NTSB: GA Accidents Down In 2013

The number of civil aviation accidents fell last year, from 1,539 in 2012 to 1,297 in 2013, the NTSB said on Monday. General aviation accidents showed a decrease in all categories. The total number of GA accidents was 1,222, a decrease of 249 from 2013. The number of fatal accidents (221), fatalities (387), and the accident rate per 100,000 flight hours (5.85) all declined from the previous year. Last year's statistics showed the GA accident rate as virtually flat. All other categories in this year's analysis showed increased accidents, and the statistics include the first fatal accident in three years for a scheduled Part 121 operation -- the August 2013 UPS crash that killed two pilots.

Accidents for commuter flights increased from four in 2012 to eight in 2013, with three fatal accidents. On-demand Part 135 operations, which include charter, air taxi, air tour, and air medical flights, showed increases in all categories. The number of total accidents (44), fatal accidents (10), and fatalities (27) all increased, and the accident rate per 100,000 flight hours increased to 1.24 from 0.99 in 2012. The NTSB noted that although the Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crash occurred in the United States, it is not reported in the NTSB statistics because it's a foreign carrier. The complete statistical tables compiled by the NTSB are posted online.