ICAO Reports Decline in Accident Rates

Frances Fiorino fiorino@aviationweek.com

The world accident rate significantly declined from 1990 to 2008--to four accidents per 10 million departures in 2008 from 19 in 1990--according to the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) preliminary 2008 safety and security statistics.

The number of fatal accidents in the period also decreased to 11 in 2008 from 29 in 1990. ICAO statistics are based on airlines of its 190 member states, and involve scheduled service with aircraft having a maximum takeoff weight of more than 2,250 kg. and carrying seven or more passengers.

In 2008, 439 people died in the 11 accidents; in 2007, 587 passengers were killed in the same number of accidents. And despite this 25% reduction in the number of deaths year over year, the 2008 fatal accident rate decreased marginally, to 0.01370/100 million PKPs (passenger kilometers performed) compared to 2007's 0.01391.

As for non-scheduled operations, in 2008, 12 accidents resulted in 80 passenger fatalities, which compares with 14 accidents and 86 fatalities in 2007.

ICAO records "acts of unlawful interference" and associated fatalities separately. In 2008, 24 such acts resulted in injuries to 31 people and 11 deaths; in 2007, 22 acts resulted in injuries to 33 people and 18 deaths.