Flying got much safer in 2013

THE YEAR 2013 was a very safe year for commercial aviation, Aviation Safety Network data show. By far the safest year by number of fatalities and the second safest year by number of accidents.

Over the year 2013 the Aviation Safety Network recorded a total of 29 fatal airliner accidents, resulting in a record low 265 fatalities. Consequently, the number of fatalities is significantly lower than the ten-year average of 720 fatalities.

The worst accident last year happened on November 17 when a Tatarstan Airlines Boeing 737 crashed while on approach to Kazan, Russia, killing 50.

The number of accidents involving passenger flights was just below average with sixteen accidents as compared to the ten-year average of 17,4 accidents.

The low number of accidents comes as no surprise, according to ASN President Harro Ranter: “Since 1997 the average number of airliner accidents has shown a steady and persistent decline, probably for a great deal thanks to the continuing safety-driven efforts by international aviation organisations such as ICAO, IATA, Flight Safety Foundation and the aviation industry.”

Three out of 29 accident airplanes (10%) were operated by airlines on the E.U. “black list” as opposed to three out of 23 (13%) the year before.

Africa still is the least safe continent, accounting for one-fifth of all fatal airliner accidents while the continent only accounts for approximately three percent of all world aircraft departures.

This is also reflected by the fact that, on average, African nations score 4.6 on a scale of 10 in aviation safety audits performed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Additionally, the airlines of fourteen African nations are not allowed to fly into the E.U. Three countries are banned in the U.S.

Statistics are based on a selection of worldwide fatal accidents involving civil aircraft with a minimum capacity of 14 passengers.

The Aviation Safety Network is an independent organisation located in the Netherlands. Founded in 1996. The figures have been compiled using the airliner accident database of the Aviation Safety Network, using information from authoritative and official sources.