GA accidents down in 2010, NTSB reports

The number of general aviation accidents continued to decline in 2010, according to preliminary accident statistics released April 20 by the NTSB.

There were a total of 1,435 GA accidents in 2010; 267 were fatal, resulting in 450 fatalities, the NTSB reported. This represents a decrease in total accidents, as well as fatal accidents and fatalities. The NTSB reported a slight increase in GA flight hours and a decrease in accidents per 100,000 hours.

While flight hours of charter, air taxi, air tour, and air medical operations increased in 2010, the total number of accidents of on-demand operators decreased from 47 in 2009 to 31, the NTSB said. Fatal accidents in that category increased from two to six, however; the number of fatalities for both years was 17, according to the NTSB. The year had no fatal scheduled airline accidents.