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Fixed and rotary-wing aircraft accidents involving private operations
Fixed and rotary-wing aircraft accidents involving private operations
Summary
This study provides an overview of accidents involving private
aircraft operations between 2001and 2005. With approximately
400,000 flying hours conducted annually, private flying accounts
for around a quarter of general aviation activity. Within private
operations, rotary-wing activitynow contributes about 10 per cent
of all hours flown.
The accident rate in private aviation activities generally
declined over the five-year study period, but the fatal accident
rate for fixed-wing aircraft remained generally stable. There was
an apparent increase in the rotary-wing fatal accident rate.
The pattern of accident types showed similarities for both
fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Most accidents can be
classified against a small number of accident types: collisions,
loss of aircraft control, airframe, and powerplant issues.
Additionally, collision accidents and those involving a loss of
aircraft control account for most of the fatal accidents.
Differences between fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft
occurrences are more apparent when accidents are examined by phase
of flight. More than half of all fixed-wing accidents occur in the
landing phase of flight, but manoeuvring and cruise are among the
most common phases of flight for accidents involving rotary-wing
aircraft. These phases of flight are also associated with fatal
accidents.
Download Complete Document:
b20070099 [
PDF: 463KB]
Type: Research and Analysis Report
Author(s): ATSB
Publication Date: 28/06/2007