Economics & Energy

Safety Record of U.S. Air Carriers

NOTE: The data below reflects the activity of passenger and cargo airlines operating under 14 CFR 121. Since March 20, 1997, aircraft with 10 or more seats in scheduled service (or their all-cargo equivalent) have operated under this part. Incidents resulting from illegal acts such as suicide or sabotage are included in accident and fatality totals but are excluded from accident rates, per NTSB.

YEAR FLIGHT OPERATIONS ACCIDENTS FATAL ACCIDENT RATES FATALITIES
Aircraft Miles
(000,000)		 Aircraft Depts.
(000)		 Total Fatal Per Million
Aircraft Miles		 Per Million
Aircraft Depts.		 Total Onboard
1927 6 N/A 25 4 0.6813 N/A 5 5
1928 11 N/A 86 12 1.1243 N/A 24 24
1929 25 N/A 137 24 0.9546 N/A 43 43
1930 37 N/A 91 9 0.2436 N/A 33 33
1931 48 N/A 126 14 0.2938 N/A 39 39
1932 51 N/A 115 17 0.3322 N/A 45 45
1933 55 N/A 101 9 0.1640 N/A 28 17
1934 49 N/A 73 10 0.2038 N/A 38 38
1935 64 N/A 62 8 0.1253 N/A 29 29
1936 74 N/A 70 10 0.1358 N/A 67 67
1937 73 N/A 50 6 0.0821 N/A 66 66
1938 76 N/A 29 7 0.0919 N/A 54 54
1939 91 N/A 33 3 0.0330 N/A 26 26
1940 120 N/A 35 3 0.0250 N/A 45 45
1941 149 N/A 30 5 0.0335 N/A 46 46
1942 130 N/A 25 5 0.0383 N/A 71 71
1943 124 N/A 16 3 0.0242 N/A 44 44
1944 161 N/A 31 4 0.0248 N/A 73 73
1945 242 N/A 38 9 0.0372 N/A 114 114
1946 369 N/A 43 11 0.0298 N/A 149 149
1947 412 N/A 45 8 0.0194 N/A 249 249
1948 441 2,092 64 6 0.0136 2.868 128 128
1949 463 2,262 37 6 0.0130 2.653 104 104
1950 477 2,457 41 6 0.0126 2.442 165 165
1951 527 2,596 47 9 0.0171 3.467 206 206
1952 589 2,737 45 8 0.0136 2.923 155 155
1953 657 2,960 37 6 0.0091 2.027 103 103
1954 690 3,002 48 4 0.0058 1.333 23 23
1955 780 3,281 46 9 0.0115 2.743 225 225
1956 869 3,503 48 4 0.0046 1.142 156 156
1957 976 3,771 51 5 0.0051 1.326 78 78
1958 973 3,629 54 6 0.0062 1.653 139 139
1959 1,030 3,910 67 10 0.0097 2.557 310 310
1960 998 3,853 67 12 0.0120 3.115 378 378
1961 970 3,750 58 5 0.0052 1.333 135 135
1962 1,010 3,660 43 5 0.0050 1.366 183 183
1963 1,095 3,788 49 5 0.0046 1.320 145 145
1964 1,189 3,955 53 9 0.0076 2.276 227 226
1965 1,354 4,198 63 7 0.0052 1.668 253 253
1966 1,482 4,374 53 4 0.0027 0.915 72 72
1967 1,834 4,946 51 8 0.0044 1.617 255 250
1968 2,146 5,348 53 13 0.0061 2.431 345 339
1969 2,385 5,378 48 7 0.0029 1.302 152 149
1970 2,418 5,120 39 2 0.0008 0.391 5 2
1971 2,378 4,999 41 6 0.0025 1.200 198 192
1972 2,376 5,046 43 7 0.0029 1.387 186 160
1973 2,448 5,135 32 6 0.0025 1.169 221 220
1974 2,258 4,726 42 7 0.0031 1.481 460 460
1975 2,241 4,705 29 2 0.0009 0.425 122 122
1976 2,320 4,833 21 2 0.0009 0.414 42 42
1977 2,419 4,937 19 3 0.0012 0.608 78 69
1978 2,520 5,016 21 5 0.0020 0.997 160 150
1979 2,791 5,400 24 4 0.0014 0.741 353 350
1980 2,816 5,353 15 0 0.0000 0.000 1 0
1981 2,703 5,212 25 4 0.0015 0.767 4 2
1982 2,699 4,964 16 4 0.0011 0.604 235 223
1983 2,921 5,235 22 4 0.0014 0.764 15 14
1984 3,259 5,666 13 1 0.0003 0.176 4 4
1985 3,453 6,069 17 4 0.0012 0.659 197 196
1986 3,829 6,928 21 2 0.0003 0.144 5 4
1987 4,126 7,293 32 4 0.0007 0.411 231 229
1988 4,261 7,348 27 3 0.0005 0.272 285 274
1989 4,337 7,267 20 5 0.0012 0.688 124 123
1990 4,689 7,796 19 4 0.0009 0.513 11 9
1991 4,559 7,504 21 3 0.0007 0.400 60 47
1992 4,767 7,515 15 3 0.0006 0.399 29 27
1993 4,936 7,722 22 1 0.0002 0.130 1 0
1994 5,113 7,825 18 4 0.0008 0.511 239 237
1995 5,329 8,106 30 1 0.0002 0.123 160 160
1996 5,450 7,851 31 3 0.0006 0.382 342 342
1997 6,339 9,925 43 3 0.0005 0.302 3 2
1998 6,344 10,535 41 1 0.0002 0.095 1 0
1999 6,689 10,861 40 2 0.0003 0.184 12 11
2000 7,152 11,054 49 2 0.0003 0.181 89 89
2001 6,995 10,633 41 6 0.0003 0.188 531 525
2002 6,928 10,276 34 0 0.0000 0.000 0 0
2003 7,016 10,228 51 2 0.0003 0.196 22 21
2004 7,604 10,783 23 1 0.0001 0.093 13 13
2005 7,844 10,910 33 3 0.0004 0.275 22 20
2006 7,852 10,627 26 2 0.0003 0.188 50 49
2007 7,860 10,720 24 0 0.0000 0.000 0 0


Notes: All data reflects systemwide scheduled service performed by U.S. air carriers operating under 14 CFR 121. 1927 passengers and fatalities were available for domestic flights only. Sabotage-caused accidents and fatalities are included in counts but not rates. Onboard fatalities include passengers and crewmembers.

Sources: 1927-37: AA Statistical Handbook (December 1945). 1938–71: CAB Handbook of Airline Statistics (1973), Part VIII, Items 19c,d, pp. 595-596; NTSB Safety Studies Division. 1972–82: FAA Statistical Handbook (1972-82), Table 9.3, p. 161, citing NTSB for totals; 1983–present: NTSB Aviation Accident Statistics, Table 6.

Last Modified: 6/7/2008

Scheduled Passenger and Cargo Operations

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