2008 Annual Safety Review reveals mixed results

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published its Annual Safety Review for the year 2008. The number of fatal accidents involving aircraft registered in Member States of EASA * and performing commercial air transport operations remained at the level of 2007 (three). This number is one of the lowest in the decade and well below the average of six fatal accidents per year.

In 2008, 5.5 per cent of all fatal accidents in commercial air transport worldwide occurred with airplanes registered in an EASA Member State. This low number of accidents was overshadowed by the tragic accident of a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft in Spain involving 154 fatalities. The number of onboard fatalities for 2008 (160 fatalities), which was above the average of the decade (105 fatalities), was mainly due to this one accident.

Regarding aircraft registered in the rest of the world, the number of fatal accidents in the same type of operation decreased from 53 in the year 2007 to 51 accidents in 2008. The number is within the decade’s average (53 accidents). The report also includes data on commercial helicopter operations and aircraft involved in General Aviation and aerial work.

Maintaining and improving aviation safety in Europe and worldwide continues to be the Agency’s main priority. The Annual Safety Review also offers an overview of aviation safety measures taken by the Agency, including the progress of the European Strategic Safety Initiative (ESSI).

The Annual Safety Review is compiled by EASA to inform the public of safety levels in civil aviation and is available on the Agency’s website.

Please note that this Annual Safety Review covers the period up to the end of 2008. Accidents occurring in 2009 are not part of this report but will be included in the next one which will be published in the first half of 2010.

* 27 Member States of the European Union, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
 
(c) Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. Date posted: 24-Jul-09