[widgeon13]

Some information extracted from a recent AOPA Safety Foundation Report;

In the period between 2001 and 2005, the number of
GA accidents has declined by 4.3 percent, while annual
estimated GA flight hours have decreased by over two
million. Overall, the GA accident rate per 100,000 flight
hours continues its decade-long decline, and the AOPA
Air Safety Foundation continues to work for additional
improvements in GA safety.
Here are the highlights of GA accident trends for 2005:
• The accident rates per 100,000 hours for GA aircraft
were 7.20 total and 1.39 fatal.
• Pilot-related accidents accounted for three-quarters
of all accidents (74.9 percent) and 82.9 percent of the
fatal accidents. Total pilot-related accidents in 2005
increased 0.8 percent (to 1,076 from 1,067); fatal pilotrelated
accidents jumped 6.1 percent (to 242 from 228)
compared to 2004.
• Maneuvering flight was the category with the largest
number of pilot-related fatal accidents (80). This category
accounted for one out of three fatal crashes (33.1
percent) in 2005. Maneuvering flight was also the number
one fatal accident category for single-engine fixedgear
aircraft, responsible for over one-third (39.5 percent)
of all SEF fatal accidents.
• Weather accident statistics improved in 2005 over the
previous year, accounting for 4.6 percent of all pilotrelated
accidents and 13.6 percent of fatal accidents.
The majority of fatal weather accidents in single-engine
aircraft resulted from VFR flight into IMC.
• Accidents during personal flying accounted for about
seven out of 10 of all accidents (70.1 percent) and fourfifths
(81.2 percent) of all fatal accidents. Personal flying
accounted for half of GA activity (49.4 percent).
• Accidents are more likely to occur during the day
than at night (7.9 vs. 7.1 accidents per 100,000 hours),
and are also more likely to occur in VMC than IMC
(8.0 vs. 5.0 accidents per 100,000 hours).