Why we have done this report
Thousands of safety occurrences involving Australian-registered and
foreign aircraft are reported to the ATSB every year by individuals
and organisations in Australia's aviation industry, and by the
public. The aim of the ATSB's statistical report series is to give
information back to pilots, operators, regulators, and other
aviation industry participants on what accidents and incidents have
happened, how often they are happening, and what we can learn from
them.
What the ATSB found
There were 130 accidents, 121 serious incidents, and 6,823
incidents in 2011 involving VH-registered aircraft. These included
a first officer who was thrown off a set of portable stairs by jet
blast from a Boeing 747 at Brisbane Airport, a freight flight that
disappeared while trying to land in the Torres Strait Islands, a
Boeing 777 that flew just 1,000 feet above suburban Melbourne while
on approach to land, and an ABC helicopter that was tragically lost
on a flight over Lake Eyre.
General aviation operations continue to have an
accident rate higher than for commercial air transport operations:
in 2011, about four times higher for accidents, and nine times
higher for fatal accidents.
Most commercial air transport accidents and serious
incidents were related to reduced aircraft separation, and engine
issues. Charter operations accounted for most of the accidents,
including two fatal accidents in 2011. Air transport incidents were
more likely to involve birdstrikes or a failure to comply with air
traffic control instructions or published information.
For general aviation aircraft, accidents and serious
incidents often involved terrain collisions, aircraft separation
issues, or aircraft control problems. Where general aviation
aircraft were involved in an incident, airspace incursions, failure
to comply with air traffic control, and wildlife strikes were
common.
In most operation types, helicopters had a higher
rate of accidents and fatal accidents than aeroplanes, except for
in charter operations. Even though the fatal accident rate is
generally higher, helicopter accidents are on the whole associated
with fewer fatalities than fixed-wing aircraft.
Safety message
Aviation occurrence statistics provide a reminder to everyone
involved in the operation of aircraft that accidents, incidents,
and injuries happen more often than is widely believed. Some of the
most frequent accident types are preventable, particularly in
general aviation. Pilots and operators should use the misfortunes
of others to help identify the safety risks in their operation that
could lead to a similar accident or serious incident.
Timely and thorough reporting of safety incidents is
paramount. The growth of reporting to the ATSB that has been seen
over the last 10 years has helped us to better understand why
accidents and incidents happen, and what the major safety risks are
in different types of aviation operations. This helps everyone in
the aviation industry to better manage their safety risk.