More passengers are surviving fatal airline accidents during landing, but survival rates during stages of flight when most accidents happen have not improved from decades ago, a new USA TODAY study shows.
Only 9 percent of fatal accidents since 1970 occurred during landing, while the vast majority happened during other phases of flight. In those other phases — which include takeoff, initial climb, en route and approach to an airport – 22 percent survived in the 1970s, compared with 15 percent in the most recent decade (2000-09).
Fatal accidents are rare. U.S. airlines operate more than 9 million flights annually and, according to the study, were involved in just five fatal accidents from Jan. 1, 2008, through July 10, 2013. The number of accidents worldwide has also declined. There were 394 such accidents in the 1970s, compared with 269 from Jan. 1, 2000, through July 10.
USA TODAY’s exclusive study – which analyzed Aviation Safety Network fatal accident data from Jan. 1, 1970 through July 10, 2013, for aircraft with 12 seats or more — looked at 1,268 fatal airline accidents worldwide that killed 42,444 passengers and 4,510 crewmembers. The Netherlands-based Aviation Safety Network gathers accident data for the International Civil Aviation Organization and the Flight Safety Foundation.
Of fatal accidents worldwide since 1970, the largest percentage – nearly 40 percent – happened on approach.
During that flight phase, 18 percent of people survived fatal accidents in the 1970s and 20 percent in 2000-09. If recent fatal accidents are included, just 18 percent survived from Jan. 1, 2000, through July 10, 2013.
Former National Transportation Safety Board chairman Jim Hall agreed with USA TODAY’s conclusions.
“It is fascinating,” Hall said. “I don’t draw any different conclusions than you did.”
Former Department of Transportation Inspector General Mary Schiavo said the study clearly shows that, considering all flight phases, more people are not surviving fatal accidents.
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