Annual Aviation Statistics for 2010 Released

The safety of civil aviation in the United States continued to make incremental improvements across most industry segments in 2010, based on the preliminary aviation accident statistics released today by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Twenty-six accidents were recorded for U.S. scheduled part 121 airlines and six accidents on scheduled part 135 commuters, all non-fatal.

Total accidents of on-demand operators (charter, air taxi, air tour and air medical operations) decreased from 47 in 2009 to 31 in 2010, despite a slight rise in the number of annual flight hours from 2,901,000 to 2,960,000. However, fatal accidents increased from two in 2009 to six in 2010. The number of fatalities for both years was 17.

The decline in general aviation accidents in 2010 continues its downward trend, but this sector still accounts for the greatest number of civil aviation accidents and fatal accidents. There were a total of 1,435 such accidents in 2010, 267 of them fatal, resulting in 450 fatalities.

The 2010 statistical tables are found at:www.ntsb.gov/aviation/Stats.htm