IATA reports aircraft accident rate lowest in history

IATA reported (23-Feb-2011) the 2010 global accident rate (measured in hull losses per million flights of Western-built jet aircraft) was 0.61, making the year's accident rate for Western-built jet aircraft the lowest in aviation history. The accident rate in 2009 was 0.71. The accident rate has been cut 42% from the rate recorded in 2001.

Aviation safety highlights for 2010:

• 2.4 billion people flew safely on 36.8 million flights (28.4 million jet, 8.4 million turboprop);
• 17 hull loss accidents involving Western-built jet aircraft compared with 19 in 2009;
• 94 accidents (all aircraft types, Eastern and Western built) compared to 90 in 2009;
• 23 fatal accidents (all aircraft types) compared with 18 in 2009;
• 786 fatalities compared with 685 in 2009.

Western-built jet hull loss accident rate by region:

• North America: 0.10;
• Europe: 0.45;
• North Asia: 0.34;
• Commonwealth of Independent States: 0.0;
• Asia Pacific: 0.80;
• Middle East and North Africa: 0.72 (compared with 3.32 in 2009) with only one accident involving a carrier from the region
• Latin America and the Caribbean: 1.87;
• Africa: 7.41. [more]