Commercial aviation, including both jet and turboprop operations, suffered 16 fatal accidents in 2013 that resulted in 210 fatalities, according to worldwide data released in early April by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). While there was one more fatal accident last year than there was in 2012, the number of fatalities in 2013 fell sharply from 2012’s total of 414, IATA said. In addition, last year marked the third consecutive year in which fatalities declined from the previous year, and 2013’s fatality total was less than half of the annual average over the five-year — 2009–2013 — period (Figure 1).
Overall, there were 81 commercial aviation accidents involving Eastern- and Western-built aircraft last year, up from 75 in 2012, but still fewer than in any of the previous three years (Figure 2). Of the 81 accidents, 78 percent involved passenger operations, 18 percent cargo operations and 4 percent ferry flights. Just over half of the accidents, 53 percent…
