Safety
Let the Flyer Beware
The accidents that occur in business aviation point to systemic problems that need to be addressed.
A photo from the NTSB report on the AW139 that crashed in July 2019 in the Bahamas. (Photo: NTSB)
A photo from the NTSB report on the AW139 that crashed in July 2019 in the Bahamas. (Photo: NTSB)

Recent accidents highlight a disturbing number of unqualified business aircraft operators. Billionaires and sports stars killed in private aircraft accidents get the headlines, but others are just as vulnerable. Rarely do the accident reports say the operator and flight crew did everything right. Rather, many reports offer statements that point to the organizational failures of a bad aircraft operator.