Aviation
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UNITED STATES
The National Transportation Safety Board compiles data on aviation flight hours, accidents and fatalities for commercial and general aviation.
Commercial airlines are divided into two categories according to the type of aircraft used: aircraft with 10 or more seats and aircraft with fewer than 10 seats. The nonscheduled commercial aircraft with more than 10 seats are also called charter airlines. Commercial airlines flying aircraft with fewer than 10 seats include commuter (scheduled) airlines, and on-demand air taxis. General aviation includes all U.S. noncommercial or privately owned aircraft.
In 2007, 769 million people flew on commercial airlines in the United States, compared with 744 million in 2006 and 665 million in 2000. The Federal Aviation Administration projected that 1 billion people would fly on commercial airlines in the United States annually by 2016.
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AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES, 2007 (1)
| - There were 1,722 civil aviation accidents in 2007, up from 1,607 in 2006. However, total fatalities fell from 771 to 535.
- There were no fatalities on large scheduled commercial airlines in 2007, compared with 50 in 2006.
- There was one fatality on large nonscheduled airlines (charter airlines) in 2007, compared with none in 2006.
- Small commuter airlines had three accidents in 2007, the same number as 2006.
- Small on-demand airlines such as air taxis had 62 accidents in 2007, up from 53 in 2006. 43 people died in these accidents, compared with 16 in 2006.
- There were 1,631 general aviation accidents in 2007, 113 more than in 2006. However, these accidents resulted in 491 deaths, 212 fewer than in 2006 and the lowest level in over 40 years.
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U.S. LARGE AIRLINE ACCIDENTS, 1998-2007 (1)
Year |
Flight hours |
Total accidents |
Fatal accidents |
Total fatalities (2) |
Total accidents per 100,000 flight hours |
| 1998 | 16,816,555 | 50 | 1 | 1 | 0.297 |
| 1999 | 17,555,208 | 51 | 2 | 12 | 0.291 |
| 2000 | 18,299,257 | 56 | 3 | 92 | 0.306 |
| 2001 | 17,814,191 | 46 (3) | 6 | 531 | 0.236 (3) |
| 2002 | 17,290,198 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0.237 |
| 2003 | 17,476,700 | 54 | 2 | 22 | 0.309 |
| 2004 | 18,882,503 | 30 | 2 | 14 | 0.159 |
| 2005 | 19,390,029 | 40 | 3 | 22 | 0.206 |
| 2006 | 19,263,209 | 33 | 2 | 50 | 0.171 |
| 2007 (4) | 19,305,000 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0.135 |
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(1) Scheduled and unscheduled planes with more than 10 seats.
(2) Includes nonpassenger deaths.
(3) Illegal acts, such as terrorism or sabotage, were responsible for accidents in this year. Accidents caused by such acts are not included in total accidents per 100,000 flight hours.
(4) Preliminary.
Source: National Transportation Safety Board. |
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WORLD AVIATION LOSSES
Worldwide passenger deaths in scheduled air services are compiled by the International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations agency with 185 member states.
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WORLDWIDE SCHEDULED AIR SERVICE FATAL ACCIDENTS, 1998-2007
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