Aviation Accident Statistics for 2012

Andrew Miller
January 30, 2013

Aerophobia is a fear of flying that is believed to affect almost a quarter of the population, some to a higher degree than others, and a lot of that fear can be linked back to the belief that flying in a plane is dangerous. It’s not hard to believe that aviation accidents are common when you see the news footage of a fiery crash, but the truth is, they are far less common than most people believe. Crashes can occur for a multitude of reasons, but the most common accident causing factors are shown here. When you take a look at aviation accident statistics for 2012 you can clearly see that the odds of being in a fatal airplane accident are very slim.

The Odds of Being in an Airplane Accident are Surprisingly Low

In 2012, with the assistance of new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data, a company tracking aviation accidents updated their odds of being in an airplane accident that results in the minimum of one fatality, as 1 in 11.4 million. The odds of being killed in an airline flight on one of the 30 safest airlines are currently 1 in 29.4 million. Comparatively, the odds of being involved in a fatal car accident are 1 in 6700. Furthermore, there are about 12.25 fatalities per one million flight hours, and only 4.03 fatalities per one million flight hours on airliners.

Commercial Airliner Accidents in 2012

Your odds of being in an airplane accident decrease significantly when you only fly on major commercial airlines. The vast majority of aviation accidents happen to smaller passenger or personal planes and, based on the size of the aircraft, when those planes crash the accidents are more likely to be fatal. In 2012 there were 13 commercial airliner accidents worldwide, and none of the incidents happened in the United States. The worst of these accidents was the crashing of Bhoja Air Flight 213 in Punjab, Pakistan. The airliner crash was due to poor weather and all 127 people on board were killed on impact.

Accidents Fall Annually For Western Built Jets

From 2010 to 2011, the number of crash fatalities on Western-built jets fell from 786 to 486 – a loss of 300 – and the global accident rate among these jets also fell from 0.61 to 0.37. Although the data for 2012 has yet to be released, the numbers are expected to again drop, or remain consistent with Western-built jets. This is a sharp reversal and one that is attributed to stricter safety regulations and better designs, hopefully showing a trend that will continue through the years.

Although it appears that flying is a dangerous pastime, the majority of accidents occur in general aviation, where the risk of an accident is much higher. Private jets have a much higher chance of being involved in an accident because there is not a huge industry devoted to the safety of the passengers; it’s often in the hands of the pilot and whoever is working at the private airstrip that day. When compared to driving, there really is no additional risk to flying. Therefore, if a fear of being in an accident is the only thing keeping you on the ground, it may be time to change your mind, hop on a jet, and head out on a vacation.

Severe injuries and fatalities often result from aviation accidents. If you or a loved one were the unfortunate victim of an aircraft crash, it is important to seek the legal guidance of an aviation accident lawyer. The Law Offices of Kevin Krist is an experienced Texas aviation accident firm. For more information about aviation accidents, visit the website at www.KevinKristLaw.com.