Commercial Fixed-Wing
Commercial operations delivered a better safety record than their non-commercial fixed-wing counterparts (Figure 2.1). The total number of commercial fixed-wing accidents in 2016 decreased from 2015; however, the total fatal accidents increased during that same time (Figure 2.2). The total accident rate is at a 10-year low, while the fatal accident rate is at a 10-year high (Figure 2.3). This is due to the high number of fatal accidents compared to total accidents often expressed as lethality (i.e., the total number of fatal accidents divided by all accidents). Roughly 30 percent of all commercial accidents resulted in a fatality. However, commercial operations are among some of the safest in the GA sphere of operation.
Similar to non-commercial fixed-wing, pilot-related accidents account for the majority of all commercial fixed-wing aircraft accidents (Figure 2.4). Second is mechanical followed by other/unknown. Of interest is the proportion of total accidents, which are similar to non-commercial fixed-wing. Currently, the best method for accident reduction would be to reduce pilot-related accidents. Targeted efforts to this effect would benefit both commercial and non-commercial fixed-wing aircraft operators.
Part 137 aerial application, commonly referred to as crop dusting, accounted for the majority of commercial fixed-wing accidents and fatal accidents. Part 135 charter or cargo operations had the remainder (Figure 2.5).
Single-engine aircraft accounted for the majority of accidents for Part 137, primarily due to fleet composition, with part 135 operations having 64 percent. In both Parts 137 and 135 the majority of total accidents occurred in day VMC. Part 137 fatal accidents only occurred during day VMC conditions.
The majority of Part 137 accidents occurred during maneuvering. Part 135 accidents were distributed among several categories. The largest amount of Part 135 accidents occurred during takeoff (6) followed by weather (5).