Aviation Accident: Survey shows Fewer Airline Crashes in 2009

February 18, 2010

Washington - The rate of deadly airline crashes worldwide has declined last year to 18 from 23 in 2008, the second-lowest record in the airline industry, according to a survey conducted by the International Air Transport Association.

However, the number of deaths increased to 685 from 502 in the previous year, the industry group said.

Flight Safety Foundation technical program director Jim Burin said the latest trend is a “good news” since the accident rate “is half of the crashes during the 1990s.”

Burin said the significant decline of crash rate is attributed to airplane innovations especially in the warning systems that prevent midair collision and help pilots to avoid accidents during takeoff and landing.

The safety expert added that during the 1990s, majority of crashes were caused by pilots flying the planes into the ground. But with planes equipped with better warning systems, he said that this type of accident “has been almost eliminated.”

Burin also cited the “significant improvements” in cockpit gauges which now operate with computer screens that allow pilots to easily access information.

According to statistics, the rate of major airplane crashes for 2009 was 0.7 per million flights, the second-lowest level in the history of the international aviation.

Meanwhile, the crash rate in 2005 was the highest over the past decade, with 1,035 reported deaths.