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.