Accidents
Flight hours drop, as does safety
Despite reports indicating that operators were flying less in 2008, the number of business aircraft accidents increased from the previous year, according t

Despite reports indicating that operators were flying less in 2008, the number of business aircraft accidents increased from the previous year, according to year-end statistics compiled by Boca Raton, Fla.-based aviation safety analyst Robert E. Breiling Associates. The totals, which are subject to change pending the issuance of final NTSB accident reports, show an increase in the number of business aircraft accidents from 55 in 2007 to 69 last year, while the number of fatal accidents rose correspondingly from 17 to 24.

The private/business category saw the biggest safety deterioration, rising from 15 accidents in 2007 to 29 last year, including 14 fatal, accounting for 24 deaths. Fatal accidents in the turboprop private/ business category alone more than doubled, from five in 2007 to 12 last year.