Experimental Aircraft Accident Rate Falls

Editorial Staff

Thursday, December 27, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Fatal accidents involving experimental aircraft reached historic lows with only 44 recorded between Oct. 1, 2017, and Sept. 30, 2018, marking the fourth consecutive year of decline.
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) reported that the FAA's 2010 challenge to reduce the accident rate by 10% over a decade was achieved in just eight years.
The 2018 "not-to-exceed" goal of 51 accidents for experimental category aircraft, set by the FAA, was successfully met, continuing a trend of meeting or exceeding lower annual goals since 2015.

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The number of fatal accidents in experimental aircraft has declined for the fourth year running, according to the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). Just 44 fatal accidents were recorded for the period between Oct. 1, 2017, to Sept. 30, 2018, for experimental category aircraft including amateur-built, racing, exhibit-only, research and development and some types of light-sport aircraft.

“These are historic lows for fatal accident in amateur-built and experimental category aircraft,” said EAA Vice President of Advocacy and Safety Sean Elliott. “In addition, the FAA in 2010 challenged the aviation community to reduce the accident rate by 10 percent over the next decade. We are proud to say through a focus on safety, that goal was reached in just eight years, two years earlier than anticipated.”

The “not-to-exceed” goal set for the experimental category by the FAA for its 2018 fiscal year was 51 accidents. The “not-to-exceed” goal has been lowered—and successfully met—each year since 2015, when it was set at 64 accidents in the category. EAA says it has worked closely with the FAA and NTSB on recommendations to reduce fatal accidents.