot Information
Age: 67
Certificates: Airline Transport Pilot - MEL
Commercial Pilot - SEL
Instrument Rating

Medical: Second Class

Total Time: 3,663 Hours

Time in Type: 3 Hours

Time Last 90 Days: 16 Hours
Occupation: Retired Navy

NTSB Probable Cause

The

pilots intentional flight into IMC

without the proper instrumentation
which resulted in the pilots loss of
aircraft control and in-flight breakup of
the airplane.

Accident Information
Date: April 23 , 1994
Time: 2:04 PM EDT
Location: College Park, Maryland
Aircraft Type: Beech Sierra, N93535
Injuries: 4 Fatalities

Pilot Information
Age: 26
Certificates: Commercial Pilot - SEL - MEL
Instrument Rating

Medical: Second Class

Total Time: 422 Hours
Time in Type: 9 Hours
Time Last 90 Days: 60 Hours
Occupation: Unknown

NTSB Probable Cause

The

pilots improper flare and delayed

recovery from the bounced landing.
Factors contributing to the accident
were the pilots failure to retract the
landing gear during the aborted
landing; the exceeded allowable gross
weight; and the unfavorable wind
conditions.

Accident Information
Date: May 9, 1996
Time: 12:50 PM EDT
Location: Sunapee, New Hampshire
Aircraft Type: Lake LA-4-200, N5040L
Injuries: 1 Fatality

Pilot Information
Age: 61
Certificates: Commercial Pilot - SEL - SES
Instrument Rating
Medical: Second Class
Total Time: 4330 Hours

Time in Type: 17 Hours

Time Last 90 Days: 2 Hours

Occupation: Retired

NTSB Probable Cause

The

pilots failure to maintain control

of the airplane. Factors in this accident
were: the pilots lack of currency in
type and model airplane, and not
following the requirement for the pilot
to have a flight instructor onboard
during water landings.

Accident Information
Date: June 3, 1996
Time: 4:41 PM EDT

Location: Winslow, Maine

Aircraft Type: Cessna 320, N78KA

Injuries: 1 Fatality

Pilot Information
Age: 41
Certificates: Airline Transport Pilot - SEL - MEL

Medical: Second Class

Total Time: 7500 Hours
Time in Type: Unknown
Time Last 90 Days: Unknown
Occupation: Unknown

NTSB Probable Cause

The

pilots continued flight into known

adverse weather conditions, and his
loss of aircraft control, which resulted
in an uncontrolled descent into terrain
(river). The known icing condition
was related factor.

Accident Information
Date: June 19, 1996
Time: 8:10 AM EDT

Location: Springboro, Ohio

Aircraft Type: Piper, PA-31 Navajo, N62852
Injuries: 1 Fatality

Pilot Information
Age: 41
Certificates: Private Pilot - SEL - MEL
Instrument Rating
Medical: Third Class
Total Time: 1198 Hours

Time in Type: 701 Hours

Time Last 90 Days: 39 Hours

Occupation: Doctor

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilots impairment of judgment

and performance due to drugs which
led to spatial disorientation and a loss
of aircraft control. The weather was a
factor.

Accident Information
Date: October 27, 1996
Time: 2:55 PM EST

Location: Merritt Island, Florida

Aircraft Type: Kitfox Clasic IV, N11LG
Injuries: 2 Fatalities

Pilot Information
Age: 53
Certificates: Commercial Pilot - SEL - MEL

Medical: Third Class

Total Time: 585 Hours

Time in Type: 6 Hours

Time Last 90 Days: Unknown

Occupation: Unknown

NTSB Probable Cause

The

failure of the pilot to maintain

airspeed above stall speed.

Accident Information
Date: February 27, 1997
Time: 7:45 PM CST

Location: Houston, Texas

Aircraft Type: Quickie II, N89WL
Injuries: 1 Fatality

Pilot Information
Age: 30
Certificates: Private Pilot - SEL
Medical: Third Class
Total Time: 125 Hours
Time in Type: 8 Hours
Time Last 90 Days: 7 Hours
Occupation: Businessman

NTSB Probable Cause

The

loss of engine power due to fuel

starvation as a result of the pilots
improper fuel management.

Accident Information
Date: June 10, 1998
Time: 5:40 PM EDT

Location: Delaplane, Virginia

Aircraft Type: Beech F33A, N6033U
Injuries: 2 Fatalities

Pilot Information
Age: 73

Certificates: Private Pilot - SEL

Instrument Rating
Medical: Third Class
Total Time: 2800 Hours
Time in Type: Unknown
Time Last 90 Days: Unknown
Occupation: Unknown

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilots inadequate in-flight decision that

lead to VFR flight into instrument
meteorological conditions. Also casual was
the pilots failure to maintain adequate
terrain clearance resulting in collision with
mountainous terrain. Contributing factors
were low clouds, fog, mountainous terrain,
obscuration, low altitude flying and the
pilots self-induced pressure.

Accident Information
Date: November 21, 1998
Time: 5:43 PM EST

Location: Edgewater, Maryland

Aircraft Type: RV-6, N956DB
Injuries: 1 Fatality

Pilot Information
Age: 56

Certificates: Private Pilot - SEL - MEL

Instrument Rating
Medical: Second Class
Total Time: 1345 Hours
Time in Type: 31 Hours
Time Last 90 Days: 15 Hours
Occupation: Actor

NTSB Probable Cause

The

pilots failure to maintain

adequate altitude/clearance from the
trees. Contributing to the accident was
the pilots unfamiliarity with the
geographic location and dark night
conditions.

Accident Information
Date: August 11, 2001
Time: 7:20 PM EDT

Location: Rohrersville, Maryland

Aircraft Type: Piper Arrow, N2869F
Injuries: 3 Fatalities

Pilot Information
Age: 57

Certificates: Private Pilot - SEL

Medical: Third Class

Total Time: 2000 Hours

Time in Type: Unknown

Time Last 90 Days: Unknown

Occupation: Retired Military Dental Technician

NTSB Probable Cause

NOT DETERMINED

Be careful or you could end up

being an accident statistic!