aviation

Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

U.S. General Aviation, Calendar Year 2004

ANNUAL REVIEW OF AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT DATA

NTSB/ARG-08/01

PB2009-101761

Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

U.S. General Aviation, Calendar Year 2004

NTSB/ARG-08/01

PB2009-101761

Notation 7534F

Adopted May 28, 2008

National Transportation Safety Board

490 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20594
National Transportation Safety Board. 2008. U.S. General Aviation, Calendar Year 2004. Annual Review of 

Aircraft Accident Data NTSB/ARG-08/01. Washington, D.C.

Abstract: The National Transportation Safety Board’s 2004 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data for U.S. General Aviation

is a statistical compilation and review of general aviation accidents that occurred in 2004 involving U.S.-registered aircraft. 

As a summary of all U.S. general aviation accidents for 2004, the review is designed to inform general aviation pilots and their 

passengers and to provide detailed information to support future government, industry, and private research efforts and safety 

improvement initiatives.

The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent Federal agency dedicated to promoting aviation, railroad, highway, marine, pipeline, and hazardous materials 

safety. Established in 1967, the agency is mandated by Congress through the Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 to investigate transportation accidents, determine the 

probable causes of the accidents, issue safety recommendations, study transportation safety issues, and evaluate the safety effectiveness of government agencies involved 

in transportation. The Safety Board makes public its actions and decisions through accident reports, safety studies, special investigation reports, safety recommendations, 

and statistical reviews.

Recent publications are available in their entirety on the Web at <http://www.ntsb.gov>. Other information about available publications also may be obtained from the 

Web site or by contacting:

National Transportation Safety Board

Records Management Division, CIO-40

490 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20594

(800) 877-6799 or (202) 314-6551

Safety Board publications may be purchased, by individual copy or by subscription, from the National Technical Information Service. To purchase this publication, order 

report number PB2009-101 from:

National Technical Information Service

5285 Port Royal Road

Springfield, Virginia 22161

(800) 553-6847 or (703) 605-6000

The Independent Safety Board Act, as codified at 49 U.S.C. Section 1154(b), precludes the admission into evidence or use of Board reports related to an incident or accident in a civil action for damages resulting from a matter mentioned in the report. 
Contents

2004 General Aviation Accident Summary ................................ 1

Introduction .................................................................................... 2

Purpose of the Review.....................................................................2

What Is General Aviation? ..............................................................2

Which Operations Are Included in this Review?.................................2

Which Aircraft Are Included in this Review?.......................................3

Organization of the Review .............................................................3

The General Aviation Environment in 2004............................... 4

General Aviation Industry Indicators ................................................4

Fleet Makeup.................................................................................4

General Aviation Activity .................................................................5

Historical Trends in Accident Data .............................................. 7

Accident Rates ...............................................................................7

Number of Accidents and Fatalities..................................................9

Accident Rate by Type of Operation ...............................................10

2004 in Depth............................................................................... 13

Location of General Aviation Accidents in 2004..............................13

United States Aircraft Accidents ..............................................13

Foreign Aircraft Accidents ......................................................14

Aircraft Type.................................................................................15

Purpose of Flight ..........................................................................16

Flight Plan.............................................................................16

Airport Involvement ................................................................17

Environmental Conditions.......................................................18

Lighting Conditions................................................................19

Injuries and Damage for 2004 ......................................................20

Aircraft Damage ....................................................................20

Accident Injuries.....................................................................21

Injuries by Role for 2004...............................................................22

Accident Pilots..............................................................................23

Rating ...................................................................................23

Total Time ............................................................................25

Time in Type of Aircraft ..........................................................25

Age .....................................................................................27

Accident Occurrences for 2004....................................................28

Phase of Flight......................................................................31

Chain of Occurrences .................................................................32

Most Prevalent Causes/Factors for 2004 .......................................33

Probable Causes, Factors, Findings, and the Broad 

Cause/Factor Classification ...............................................33

Human Performance....................................................................37

Weather as a Cause/Factor..........................................................38

Focus on General Aviation Safety: Regulatory 

Changes Associated with the Sport Pilot Certificate 

and Light Sport Aircraft ........................................................... 39

New Regulation ..........................................................................39

Light Sport Aircraft ................................................................39

Sport Pilots...........................................................................40

Accidents....................................................................................41

Pilot Accidents .....................................................................41

Light Sport Aircraft Accidents .................................................42

Summary....................................................................................45

Appendix A .................................................................................. 47

The National Transportation Safety Board Aviation 

Accident/Incident Database ...............................................47

Appendix B ................................................................................. 48

Definitions..................................................................................48

Appendix C................................................................................... 49

The National Transportation Safety Board 

Investigative Process..........................................................49

Appendix D .................................................................................. 50

National Transportation Safety Board Regional Offices...................50

1 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

2004 General Aviation Accident

Summary

A total of 1,619 general aviation accidents occurred during calendar 

year 2004, involving 1,635 aircraft.1 The total number of general 

aviation accidents in 2004 was slightly lower than in 2003, with a 7% 

decrease of 121 accidents. Of the total number of accidents, 314 

were fatal, resulting in a total of 559 fatalities. The number of fatal 

general aviation accidents in 2004 decreased 11% from calendar 

year 2003, and the total number of fatalities decreased by 12%. The 

circumstances of these accidents and details related to the aircraft, 

pilots, and locations are presented throughout this review. 

1,619

314

1,635

559

266

425

1,972

 24,888,000

6.49/100,000 hours

1.26/100,000 hours

2.62/1,000 active pilots

0.51/1,000 active pilots

2004 General Aviation Accident Statistics

General Aviation Accidents

General Aviation Accident Injuries

Fatal

Total accidents

Fatal accidents

Accident aircraft

Serious

Minor

Persons involved in accidents with no injuries

General Aviation Accident Rate

Fatal accidents per active pilots

a Federal Aviation Administration, General Aviation and Air Taxi Survey, 2004.

b Excludes events involving suicide, sabotage, and stolen/unauthorized use

General aviation hours flowna

Fatal accidentsb

All accidentsb

Accidents per active pilots

1 In this review, a collision between two aircraft is counted as a single accident. The 11 midair collisions that occurred in 2004 involved 22 general aviation aircraft. In 

addition, 5 ground collisions involved 10 general aviation aircraft.
2

Introduction

Purpose of the Review 

The National Transportation Safety Board’s 2004 Annual Review 

of Aircraft Accident Data for U.S. General Aviation is a statistical 

compilation and review of general aviation accidents that occurred 

in 2004 involving U.S.-registered aircraft. As a summary of all U.S. 

general aviation accidents for 2004, the review is designed to 

inform general aviation pilots and their passengers about trends in 

general aviation safety and to provide detailed information to support 

future government, industry, and private research efforts and safety 

improvement initiatives.

For this review, the Safety Board extracted accident data from the 

Board’s Aviation Accident/Incident Database.2 Activity data were 

extracted from the General Aviation and Air Taxi Activity and Avionics 

Survey (GAATAA Survey)3 and from U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics,

4

which are published by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 

Statistics and Forecast Branch, Planning and Analysis Division, Office 

of Aviation Policy and Plans. Additional information was extracted from 

the General Aviation Statistical Databook, published by the General 

Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA).

What Is General Aviation?

General aviation can be described as any civil aircraft operation that 

is not covered under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 

121, 129, and 135, commonly referred to as commercial air carrier 

operations.5

Which Operations Are Included in this Review?

This review includes accidents involving U.S.-registered aircraft 

operating under 14 CFR Part 91, as well as public aircraft6 flights 

that do not involve military or intelligence agencies. Aircraft operating 

under Part 91 include aircraft that are flown for recreation and 

personal transportation and certain aircraft operations that are flown 

with the intention of generating revenue,7 including business flights, 

flight instruction, corporate/executive flights, positioning or ferry 

flights, aerial application, pipeline/powerline patrols, and news and 

traffic reporting.

2 See appendix A for more details.

3 FAA: <http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/aviation_data_statistics/general_aviation/CY2004/>. Although they are included in the GAATAA Survey, data associated with air 

taxi and air tour operations are not included in this review.

4 FAA: <http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics/>

5 For a review of accident statistics related to air carrier operations, see National Transportation Safety Board, Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data, U.S. Air Carrier 

Operations, Calendar Year 2004 (Washington, DC: 2007), available at <http://www.ntsb.gov>. 

6 Although the precise statutory definition has changed over the years, public aircraft operations for Safety Board purposes are qualified government missions that 

may include law enforcement, low-level observation, aerial application, firefighting, search and rescue, biological or geological resource management, and aeronautical 

research.

7 See 14 CFR 119.1. 
3 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Which Aircraft Are Included in this Review?

General aviation operations employ a wide range of aircraft, including 

airplanes, rotorcraft, gliders, balloons and blimps, and registered 

experimental or amateur-built aircraft. The diverse set of operations 

and aircraft types included within the scope of general aviation must 

be considered when interpreting the data in this review. The type 

of aircraft being flown is usually closely related to the type of flight 

operation being conducted. Jet and turboprop aircraft are commonly 

used for corporate/executive transportation, smaller single-engine 

piston aircraft are commonly used for instructional flights, and a 

variety of aircraft types are used for personal and business flights.

Not included in this review are any accident data associated with 

aircraft operating under 14 CFR Parts 121, 129, or 135 inside and 

outside the United States. Also not included are data for military or 

intelligence agencies, non-U.S.-registered aircraft, unregistered 

ultralights, and commercial space launches, unless the accident also 

involved aircraft conducting general aviation operations. Crashes 

involving illegal operations, stolen aircraft, suicide, or sabotage are 

included in the accident total, but not in accident rates.8

Organization of the Review

The 2004 Annual Review is organized into four parts:

1. A summary of general aviation accident statistics for 2004, 

industry markers related to general aviation activity in 2004, 

and contextual statistics from previous years. 

2. An investigation of trends over the past 10 years, providing 

the context for such accident information as operation types, 

levels of aircraft damage, and injuries. 

3. A discussion of specific accident circumstances, a description 

of accident occurrences, and a summary of the Safety Board’s 

findings of probable cause and contributing factors.

4. In-depth coverage of a special topic important to general 

aviation safety. The 2004 Annual Review focuses on sport 

pilot and light sport aircraft.

Graphics are used to present much of the information in this review. 

For readers who wish to view tabular data or to manipulate the data 

used in this review, the data set is available online at < http://www.

ntsb.gov/aviation/Stats.htm>. 

8 In 2004, three crashes involved stolen/unauthorized use of aircraft.
4

The General Aviation Environment in

2004

General Aviation Industry Indicators 

A theme repeated throughout the annual reviews is that general 

aviation accident numbers should be interpreted in light of related 

information, such as aircraft type, type of operation, and operating 

environment. Because personal and business operations account for 

the largest percentage of general aviation flying, prevailing economic 

conditions and/or trends may noticeably affect both the general 

aviation industry and flight operations. In 2004, the general aviation 

climate was influenced by generally favorable economic conditions 

and an increase in general aviation aircraft production.

Fleet Makeup

Although sales of new general aviation aircraft increased noticeably 

after the mid-1990s, FAA registry data indicate that general aviation 

aircraft in use during 2004 were on average more than 31 years old. 

U.S. manufacturers delivered 2,355 new general aviation aircraft in 

2004, compared to an estimated 211,821 in service. Single-engine 

piston aircraft currently have the highest average age of all general 

aviation aircraft types and account for the largest percentage of the 

general aviation fleet. As a consequence, any structural or design 

improvements incorporated into newly manufactured aircraft may 

not be reflected in the accident record for several years. The safety 

benefits of improved equipment, such as avionics, are also difficult to 

track because most new equipment is also available for installation 

in older aircraft.

0

1,000

2,000

19851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004

Single-Engine Multi-Engine Turboprop Jet

Annual Shipments of U.S.-Manufactured

General Aviation Aircraft, 1985-2004

 Number of Active Aircraft in

General Aviation, 2004 

Multi-engine 

piston 

17,113 

 Singleengine

piston

145,178

Turboprop

7,019

 Jet 

 7,662 

Rotorcraft 

6,165

Glider

2,117 

Amateurbuilt

19,165 

Lighter

than air

3,819 
5 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

General Aviation Activity

Because general aviation includes such a diverse group of aircraft 

types and operations, some measure of exposure must be considered 

to make meaningful comparisons of accident numbers. Flight activity is 

typically used to normalize accident numbers across different groups, 

with the level of activity corresponding to the level of exposure to 

potential accident risk. Total flight hours, departures, and miles flown 

are common indicators used to measure activity. As the following 

figure shows, annual general aviation flight hour estimates from 1995 

through 2004 peaked in 1999, but were lower after that. In 2004, the 

estimated number of general aviation flight hours was 24.8 million, 

slightly lower from 2003.

Activity data for general aviation are far less reliable than data 

available for commercial air carriers. Unlike Part 121 and scheduled 

Part 135 air carriers, which are required to report total flight hours, 

departures, and miles flown to the Department of Transportation 

(DOT),9 operators of general aviation aircraft are not required to 

report actual flight activity data. As a result, activity for this group of 

aircraft must be estimated using data from the GAATAA Survey,

10

which was established in 1978 to gather information about aircraft 

use, flight hours, and avionics equipment installations from owners of 

general aviation and on-demand Part 135 aircraft. General aviation 

activity data are considered less reliable because a sample of aircraft 

is selected from the registry of aircraft owners for use in the GAATAA 

Survey, and reporting is not required.

In addition to flight-hour estimates, the number of pilots can be used to 

establish the level of exposure to risk for the various types of general 

aviation operations. Available measures of the pilot population include 

both the number of certificates issued to new pilots, which represents 

positive growth in the pilot population, and the number of medical 

certificates issued, which represents an informal census of all active 

pilots. 

The number of new student pilot certificates fluctuated annually 

between 1995 and 2004.11 The total number of new student certificates 

issued in 2004 came to 58,362, an increase from the 55,446 issued 

in 2003. 

Number of General Aviation Hours 

Flown Annually, 1995-2004

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

100,000 Hours

9 Part 121 operators report activity monthly, and scheduled Part 135 operators report quarterly.

10 Available at <http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/aviation_data_statistics/general_aviation/CY2004/>.

11 Available at <http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics/>.
The General Aviation Environment in 2004 6

As shown by the number of medical certificates issued, the total 

number of active pilots in the U.S., including general aviation pilots, 

decreased steadily throughout the early and mid-1990s, from 692,095 

in 1990 to 622,261 in 1996. Between 1996 and 2004, the number of 

active pilots fluctuated, with an estimated total of 618,633 active U.S. 

pilots in 2004.

In summary, general aviation indicators―flight hours and the total 

number of active and newly issued pilot certificates―have fluctuated 

annually, with little overall change, between 1995 and 2004. 

Number of New Student Pilot

Certificates Issued, 1995-2004

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Thousands of Certificates

Estimated Number of Active Pilot

Certificates, 1995-2004

500

550

600

650

700

750

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Thousands of Certificates
7 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Historical Trends In Accident Data

Accident Rates

In the last decade, the calculated general aviation accident rate 

declined overall as annual estimates of general aviation activity 

increased noticeably12 without a corresponding increase in the 

number of accidents. The rate of 6.49 accidents per 100,000 hours 

flown in 2004 was substantially lower than the 8.21 accidents per 

100,000 hours recorded in 1995. In fact, the 2004 rate was only 

slightly higher than that of 1999, which had the lowest rate since the 

Safety Board began reporting general aviation-only annual accident 

rates in 1975.13 The relative percentage of fatal accidents remained 

fairly constant from 1995 through 2004, at 18 to 21% of the total rate. 

The 2004 rate of 1.26 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours was 

only slightly lower than the 2003 fatal accident rate of 1.34.

In 2004, accident-related deaths per flight hour were 2.3 fatalities 

per 100,000 hours flown. The highest annual fatality-per-hour rate 

occurred in 1995 with 3.0 deaths per 100,000 hours flown.

General Aviation Accident Rate

 1995 - 2004

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Accidents per 100,000 Hours

Accidents Fatal Accidents

12 FAA estimates of annual general aviation activity increased noticeably after 1998 due to a change of GAATAA Survey methodology that increased the estimated general 

aviation aircraft population by about 10%. See appendix A of the GAATAA Survey, Calendar Year 2004, for an explanation of the changes in survey methodology.

13 Prior to 1975, scheduled 14 CFR 135 commuter and non-scheduled 14 CFR 135 air taxi aircraft operations were included in the Safety Board’s annual general aviation 

accident total and rate. 
8

Another measure of accident distribution is the number of accidents 

per active pilot. Although this measure was considerably more stable 

from 1995 through 2004 than the per-hour accident rate, it did decrease 

slightly overall. The per-pilot rate in 2004 was only slightly lower than 

the 2003 rate.

Accident rate calculations based on flight hours require the use of 

GAATAA activity data extrapolated from a relatively small sample of 

aircraft owners. As a result, the calculated values are accurate only to 

the extent that the sample represents the larger population of general 

aviation operators. For this reason, accident rate data presented in 

this review typically also include raw frequency data for comparison. 

Historical Trends in Accident Data

Number of General Aviation Fatalities 

per 100,000 Hours Flown, 1995-2004

3.0

2.6 2.5 2.4

2.1 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.3

0

1

2

3

4

5

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Fatalities per 100,000 Hours

General Aviation Accident Distribution 

per Active Pilot, 1995-2004

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Accidents per 1,000 Pilots

Accidents Fatal Accidents
9 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Number of Accidents and Fatalities

Although the number of general aviation accidents fluctuated slightly 

from year to year, the number of accidents that occurred annually 

between 1995 and 2004 declined overall from 2,056 in 1995 to 1,619 

in 2004, and the number of fatal accidents decreased overall, from 

413 to 314.

The number of general aviation fatalities also exhibited a generally 

downward trend from the high of 735 in 1995 to 559 in 2004. It should 

be noted that 2004 continues a generally downward trend in total 

fatalities for the 10-year period. It should also be noted that the trend 

reflects a decrease in general aviation flight hours annually following 

the events of September 11, 2001.

Number of General Aviation Accidents 

1995 - 2004

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Accidents Fatal Accidents

Number of Fatal General Aviation 

Accidents and Fatalities, 1995-2004

0

250

500

750

1,000

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Fatal Accidents Fatalities
Historical Trends in Accident Data 10

Accident Rate by Type of Operation

General aviation includes a wide range of operations, each with unique 

aircraft types, flight profiles, and operating procedures. This diversity 

is evident in the accident record. However, the GAATAA flight data 

allow for only a coarse representation of the many types of general 

aviation operations. For some types of operations, such as public 

aircraft flights,14 no activity data are available. The data presented 

here include four operational categories selected because they 

are representative of general aviation and have activity information 

available. The categories selected as typical of general aviation 

activity include personal/business flights,15 corporate flights, aerial 

application, and instructional flights.

• Personal flights make up the largest portion of general aviation 

activity and include all flying for pleasure and/or personal 

transportation. Although similar to personal flights, business 

flights include the use of an aircraft for business transportation 

without a paid, professional crew. Personal and business 

flights are typically conducted in single- and multi-engine 

piston airplanes, but may include a range of aircraft including 

gliders, rotorcraft, and balloons. 

• Corporate flights include any business transportation with 

a professional crew and usually involve larger, multi-engine 

piston, turboprop, and jet airplanes. 

• Aerial application includes the use of specially equipped 

aircraft for seeding and for spraying pesticides, herbicides, 

and fertilizer. Aerial application is unique because it requires 

pilots to fly close to the ground. 

• Instructional flights include any flight under the supervision 

of a certificated flight instructor.16 Instructional flights typically 

include both dual training flights and student solo flights. 

Aircraft used for instruction are often similar to those used for 

personal flying. However, instructional operations are unique 

because they often involve the repeated practice of takeoffs 

and landings, flight maneuvers, and emergency procedures.

In 8 of the last 10 years, personal and business flights have had the 

highest average accident rate, followed by aerial application. The 

lowest accident rate was for corporate/executive transportation, which 

for the 10-year period ranked lowest overall each year. 

Accident Rate by

Type of Operation, 1995 - 2004

(per 100, 000 Flight Hours)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Personal and Business Aerial Application

Flight Instruction Corporate/Executive

14 Annual Review 2004 data include 17 public aircraft accidents, 6 of which resulted in 1 or more fatalities.

15 Because of the difficulty of accurately distinguishing between personal and business flying for both the activity survey and the accident record, the rate presented in this 

review is calculated using combined exposure data (hours flown).

16 See 14 CFR Part 61, Subpart H, for flight instructor certificate and rating requirements. 
11 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

In 2004, the highest proportion of flying time was associated with 

personal and business operations, which accounted for the largest 

proportion of accidents, 69% (n = 1,118), a percentage consistent 

with the 10-year average. Less than 1% of the accidents (n = 6) were 

corporate/executive operations, 5% were aerial application (n = 80), 

and 14%, instructional flying (n = 229). Totals for corporate/executive 

accidents are barely visible when graphed in comparison to accidents 

involving other types of operations. For both corporate/executive 

operations and instructional flights, the proportion of flight hours was 

higher than the proportion of accidents, reflecting the relative safety 

of these missions. 

Throughout the 10-year period, the combined category of personal/

business flights also had the highest fatal accident rate. Except for 

2000 and 2001, the rate was typically more than double the rate for 

any other type of flying. 

Fatal Accident Rate by

Type of Operation, 1995 - 2004

(per 100,000 Flight Hours)

0

1

2

3

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Personal and Business Aerial Application

Flight Instruction Corporate / Executive

Number of Accidents by

Type of Operation, 1995-2004

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Personal and Business Aerial Application

Flight Instruction Corporate/Executive
Historical Trends in Accident Data 12

Between 1995 and 2004, an average 259 fatal accidents per year were 

personal/business flights, compared to an average 23 fatal accidents 

for instructional flights, 12 for aerial application, and 3 for corporate/

executive flights. Differences in the number and rate of fatalities and 

injuries among types of operation are likely related to the type of 

aircraft and equipment, the level of pilot training, and the operating 

environments unique to each type of operation. The number of fatal 

accidents per year among each type of flight operation exhibits a 

distribution similar to the number of accidents; personal and business 

flying accounted for an average 74% of all fatal general aviation 

accidents and 74% of all fatal injuries for 1995 through 2004.

Number of Fatal Accidents by

Type of Operation, 1995-2004

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Personal and Business Aerial Application

Flight Instruction Corporate/Executive
13 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

2004 in Depth

Location of General Aviation Accidents in 2004

United States Aircraft Accidents 

Geographic location can contribute to general aviation accident 

totals because of increased activity associated with population 

density, increased risk due to hazardous terrain, a propensity for 

hazardous weather, or a concentration of particularly hazardous flight 

operations. The following map shows state by state the number of all 

general aviation accidents that occurred within the United States in 

2004. Although the specific hourly activity data needed to calculate 

general aviation accident rates for each state are not available, some 

assumptions can be made about general aviation activity levels based 

on the size and population of each state. For example, California, 

Texas, and Florida had the greatest number of accidents in 2004. 

U.S. Census Bureau data17 indicate that California had the highest 

state population in 2004, followed by Texas (second), and Florida 

(fourth). In addition, all three states have warm climates that favor 

year-round flying, and all three are popular travel destinations that 

attract general aviation traffic from other states. These states also 

had the largest numbers of active pilots18 and active aircraft.19 These 

data suggest that the high number of accidents in California, Texas, 

and Florida are related primarily to a high level of activity. 

Regional differences that affect general aviation accident numbers 

may also include hazards unique to the local terrain and weather. 

For example, the operating environment, infrastructure, and travel 

requirements in Alaska present unique challenges20 to aviation that 

are reflected in the general aviation accident record. After California, 

Texas, and Florida, Alaska had the most general aviation accidents 

in 2004.

10

0

18

12

2

26 7

10

4

29

33

18

11

27

19

110

41 16 26

22

19

31

36

25 26

33

30

12

29

31

11

125 24

21

22

11

9

6

63

29

81

67

34

14

26

35

27

163

38

70

Accidents

34+ (12)

29 to 33 (8)

21 to 28 (11)

12 to 20 (8)

0 to 11 (11)

General Aviation Accidents by U.S. State, 2004

17 U.S. Census Bureau; data are available at <http://factfinder.census.gov/>.

18 Available at <http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics/>.

19 Available at <http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/aviation_data_statistics/general_aviation/CY2004/>.
14

The top 10 states by number of general aviation accidents in 2004 

are presented here along with the 10-year average. Note that many 

of the state accident totals for 2004 were below historical averages, 

but the distribution of accidents among states remained similar during 

the period.

Foreign Aircraft Accidents 

In 2004, U.S.-registered aircraft were involved in 30 accidents outside 

the 50 United States. Those accidents occurred in 16 different 

countries and territories, and in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Of 

those accidents, 10 were fatal, resulting in 18 deaths. Most of these 

accidents occurred in the Bahamas, with four accidents. As expected, 

general aviation accidents involving U.S.-registered aircraft outside 

the United States usually occur in neighboring countries like Canada 

and Mexico, and the Caribbean island nations, but in 2004, accidents 

occurred as far away as France, Malaysia, and Romania.

2004 in Depth

Top 10 General Aviation Accident States, 2004

36

38

41

63

67

70

81

110

125

163

47

45

43

65

66

62

110

125

127

190

Michigan

Oregon

Georgia

Colorado

Arizona

Washington

Alaska

Florida

Texas

California

2004 10-yr Average

From Fishing Vessel 1 0 0

1 0 0

Left Naples, Italy 1 0 0

1 0 0

Bahamas 4 1 3

Canada 3 1 1

Chile 1 0 0

Corsica 1 1 2

Dominican Republic 1 0 0

France 2 2 7

Greenland 1 1 1

Honduras 1 1 1

Mexico 3 0 0

Malaysia 1 0 0

Netherlands Antilles 1 0 0

Puerto Rico 3 0 0

Romania 1 0 0

St. Kitts and Nevis 1 0 0

United Kingdom 1 1 1

Virgin Islands 3 2 2

28 10 18

30 10 18

Accidents Involving U.S.-Registered General Aviation Aircraft Outside the 50

United States, 2004

Number of

Accidents

Number of Fatal 

Accidents

Number of

Fatalities

Total

 Other Locations

Subtotal

 Pacific Ocean

Subtotal

Atlantic Ocean

Subtotal
15 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Aircraft Type

The following figure summarizes the total number of general aviation 

accidents and fatal accidents occurring in 2004 by aircraft type. Most 

notable is the large number of accidents involving single-engine 

piston airplanes, which accounted for 75% of all accident aircraft and 

69% of all fatal accident aircraft.

In 2004, the per-aircraft accident rate for all aircraft types was 

6.56 accidents and 1.29 fatal accidents per 100,000 hours flown.21 

Among fixed-wing powered aircraft, the rate for single-engine piston 

airplanes was 8.22 accidents and 1.50 fatal accidents per 100,000 

hours flown. Amateur-built aircraft22 had the highest accident rate 

among all general aviation aircraft, with 19.60 accidents and 4.65 

fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours. Rotorcraft had the secondhighest rate among powered aircraft, with 9.34 accidents and 1.53 

fatal accidents per 100,000 hours flown. However, glider operations 

had the second-highest accident rate overall, with 21.85 accidents 

Number of Accidents by and 5.88 fatal accidents per 100,000 hours flown. Type of Aircraft, 2004

22

26

165

194

22

56

116

1,228

1,635

321

223

43

11

7

46

27

7

3 Lighter-than-air

Gliders

Rotorcraft

Amateur-built

Jet airplane

Turboprop airplane

Multi-engine piston airplane

Single-engine piston airplane

All aircraft

Total

Fatal

21 Note that the reported rates are per aircraft and differ from per-accident rates because each aircraft is counted separately for collisions. Included in the accident totals, 

but excluded from the associated rates, are three single-engine piston aircraft crashes with a probable cause attributed to stolen/unauthorized use of aircraft.

22 Title 14 CFR 21.191(g) provides for the issuance of a Special Airworthiness Certificate in the experimental category to permit the operation of amateur-built aircraft. 

Amateur-built aircraft may be fabricated from plans or assembled from a kit, so long as the major portion of construction is completed by the amateur builder(s).

Accident Rate per Aircraft Type, 2004

(per 100,000 Flight Hours)

16.94

21.85

9.34

19.60

0.77

3.50

5.27

8.22

6.56

2.31

5.88

1.53

4.65

0.24

0.69

1.95

1.50

1.29

Lighter-than-air

Gliders

Rotorcraft

Amateur-built

Jet airplane

Turboprop airplane

Multi-engine piston airplane

Single-engine piston airplane

All aircraft

Total

Fatal
2004 in Depth 16

Purpose of Flight

The type of operation or purpose of flight can be defined as the reason 

a flight is initiated. Activity data by purpose of flight are derived from 

the GAATAA Survey, which includes 14 purpose/use categories. Two 

of these categories, air taxis and air tours, are covered under 14 CFR 

Part 135 and are therefore not included in this review. The remaining 

12 include the previously mentioned categories of personal, business, 

instructional, corporate, and aerial application, which together 

accounted for 90% of all general aviation operations during 2004. 

The remaining 10% are included in more specific categories, such 

as external load and medical use. A limitation of the GAATAA activity 

data is that those categories provide only a coarse representation 

of the range of possible flight operations. For example, personal 

flying includes but does not distinguish between travel, recreation, or 

proficiency flying. At the same time, the differences between similar 

categories like personal and business flying are not easily identified. 

Accordingly, the purpose-of-flight information presented in this review 

is limited to the combined categories of personal and business flying, 

as well as corporate, instructional, and aerial application flights.

According to the GAATAA Survey, most general aviation operations are 

conducted for personal and/or business purposes. Of the estimated 

25 million general aviation hours flown in 2004, more than half―13.5 

million―were personal or business flights.23 Accordingly, a large 

percentage of general aviation accidents involve personal/business 

flights. However, personal/business flying is still over-represented in 

the accident record: although this segment represented about 54% of 

the general aviation hours in 2004, it accounted for 69% of all general 

aviation accidents (n = 1,118) and 73% of all fatal accidents in 2004 

(n = 230).

The accident rate for instructional flights was about half that of 

personal/business flights overall. This relatively low rate is surprising 

because student pilots could be expected to make more mistakes 

than experienced pilots. Flight instruction accidents were also less 

likely to be fatal. Only 7% of the flight instruction accidents that 

occurred in 2004 resulted in fatalities, compared to 21% of personal/

business accidents. When compared with the number of hours flown, 

the fatal accident rate for instructional flights was 0.42 fatal accidents 

per 100,000 hours flown. The fatal accident rate for personal/

business flights remained the highest in general aviation with 1.71 

fatal accidents per 100,000 hours flown. 

Flight Plan

In 2004, 1,635 pilots were involved in general aviation accidents, and 

for those pilots, 1,349 (83%) showed no record of filing a flight plan. 

In most cases, a flight plan is required only for flight under instrument 

flight rules (IFR). However, pilots operating under visual flight rules 

(VFR) on point-to-point flights have the option of filing a flight plan, 

which aids search and rescue efforts for pilots who fail to arrive at 

their intended destinations.

23 GAATAA Survey 2004: <http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/aviation_data_statistics/general_aviation/CY2004/>.
17 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Airport Involvement

Aircraft accident locations were closely split between those occurring 

on airport property (43%) and those occurring away from an airport 

(49%). Comparing accident risk based on location is difficult because 

of the exposure differences between types of operations and types 

of aircraft. For example, a single-engine piston aircraft used for 

instructional flights will spend a large percentage of its operating time 

near an airport while a jet aircraft used for corporate transportation 

will not. However, a relationship can be observed between the 

location and severity of accidents. Accidents on or near an airport or 

airstrip typically involve aircraft operating at relatively low altitudes 

and airspeeds while taking off, landing, or maneuvering to land. In 

contrast, accidents that occur away from an airport typically involve 

the climb, cruise, maneuvering, and descent phases of flight, which 

typically occur at higher altitudes and higher airspeeds. As a result, 

these accidents are more likely to result in higher levels of injury and 

aircraft damage than accidents that occur on an airstrip or near an 

airport. Most fatal accidents in 2004 (85%) were located away from 

an airport or airstrip.

Another distinction that can be drawn between flight profiles is 

between local and point-to-point operations. A local flight is one that 

departs and lands at the same airport, and a point-to-point flight is 

one that lands at an airport other than the one from which it departed. 

Typical local flight operations include sightseeing, flight instruction, 

proficiency flights, pleasure flights, and most aerial observation and 

aerial application flights. Conversely, point-to-point flights include 

any operation conducted with the goal of moving people, cargo, or 

equipment from one place to another. Typical point-to-point operations 

include corporate/executive transportation, personal and business 

Flight Plan Filed by Accident Pilot, 2004 

VFR

8%

IFR

10%

No record / 

unknown

83%

Location of Accident Aircraft, 2004

15

268

38

130

799

706

0 200 400 600 800 1,000

Unknown

Off-airport

On airport

Number of Aircraft

Total Fatal
2004 in Depth 18

travel, and aircraft repositioning flights. A comparison of the numbers 

of accident aircraft on local flights with those on point-to-point flights 

illustrates that the percentages of aircraft on point-to-point flights 

accounted for more accident aircraft.

The activity data necessary to compare accident rates for local and 

point-to-point flights are not available. However, a comparison of the 

percentage of local and point-to-point accident flights conducted for 

different purposes provides an indirect measure of the types of flying 

represented in both flight profiles. The following figure shows that most 

personal/business flights were point-to-point, while more than half of 

instructional flights were local. Corporate/executive transportation 

and aerial application operations were also inversely proportional, 

with 83% of corporate flights being point-to-point and 79% of aerial 

application flights being local. 

Environmental Conditions

Many hazards are unique to the type of flight operation, type of aircraft, 

and flight profile, but environmental conditions may be hazardous to 

all flight operations and all types of aircraft to some degree. Aircraft 

control, for example, is highly dependant on visual cues related to 

speed, distance, orientation, and altitude. When visual information is 

degraded or obliterated because of clouds, fog, haze, or precipitation, 

pilots must rely on aircraft instruments. Because of the difficulties 

associated with flying an aircraft solely by reference to instruments, 

the FAA has established specific pilot, aircraft, and procedural 

requirements24 for flight in instrument meteorological conditions 

Local and Point-to-Point Flights, 2004

Local

36%

Point-topoint

64%

595

1,040

Percentage of Local Flights by Type of

Accident Operation, 2004

42%

79%

52%

29%

17%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Public use

Aerial application

Flight instruction

Coorporate / executive

Personal / business

24 Title 14 CFR 61.579(c), 91.167-193, 91.205(d).
19 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

(IMC). According to the FAA Pilot/Controller Glossary,

25 instrument 

meteorological conditions are defined as “meteorological conditions 

expressed in terms of visibility, distance from cloud, and ceiling less 

than the minima26 specified for Visual Meteorological Conditions 

(VMC).” Weather minima differ based on altitude, airspace, and 

lighting conditions, but 3 statute miles visibility and a cloud clearance 

of 1,000 feet above, 500 feet below, and 2,000 feet horizontal distance 

are typical. The following figure illustrates the percentage of accidents 

and fatal accidents that occurred in VMC and IMC. A comparison of 

the percentages of accidents in each weather condition that resulted 

in a fatality illustrates the hazards associated with flight in IMC. In 

2004, only 16% of the accidents that occurred in visual conditions 

resulted in a fatality, but 71% of accidents in instrument conditions 

were fatal.

Although instrument conditions were present for only 7% of all 

accidents, 25% of fatal general aviation accidents in 2004 occurred 

in IMC. One reason for the disproportionate number of fatal 

accidents in IMC is that such accidents are more likely to involve pilot 

disorientation, loss of control, and collision with terrain or objects—

accident profiles that typically result in high levels of damage and 

injury. Instrument conditions may also contribute to accident severity 

by further complicating situations that might be more easily handled 

in visual conditions. For example, a forced landing due to an engine 

malfunction or failure, which might result in minor damage if it 

occurred in visual conditions, might pose an even greater threat to a 

pilot flying in instrument conditions because reduced visibility would 

hinder selection of a suitable landing site.

Lighting Conditions

Lighting conditions can present a similar hazard to pilots because 

of physiological factors related to night vision, difficulties in seeing 

potential hazards such as mountains, terrain, and unlighted 

obstructions, and perceptual illusions associated with having fewer 

visual cues. The following figures illustrate that, similar to IMC, most 

accidents occurred in daylight conditions but a larger percentage of 

the accidents that occurred at night resulted in fatalities.

Total Accidents and Fatal Accidents 

by Weather Condition, 2004

111 79

1,518

237

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

IMC VMC

Total Fatal

(71% Fatal) (16% Fatal)

25 FAA, Pilot/Controller Glossary, Washington, D.C., available at <http://faa.gov/atpubs/PCG/INDEX.HTM>

26 Minima for visual meteorological conditions are specified in 14 CFR 91.155.
2004 in Depth 20

In fact, accidents that occurred at night were more than twice as likely 

as daylight accidents to be fatal. Like weather-related accidents, 

accidents at night are more likely to involve disorientation, loss of 

control, and/or collision with objects or terrain, resulting in higher levels 

of injury. The reduction in visual cues at night also hinders pilots from 

identifying deteriorating weather conditions and further complicates 

their ability to deal with any aircraft equipment malfunctions. 

Injuries and Damage for 2004

Aircraft Damage

Safety Board investigators record aircraft damage as either 

“destroyed,” “substantial,” or “minor.” Title 49 CFR 830.2 defines 

“substantial damage” as “damage or failure which adversely affects 

the structural strength, performance, or flight characteristics of the 

aircraft, and which would normally require major repair or replacement 

of the affected component.” Although not specifically defined in 49 

CFR 830.2, “destroyed” can be operationally defined as any damage 

in which repair costs exceed the value of the aircraft,27 and “minor” 

damage as any damage that is not classified as either “destroyed” or 

“substantial.”

16

5

232

9

42

21

1,395

37

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000

Accidents and Fatal Accidents by

Lighting Condition, 2004

59

140

Unknown

Day

Night

Dusk

Dawn

Number of Accidents

Fatal Total

Percentage of Accidents Resulting in a 

Fatality by Lighting Condition, 2004

24%

17%

24%

42%

Dawn Day Dusk Night

27 Missing or unrecoverable aircraft are also considered “destroyed.”
21 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Nearly 8 of every 10 aircraft involved in accidents during 2004 

sustained substantial damage, and about 1 in 5 accident aircraft 

were destroyed. “Minor” and “no damage” classifications together 

comprised about 1% of accident aircraft.

Accident Injuries

In accordance with 49 CFR 830.2, Safety Board investigators 

categorize general aviation injuries as “fatal,” “serious,” or “minor.” 

A fatal injury is defined as “any injury which results in death within 

30 days of the accident.” Title 49 CFR 830.2 also outlines several 

attributes28 of serious injury that include, but are not limited to, 

hospitalization for more than 48 hours, bone fracture, internal organ 

damage, or second- or third-degree burns. The following figure depicts 

the percentage of general aviation accidents resulting in each level 

of injury during 2004. Most notable is the fact that more than half the 

accidents did not result in injury. 

The following figures illustrate both the number of accident aircraft 

in each injury category and the corresponding number of persons 

aboard those aircraft who sustained injuries in each category. 

Categorization of injury level in an accident is based on the highest 

level of injury sustained by an occupant of an accident aircraft. Again, 

most persons who were aboard general aviation aircraft that were 

involved in accidents sustained no injuries.

Damage to Accident Aircraft, 2004

Substantial

81%

None

1%

Destroyed

17%

Minor

1%

28 See appendix B for the complete definition of injury categories.

 Highest Level of Accident Injury, 2004

Fatal

19%

Serious

10%

Minor

15%

None

56%
22

Injuries by Role for 2004

The table to the right presents detailed information about the types of 

injuries incurred by all persons involved in general aviation accidents 

during 2004. The distribution of general aviation accident injuries 

varies with the type of operation and the size of aircraft; the number of 

injuries experienced by any group of persons varies with their level of 

activity (that is, their exposure to risk). For example, all aircraft have 

a pilot, but not all have passengers on board.

In 2004, 467 passengers suffered some level of injury in general aviation 

accidents, compared to the 714 pilots and copilots who were injured. 

Pilots sustained the highest percentage of injuries, suffering 53% of all 

fatalities, 60% of all serious injuries, and 55% of all minor injuries. 

In addition to injuries sustained by persons on board the accident 

aircraft, 11 persons on the ground sustained injuries as a result of 

general aviation accidents. For example, one person in an automobile 

was seriously injured when an aircraft collided with vehicles during 

a forced landing on the freeway, a passenger was seriously injured 

after being struck by an aircraft propeller, and three people sustained 

minor injuries when the aircraft impacted a residence following an 

uncontrolled descent. 

2004 in Depth

Total Injuries Sustained 

by Persons Aboard

Accident Aircraft, 2004

559

263

417

1,972

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

Fatal Serious Minor None

 Highest Level of Injury 

Aboard Accident Aircraft 

2004

314

165 237

903

0

500

1,000

1,500

Fatal Serious Minor None

Personal Injuries Fatal Serious Minor None Total

 Pilot 295 158 228 954 1,635

 Copilot 20 3 10 40 73

 Flight instructor 10 8 13 72 103

 Dual student 4 1 4 11 20

 Check pilot 20169

 Other crew 10 1 4 29 44

 Passenger 218 92 157 860 1,327

 Total aboard 559 263 417 1,972 3,211

 On ground 0380 11

 Other aircraft 00000

 Total 559 266 425 1,972 3,222

General Aviation Accident Injuries, 2004
23 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Accident Pilots

Rating

Of the 1,635 pilots involved in general aviation accidents in 2004, the 

largest percentage held a private pilot certificate.29 The second-largest 

percentage held a commercial pilot certificate, which is required for 

any person to act as pilot-in-command of an aircraft for compensation 

or hire.30

When compared to the number of active pilots in 2004 holding each 

type of pilot certificate, commercial pilot certificate holders were overrepresented among general aviation accidents. Although commercial 

pilot certificate holders accounted for only 20% of all active general 

aviation pilots, they were involved in 34% of all general aviation 

accidents in 2004. 

Similarly, the accident rate was highest for commercial pilot certificate 

holders during 2004, with 4.49 accidents per 1,000 active pilots. One 

possible explanation for the higher numbers of accidents is that 

commercial certificate holders may be employed as pilots and would 

therefore be likely to fly more hours annually than student or private 

Highest Certificate Held 

by Accident Pilot, 2004

Student

6%

Other / none

1%

Airline 

transport

13%

Commercial

34%

Private

45%

29 Available at <http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/aviation_data_statistics/general_aviation/CY2004/>.

30 See 14 CFR 61.133 for the privileges granted by a commercial pilot certificate.

Number of Active Pilots 

by Highest Certificate, 2004

Airline

transport

142,160 

Commercial

122,592 

Private

235,994

Student

87,910

Recreational

291
24

pilots. However, more than one-third of commercial pilots involved 

in accidents during 2004 (34%) were conducting personal flights 

and were not involved in commercial operations at the time of the 

accidents.

(1,603 of accident pilot records with data available, 2004)

Because annual flight-hour data are not compiled separately for pilots 

holding each type of certificate, it is not possible to compare activitybased accident rates. The U.S. Civil Airmen Statistics31 also do not 

include information about the type of operation that certificate holders 

engage in. Examples of other commercial operations not presented 

in the figure above include corporate/executive transportation, 

sightseeing flights, banner towing, and aerial observation. 

2004 in Depth

Accident Rate per 1,000 Active Pilots 

by Certificate, 2004

1.17

3.04

4.49

1.48

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

Student Private Commercial Airline

Transport

Type of Operation Conducted by

Accident Pilot Certificate, 2004

690

271

117

1 72

4 11

110

0 21 24 35

0

200

400

600

800

Private Commercial Airline Transport

Personal / Business Aerial Application

Instruction Ferry / Positioning

31 Available at <http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/aviation_data_statistics/general_aviation/CY2004/>.
25 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Total Time

For the 1,568 accident pilots for whom total flight 

experience data are available (as shown in the figure 

on this page, upper right), 47% were pilots with a 

total flight time of 1,000 hours or less. The following 

figure depicts the distribution of experience among 

accident pilots. The inset focuses on those pilots 

with less than 1,000 hours. The largest percentage 

of accident pilots in this group had 200 hours or less 

of total flight time. When compared to all accident 

pilots with available data, about 16% of accident 

pilots had 200 hours of flight experience or less.

It is not surprising that 9 of 10 accident pilots with 

200 hours total flight time or less were flying singleengine piston airplanes. Most accident pilots with 

more than 1,000 hours were also flying singleengine piston airplanes, but this group also operated 

a more diverse selection of aircraft—multi-engine 

piston, turboprop, and turbine-powered airplanes—

and more than twice as many rotorcraft.

Time in Type of Aircraft

Of the 1,370 accidents in 2004 for which pertinent 

data are available (as shown in the figure on this 

page, lower right), 42% involved pilots with 100 

hours or less of time in the accident aircraft make 

and model. Of those, 123 pilots (9% of all accident 

pilots for whom data are available) had less than 10 

hours in type. Most accident pilots with less than 10 

hours of flight time in make and model were flying 

single-engine piston aircraft.

Accident Pilot Total Time, 2004

744

260

113

71

64

42

38

18

22

21

175

0-1,000

1,001-2,000

2,001-3,000

3,001-4,000

4,001-5,000

5,001-6000

6,001-7,000

7,001-8,000

8,001-9,000

9,001-10,000

>10,000

Flight Hours

Accident Pilot Total Time 

2004 

(less than 1,000 hours)

259

186

119

97

83

0-200

201-400

401-600

601-800

801-1,000

Flight Hours

Type Aircraft Flown by Accident Pilots 

With 200 or Less Hours Total Flight

Time, 2004

2%

2%

4%

0%

0%

2%

90%

Glider

Lighter-than-air

Rotorcraft

Airplane turbine

Airplane turboprop

Airplane multi-engine piston

Airplane single-engine

piston

Type Aircraft Flown by Accident Pilots 

With More than 1,000 Hours Total 

Flight Time, 2004

1%

1%

13%

2%

6%

10%

67%

Glider

Lighter-than-air

Rotorcraft

Airplane turbine

Airplane turboprop

Airplane multi-engine piston

Airplane single-engine

piston
26

Pilots may have low time in type because they are new pilots with 

low total time or they are experienced pilots who are transitioning to 

a new aircraft. Two groups of pilots that might be expected to have 

accumulated significant time in make and model are those who own 

their own airplanes and fly them often and professional pilots who fly 

the same aircraft often. A large number of general aviation pilots who 

own aircraft have single-engine piston airplanes. Helicopters and 

multi-engine piston, jet, and turboprop airplanes are more likely to be 

operated by professional pilots. Although not specifically detailed in 

the figure above, it is worth noting that 34 of the 123 accident pilots 

in 2004 who had less than 10 hours in the accident aircraft type were 

operating amateur-built aircraft. 

2004 in Depth

Accident Pilot Total Time

 in Aircraft Type, 2004

123

570

215

110

76

51

43

31

31

27

33

183

0-10

0-100

101-200

201-300

301-400

401-500

501-600

601-700

701-800

801-900

901-1,000

>1,000

Flight Hours

Type Aircraft Flown by Accident Pilots 

With 10 or Less Hours in Accident

Aircraft Type, 2004

3%

2%

5%

0%

3%

7%

80%

Glider

Lighter-than-air

Rotorcraft

Airplane turbine

Airplane turboprop

Airplane multi-engine piston

Airplane single-engine piston

Type Aircraft Flown by Accident Pilots 

With More than 200 Hours in Accident

Aircraft Type, 2004

1%

1%

14%

3%

5%

7%

69%

Glider

Lighter-than-air

Rotorcraft

Airplane turbine

Airplane turboprop

Airplane multi-engine piston

Airplane single-engine piston
27 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Comparison of the two figures in the right column, page 26, shows 

that accident pilots with more than 200 hours in make and model were 

more likely than pilots with fewer hours in type to be flying rotorcraft or 

multi-engine piston, jet, or turboprop airplanes.

Age

The average age of all active pilots in the U.S. increased steadily 

from 1995 through 2004 and by 2004 was 4532 years. In contrast, the 

average age of general aviation accident pilots was 50. Despite the 

difference in average age, no meaningful conclusions can be made 

regarding specific age-related accident risk because FAA flight-hour 

activity numbers are not available for each age group. Age differences 

could be the result of activity if opportunities for recreational flying 

were to increase with age.

The two figures that follow on this page and the next show the 

relationship of the accident pilot’s age by type of operation and by 

highest pilot certificate.

Average Age of Active Pilots

 1995-2004

42

43 43 44 44 44 44 44 45 45

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Age in Years

Average Age of Accident Pilot by Type

of Operation, 2004

40.3

48.2

48.9

36.0

52.4

50.0

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Instruction

Other work

Aerial application

Corporate/executive

Personal/business

All accident pilots

Age in Years

32 Available at <http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/aviation_data_statistics/general_aviation/CY2004/>.
28

Accident Occurrences for 2004

Safety Board accident reports document the circumstances of an 

accident as “accident occurrences” and “sequence of events.” 

Occurrence data can be defined as what happened during the 

accident. A total of 54 occurrence codes are available to describe the 

events for any given accident.33 Because aviation accidents are rarely 

limited to a single occurrence, each occurrence is coded as part of 

a sequence (that is, occurrence 1, occurrence 2, etc.), with as many 

as six different occurrence codes in one accident. For accidents that 

involve more than one aircraft, the list of occurrences may be different 

for each aircraft. Of the 1,601 accident aircraft in 2004 for which data 

are available, 1,285 cited 2 or more occurrences, 725 cited 3 or more, 

178 cited 4 or more, 12 cited 5 or more, and 2 cited a total of 6. 

The excerpt from a brief report shown here, which is for a 2004 

accident with four occurrences, illustrates how an accident with 

multiple occurrences is coded. In this accident, an airplane entered an 

inverted spin during a skydiving operation when a parachute deployed 

while the parachutist exited the airplane. The parachute became 

entangled around the landing gear and the parachutist could not be 

freed. The pilot, who was wearing a parachute, and the remaining 

parachutists jumped from the airplane. The airplane then impacted a 

flat field, inverted, and the entangled parachutist was killed. Each of 

these occurrences was coded in order, as shown.

Example of Occurrence Findings Cited in an NTSB Accident Brief, 2004

Occurrence #1: MISCELLANEOUS/OTHER

Phase of Operation: CRUISE

----------

Occurrence #2: LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT

Phase of Operation: CRUISE

----------

Occurrence #3: LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT

Phase of Operation: DESCENT – UNCONTROLLED

----------

Occurrence #4: IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER

Phase of Operation: DESCENT – UNCONTROLLED

2004 in Depth

Average Age of Accident Pilot by

Highest Pilot Certificate, 2004

40.2

48.3

51.7

52.2

50.0

40 45 50 55

Student

Commercial

Private

ATP

All accident pilots

Age in Years

33 Two of the codes, missing aircraft and undetermined, do not represent operational events.
29 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Occurrence data do not include specific information about why an 

accident may have happened; the first occurrence can instead be 

considered the first observable link in the accident chain of events. 

The following table displays first occurrences for all year-2004 general 

aviation accident aircraft with sequence of events data available. 

To simplify the presentation of accident occurrence data, similar 

occurrences can be grouped into eight major categories.

Among the eight major categories of first occurrences, the largest 

percentage of accidents (26%) related to aircraft power. Among the 

individual occurrences, the most common involved a loss of control in 

flight (13%), followed closely by loss of control on the ground (13%). 

Although occurrences involving loss of aircraft control on the ground 

resulted in only 4 fatal accidents in 2004, loss-of-control occurrences 

in flight resulted in a total of 77 fatal accidents—more than onequarter of all fatal accidents and more than twice that of any other 

single occurrence.
30

General Aviation Accident First Occurrences, 2004

First Occurrences Total Fatal First Occurrences (Cont.) Total Fatal

Collision – In-flight 217 73 Power Related 420 55

In-flight Collision with Object 115 35 Loss of Engine Power 161 25

In-flight Collision with Terrain/Water 63 22 Loss of Engine Power(Total) - Nonmechanical 117 11

Midair Collision 22 14 Loss of Engine Power(Total) - Mech Failure/Malf 57 8

Undershoot 17 2 Loss of Engine Power(Partial) - Nonmechanical 38 7

Near Collision Between Aircraft 0 0 Loss of Engine Power(Partial) - Mech Failure/Malf 43 3

Noncollision – In-flight 414 162 Propeller Failure/Malfunction 1 0

Loss Of Control - In-flight 215 77 Rotor Failure/Malfunction 3 1

Airframe/Component/System Failure/Malfunction 96 19 Engine Tear-away 0 0

In-flight Encounter with Weather 92 62 Landing Gear 25 0

Abrupt Maneuver 4 3 Gear Collapsed 6 0

Vortex Turbulence Encountered 2 1 Wheels-up Landing 11 0

Altitude Deviation, Uncontrolled 1 0 Main Gear Collapsed 2 0

Forced Landing 4 0 Gear Retraction on Ground 2 0

Decompression 0 0 Nose Gear Collapsed 3 0

Collision – On-ground or Water 93 1 Complete Gear Collapsed 0 0

On Ground/Water Collision with Object 37 0 Wheels-down Landing in Water 1 0

On Ground/Water Encounter with Terrain/Water 40 0 Tail Gear Collapsed 0 0

Collision Between Aircraft (Other Than Midair) 10 0 Other Gear Collapsed 0 0

Dragged Wing, Rotor, Pod, Float or Tail/Skid 6 1 Gear Not Extended 0 0

Noncollision – On-ground or Water 399 7 Gear Not Retracted 0 0

Loss of Control - On Ground/Water 213 4 Miscellaneous 31 3

Hard Landing 114 1 Miscellaneous/Other 18 2

Overrun 46 0 Fire 9 1

Nose Over 11 1 Cargo Shift 0 0

Roll Over 8 1 Fire/Explosion 2 0

Propeller/Rotor Contact to Person 1 0 Hazardous Materials Leak/Spill 0 0

Propeller Blast or Jet Exhaust/Suction 1 0 Explosion 2 0

Nose Down 0 0 Undetermined 2 2

Ditching 0 0 Missing Aircraft 1 1

On Ground/Water Encounter with Weather 5 0 Undetermined 1 1

2004 in Depth
31 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Phase of Flight

The figure below displays the percentage of accident aircraft in each 

phase of flight at the time of the first occurrence. The phase of flight 

defines when, during the operation of the aircraft, the first occurrence 

took place. Fifty distinct phases of flight are used to describe the 

operational chronology of occurrences. To simplify this information, 

the detailed phases are grouped into the nine broad categories 

shown. For example, the category “approach” includes any segment 

of an instrument approach, or position in the airport traffic pattern, 

and continues until the aircraft lands on the runway. The upper set 

of numbers shows the percentage of accidents associated with each 

phase for first occurrences, and the numbers in parentheses show 

the percentage of fatal accidents in each phase associated with first 

occurrences.

As shown here, half of all general aviation accidents (50%) occurred 

during either takeoff or landing, despite the relatively short duration of 

these phases compared to the entire profile of a normal flight. This high 

number of accidents reflects the increased workload during takeoff and 

landing when the flight crew must control the aircraft, change altitude and 

speed, communicate with air traffic control (ATC) and/or other aircraft, 

and maintain separation from obstacles and other aircraft. Aircraft 

systems are also stressed during takeoff and landing with changes to 

engine power settings, the possible operation of retractable landing 

gear, flaps, slats, and spoilers, and changes in cabin pressurization. In 

addition, while the aircraft is at low altitude, it is also most susceptible 

to hazards caused by wind and weather conditions. 

Notably, landing accounted for the largest percentage of total 

accident first occurrences (31%) of any single phase but only 3% 

of fatal accident first occurrences. The combination of cruise and 

maneuvering phases accounted for over half (56%) of fatal accident 

first occurrences, but less than one-third (28%) of all accidents. These 

differences reflect the relative severity of accidents that are likely to 

occur during each phase. Accidents during cruise and maneuvering 

are more likely to result in higher levels of injury and aircraft damage 

due to higher speeds and altitudes. 

The likelihood of an aircraft accident first occurrence during each 

phase of flight varies by aircraft type and type of operation due to the 

unique hazards associated with each. For example, flight instruction 

typically involves a lot of time practicing takeoffs and landings. As a 

result, about 52% of all first occurrences for 2004 involving instructional 

flights occurred during landing compared to 31% of personal/business 

flights and 15% of aerial application flights. 

Standing/Taxi/Other Takeoff Climb Cruise Descent Maneuver/Hover Approach Go-AroundLanding

4.3% 18.9% 2.3% 15.4% 3.0% 13.0% 10.2% 1.7% 31.2%

(2.3%) (16.5%) (3.6%) (26.4%) (2.3%) (29.4%) (15.5%) (0.7%) (3.3%)

1,601 accident aircraft with phase of flight data

Accident Aircraft Phase of Flight During First Occurrence, 2004
32

Accident phase-of-flight differences among aircraft types are the result 

of the amount of time spent in each phase, aircraft-specific hazards 

associated with that phase, and the type of operations typically 

conducted with that aircraft. For example, the largest percentage of 

first occurrences for accidents involving helicopter flights, about 39%, 

occurred while maneuvering. The percentage of accidents during this 

phase reflects the hazards unique to helicopters while hovering and 

during operations that are unique to helicopters, such as carrying 

external loads. In contrast, the largest percentage of accidents 

involving single-engine piston aircraft occurred during landing. 

Takeoff accounted for 20-25% of accidents involving airplanes, but 

only 11% of accidents involving helicopters.

Chain of Occurrences

An accident’s first occurrence and phase of flight during first 

occurrence indicate how and when an accident begins. However, 

the entire accident can also be viewed as a chain of all the accident 

occurrences cited in the order in which they happen. As previously 

discussed, accident events often include a combination of multiple 

occurrences, with many possible combinations. For example, of the 

1,601 accidents that occurred during 2004 for which occurrence data 

are available, 405 unique combinations of accident occurrences 

were cited. The following tables, which list the top ten combinations 

of occurrences for all accidents and fatal accidents, illustrate the most 

common events.

2004 in Depth

Accident Aircraft Phase of Flight During Accident First

Occurrence by Type of Operation, 2004

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Standing/

taxi/other

Takeoff 

Climb

Cruise

Maneuvering

Descent

Approach

Go-around

Landing

Personal/Business Aerial Application Flight Instruction

Accident Aircraft Phase of Flight During Accident First

Occurrence by Aircraft Type, 2004

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Standing/

taxi/other

Takeoff

Climb

Cruise

Maneuvering

Descent

Approach

Go-around

Landing

Single-Engine Piston Airplane Multi-Engine Piston Airplane

Turbine Airplane Helicopter
33 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

The top ten occurrence chains cited in fatal accidents are similar to those cited for all accidents. 

Loss of control followed by in-flight collision with terrain or water tops both lists, with almost half 

those accidents being fatal. It is important to note that, although this was the most frequent chain 

of occurrences in 2004, it accounted for only 8% of all accidents for the year.

A diverse range of events can, in combination, result in an accident. Fatal accidents, however, are 

more likely to result from an in-flight collision, often preceded by loss of control and/or weather 

encounters or equipment malfunctions. For example, all of the top ten chains of fatal accident 

occurrences included an in-flight collision with terrain or object, events that are more likely to result 

in the high impact forces likely to cause 

serious injury. In contrast to the severity 

of these cases, most accidents in 2004 

did not involve catastrophic events, and 

a large number of accidents involved 

aircraft on the ground that resulted in 

minor or no injuries.

Most Prevalent Causes/

Factors for 2004

Probable Causes, Factors, 

Findings, and the Broad Cause/

Factor Classification

Besides coding accident occurrences, 

the Safety Board makes a determination 

of probable cause with the objective 

of defining the cause and effect 

relationships in the accident sequence. 

The probable cause could be described 

as why the accident happened. In 

determining probable cause, the Board 

considers the facts, conditions, and 

circumstances of the event. Within each 

accident occurrence, any information that 

helps explain why that event happened 

is identified as a “finding” and may be 

further designated as either a “cause” 

or “factor.” The term “factor” is used to 

describe situations or circumstances 

that contributed to the accident cause. 

The details of probable cause are 

coded as the combination of all causes, 

factors, and findings associated with the 

accident. Just as accidents often include 

1 1) LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT - 2) IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER 133

2 1) IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT 59

3 1) LOSS OF CONTROL - ON GROUND/WATER - 2) ON GROUND/WATER ENCOUNTER WITH

TERRAIN/WATER 57

4 1) HARD LANDING 54

5 1) IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER 52

6 1) LOSS OF CONTROL - ON GROUND/WATER - 2) ON GROUND/WATER COLLISION WITH OBJECT 38

7 1) IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT - 2) IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER 31

8 1) ON GROUND/WATER COLLISION WITH OBJECT 30

9 1) IN FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH WEATHER - 2) LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT - 3) IN FLIGHT 

COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER 29

10 1) LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT - 2) IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT 26

Rank Chain Of Occurrences - All GA Accidents, 2004 Number of

Accidents

1 1) LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT - 2) IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER 60

2 1) IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER 20

3 1) IN FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH WEATHER - 2) LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT - 3) IN FLIGHT 

COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER 20

4 1) IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT 16

5 1) IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT - 2) IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER 14

6 1) IN FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH WEATHER - 2) IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER 13

7 1) AIRFRAME/COMPONENT/SYSTEM FAILURE/MALFUNCTION - 2) LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT - 3)

IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER 11

8 1) LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT - 2) IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT 11

9 1) LOSS OF ENGINE POWER - 2) FORCED LANDING - 3) LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT - 4) IN

FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER 9

10 1) MIDAIR COLLISION 9

Number of

Accidents

Rank Chain Of Occurrences - Fatal GA Accidents, 2004
34

a series of events, the reason why those events led to an accident reflects a combination of 

multiple causes and factors. For this reason, a single accident report can include multiple 

cause and factor codes, as shown in the following brief.

Example of NTSB Accident Brief, 2004

Occurrence #1: IN FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH WEATHER

Phase of Operation: CRUISE

Findings

1. (F) PREFLIGHT BRIEFING SERVICE - NOT FOLLOWED - PILOT IN COMMAND

2. (C) PLANNING/DECISION - INADEQUATE - PILOT IN COMMAND

3. (C) VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC - INADVERTENT - PILOT IN COMMAND

4. (F) WEATHER CONDITION - FOG

5. (F) WEATHER CONDITION - DRIZZLE/MIST

6. (F) WEATHER CONDITION - OBSCURATION

----------

Occurrence #2: IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER

Phase of Operation: DESCENT - UNCONTROLLED

Findings

7. (C) CLEARANCE - NOT MAINTAINED - PILOT IN COMMAND

8. TERRAIN CONDITION - GROUND

Findings Legend: (C) = Cause, (F) = Factor

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: 

the pilot’s inadequate planning/decision which resulted in VFR flight into IMC, and his failure to maintain 

terrain clearance. Contributing factors were the pilot’s failure to follow the briefing recommendation, 

fog, mist, and observation.

During a cross-country flight, the pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions 

(IMC), and the airplane was destroyed after impacting the terrain in a nose-low attitude. Radar 

data depicted the airplane traveling in a west-northwesterly direction. Then, approximately 

4 minutes before the accident, the airplane executed a series of 360-degree turns. The 

investigation revealed that before the flight, the pilot had obtained a weather briefing and the 

briefer informed the pilot that a VFR flight was 

not recommended. Witnesses at the departure 

airport stated that before the flight, the pilot and 

passenger seemed tired and anxious to get home. 

A witness located near the accident site reported 

misty and foggy weather conditions and visibility 

of about 200 feet. In this accident, the pilot’s 

decision-making about the flight, inadvertent 

flight into IMC, and inability to maintain clearance 

from terrain were cited as causes. The preflight 

briefing and weather were all cited as factors, 

and the terrain was cited as the only finding.

To simplify the presentation of probable cause 

information in this review, the hundreds of 

unique codes used by investigators to code 

probable cause can be grouped into three broad 

cause/factor categories: aircraft, environment, 

and personnel. The following figure shows the 

percentage of general aviation accidents that fall 

into each category. Personnel-related causes or 

factors were cited in 91% of the 1,585 general 

aviation accident reports for 2004 for which cause/

factor data were available (see the following 

figure). Environmental causes/factors were cited 

in 45% of these accident reports, and aircraftrelated causes/factors were cited in 28%.34

2004 in Depth

34 Because the Safety Board frequently cites multiple causes and factors for an aircraft accident, the number of causes and factors will result in a sum greater than the total 

number of accidents.
35 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Environmental conditions are rarely cited as an accident cause but 

are more likely to be cited as a contributing factor. In 2004, only 47 

of 719 environmental citations (3% of all causes/factors cited) were 

listed as a cause, with the remainder listed as contributing factors. 

For example, rough terrain might be cited as a contributing factor, but 

not a cause, to explain why an aircraft was damaged during a forced 

landing due to engine failure. In that case, the origin(s) of the engine 

failure would be cited as cause, but the terrain would be cited as a 

factor because it contributed to the accident outcome.

As mentioned previously, several hundred unique codes are available 

to document causes/factors, as summarized in the group of tables to 

the right (1,585 accidents with findings). 

Accident Broad Cause/Factor and 

Cause, 2004

28%

45%

91%

22%

3%

89%

Aircraft Environment Personnel

Cause/Factor Cause Only

Aircraft

5

9

9

20

41

45

57

132

192

438

 Engine power loss

 Aircraft performance

 Instruments

 Flight control systems

 Systems and equipment

 Aircraft structure

 Landing gear

 Fluid

 Powerplant/propulsion

Aircraft total

Environment

29

95

181

276

340

719

 Airport/airways facilities, aids

 Light condition

 Object

 Terrain condition

 Weather condition

Environment total

Personnel

5

16

126

1,363

1,444

 Organizations

 Others (aboard)

 Others (not aboard)

 Pilot

Personnel total

Summary of Findings Cited as Cause or

Factor in General Aviation Accidents, 2004
36

As the figure on this page shows, most causes and factors attributed 

to general aviation accidents in 2004 were related to personnel. Much 

like the pilot and passenger injury differences discussed previously, 

part of the reason why personnel are cited so often may have to do with 

exposure to risk. Personnel, and pilots in particular, are associated with 

every flight. However, potential aircraft and environmental accident 

causes and factors depend on a range of variables, including the type 

of flight, type of aircraft, time of day, time of year, and location. 

Although the pilot was the most frequently cited individual in the 

personnel category in 2004, other persons not aboard the aircraft 

were also cited as a cause or factor in 126 accidents. Such personnel 

included flight instructors, maintenance technicians, and airport 

personnel. In the broad category of environmental factors, weather 

conditions were cited in 340 (21%) of the accidents. Powerplantrelated35 causes/factors, cited in 192 (12%) of all general aviation 

accidents, were the most commonly cited aircraft factors.

The figure on this page shows how specific accident causes and 

factors varied by type of flight operation. For example, personnel were 

cited in 94% of instructional flight accidents and 91% of personal/

business accidents, compared to 87% of aerial application accidents. 

The high percentage of personnel causes/factors for flight instruction 

accidents is likely the result of aircraft control and decision-making 

errors due to students’ lower level of skill and ability, as well as the 

large amount of time practicing maneuvers like takeoffs and landings 

that are more likely to result in accidents. In contrast, aerial application 

accidents cited a higher percentage of aircraft causes/factors, most 

likely because the low altitude flown during spray operations allows 

few options for recovery in the event of a mechanical failure.

A comparison of the causes/factors cited in accidents involving 

different types of aircraft reveals similar results. The higher percentage 

of multi-engine piston accidents that cited aircraft causes/factors 

in 2004 is likely a result of more complex systems as compared to 

single-engine piston airplanes. Conversely, the high reliability of 

turbine engines likely contributes to the low percentage of aircraftrelated findings for those aircraft. There is also a noticeable drop in 

the percentage of environmental cause/factor citations progressing 

from single- to multi-engine piston, and to turbine airplane accidents, 

mirroring increases in the typical range, performance, and equipment 

capabilities of those aircraft. 

2004 in Depth

Broad Causes / Factors by Type of

Operation, 2004

33%

57%

87%

29%

48%

91%

18%

29%

94%

Aircraft Environment Personnel

Aerial Application Personal and Business Flight Instruction

35 Powerplant/propulsion causes and factors include any partial loss or disruption of engine power, as well as the malfunction or failure of any part(s), equipment, or system 

associated with engine propulsion. Engine power loss refers only to the total loss of engine power.
37 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Human Performance

The information recorded in the personnel category refers primarily 

to whose actions were a cause or factor in an accident. However, 

details about the actions or behavior that may have led to an accident, 

causal data related to human performance issues, and any underlying 

explanatory factors are also recorded. The information in these 

categories can be thought of as how and why human performance 

contributed to the accident. For example, if a pilot becomes disoriented 

and loses control of an aircraft after continuing visual flight into 

instrument flight conditions, the pilot’s inability to maintain control 

would be cited as a “cause” in the personnel category, and planning/

decision-making would likely also be cited in the human performance 

issues category.

Of the 1,349 accidents for which the cause or factor was attributed to 

human performance in 2004, the most frequently cited cause/factor 

was aircraft handling and control (71%), followed by planning and 

decision-making (39%) and use of aircraft equipment (11%). Issues 

related to personnel qualification were cited in about 28% of the 

139 accidents with underlying explanatory factors related to human 

performance. Examples of qualification issues that were cited in the 

2004 accident record included lack of total experience, lack of recent 

experience, and lack of certification.

Weather as a Cause/Factor

Because general aviation aircraft are usually smaller, slower, and 

more limited in maximum altitude and range than transport-category 

aircraft, they can be more vulnerable to hazards posed by weather. 

Smaller aircraft are affected to a greater degree by adverse wind 

Broad Causes / Factors by Accident

Aircraft Type, 2004

27%

48%

92%

37% 33%

90%

35% 39%

83%

27% 31%

92%

Aircraft Environment Personnel

Single-Engine Piston Airplane Multi-Engine Piston Airplane

Turbine Airplane Helicopter

Human Performance Issues 1,349 270

 Aircraft handling/control 960 222

 Planning/decision 532 122

 Use of aircraft equipment 146 16

 Maintenance 87 19

 Communications/information/ATC 56 11

 Meteorological service 8 7

 Airport 2 0

 Dispatch 0 0

Underlying Explanatory Factors 139 57

 Physiological condition 49 36

 Qualification 39 15

 Psychological condition 35 6

 Procedure inadequate 9 3

 Aircraft/equipment inadequate 5 0

 Institutional factors 5 3

 Information 3 2

 Material inadequate 2 0

 Facility inadequate 0 0

Human Performance and Explanatory Causes / Factors, 2004

All Accidents Fatal Accidents
38

conditions, and precipitation, icing, and convective weather have a 

greater effect on aircraft that lack the speed, altitude, and/or range 

capabilities to avoid those conditions. Weather conditions cited most 

often as a cause or factor in general aviation accidents are related to 

winds, including gusts, crosswind, and tailwind. 

The top three environmental causes/factors cited in general aviation 

accidents in 2004 were all related to wind. Because aircraft are most 

susceptible to the effects of wind during takeoffs and landings, the 

effect of adverse wind was reflected in a high percentage of general 

aviation accidents that occurred during those phases of flight. 

As previously discussed, most landing accidents do not result in 

fatal injuries. Because of the strong association of wind with landing 

accidents, it is not surprising that most wind-related accidents in 2004 

were not fatal. The wind-related weather factors gusts, crosswind, and 

tailwind were cited as a cause/factor in 182 accidents, but only 4 of 

those accidents were fatal. Among fatal general aviation accidents, the 

three most frequently cited weather factors were related to conditions 

that resulted in reduced visibility, including clouds, low ceiling, and 

fog. Accidents under conditions of low visibility typically involve either 

loss of aircraft control and/or collision with obstacles or terrain, both 

of which are likely to result in severe injuries and aircraft damage. 

The high number of fatal general aviation accidents occurring in 

low visibility weather led the Safety Board to conduct a safety study 

of these accidents.36 Several of the weather-related accidents that 

occurred during 2004 were included in that study.

2004 in Depth

 Weather Condition 340 85

 Gusts 69 3

 Crosswind 64 0

 Tailwind 49 1

 Low ceiling 31 27

 Clouds 30 28

 High density altitude 20 4

 High wind 20 4

 Carburetor icing conditions 18 0

 Fog 18 14

 Downdraft 15 3

 Icing conditions 11 6

 Thunderstorm 10 7

 Windshear 9 0

 Turbulence 7 3

 Rain 7 4

 Sudden windshift 6 0

 Snow 5 5

 Unfavorable wind 5 0

 Drizzle/mist 5 5

 Variable wind 4 1

 Turbulence, terrain induced 3 1

 Obscuration 3 2

 Dust devil/whirlwind 3 0

 Below approach/landing minimums 2 1

 Haze/smoke 2 1

 Other 2 1

 Turbulence, clear air (CAT) 1 0

 Temperature, high 1 0

 Temperature, low 1 1

 Thermal lift 1 0

 Whiteout 1 0

 Turbulence (thunderstorms) 1 1

 Turbulence, convection induced 1 1

 Ice fog 1 1

All Accidents Fatal Accidents

Note: due to the possibility of multiple findings, the sum of causes/factors is greater than 

the total number of accidents.

36 National Transportation Safety Board, Risk Factors Associated with Weather-Related General Aviation Accidents, NTSB/SS-05/01 (Washington, DC: 2005).
39 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Focus on General Aviation Safety: 

Regulatory Changes Associated with

the Sport Pilot Certificate and Light

Sport Aircraft

This section includes statistical data and a discussion of significant 

regulatory changes related to the sport pilot certificate and light sport 

aircraft that went into effect in 2004. This section is not meant to be an 

exhaustive discussion of all aspects of the regulatory changes, but rather 

a discussion of the details of an issue important to general aviation. 

The approach used in this section of the 2004 Annual Review differs 

from the rest of this review and from most other annual reviews by 

including data from accidents that occurred after the review year. An 

accident investigation—particularly when fatalities are involved—

may take a year or more to complete. The Safety Board typically 

produces an annual review of accidents after more than 95% of the 

investigations during that year are complete, resulting in a difference 

between the publication year of an annual review and the date of 

accidents analyzed. The new light sport aircraft and sport pilot 

certificate rules were selected as the special topic for the 2004 review 

because the rule was enacted in 2004, and it represents a significant 

regulatory change affecting general aviation. 

New Regulation

In July 2004, the FAA issued the final rule for certification of aircraft 

and airmen for the operation of light sport aircraft, and the rule went 

into effect in September that year. The associated changes to 14 CFR 

Parts 1, 21, 43, 45, 61, 65, and 91 established new maintenance, 

certification, and operational regulations for a new designation of 

aircraft—light sport—as well as requirements for sport pilots. 

Light Sport Aircraft

The regulatory changes enacted in 2004 grew out of an industry 

desire to recognize a group of aircraft new to U.S. general aviation.37

These aircraft are heavier and more capable than traditional 

ultralights, but far less sophisticated than larger aircraft, and are used 

primarily for recreation. As defined by 14 CFR 1.1, light sport aircraft 

are “... aircraft, other than helicopter or powered-lift,” that meet the 

specifications below: 

Maximum weight

1,320 pounds for operation not intended to take place over 

water

1,430 pounds for operations intended to take place on water

Maximum airspeed in level flight with maximum continuous power 

Not more than 120 knots

Maximum stall speed: 45 knots

Configuration

Single reciprocating engine

Fixed or ground-adjustable propeller

Non-pressurized cabin

Fixed landing gear

Maximum seating capacity: 2, including pilot

Six Classes

Airplanes 

Gliders

Balloons

Weight shift (new class) 

Powered parachute (new class) 

Gyroplane (experimental light sport only)

37 Although light sport aircraft (LSA) represent a new concept for domestic aviation, similar “microlight” aircraft have been common in European general aviation for many 

years, and many of the first LSA models available in the U.S. were imported.
40

The two types of light sport aircraft airworthiness certificates are special 

light sport (S-LSA) and experimental light sport (E-LSA). S-LSAs are 

factory-built aircraft manufactured in accordance with American Society 

for Testing and Materials (ASTM) consensus standards for light sport 

aircraft. Applicants for special airworthiness certificates for S-LSAs 

are required to provide the FAA with a manufacturer’s statement of 

compliance (FAA Form 8130-15) and satisfactory evidence that the 

aircraft was manufactured to the applicable consensus standards.38

Since S-LSAs are not built under a type certificate, an FAA inspector 

or designated airworthiness representative (DAR) must complete 

a records inspection, documentation review, and airworthiness 

inspection of each aircraft built. For the same reason, there is no 

mechanism for issuing supplemental type certificates (STCs) or 

airworthiness directives (ADs) for S-LSAs. Therefore, the manufacturer 

must approve all modifications and is responsible for issuing service 

alerts and bulletins when necessary. 

E-LSAs can include a wide range of experimental aircraft, including 

kit- or amateur-built aircraft that meet the operational definition of an 

LSA, existing two-seat ultralight trainers brought onto the registry,39

or manufactured LSAs whose owners wish to modify or otherwise 

operate in a manner requiring the aircraft to be recertified as an E-LSA 

rather than an S-LSA. 

A significant change associated with light sport aircraft was the 

introduction of an industry consensus standard in lieu of the traditional 

FAA aircraft certification requirements.40 In response to comments on 

the light sport/sport pilot notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM),41 the 

FAA stated why it made this change: “the consensus standard process 

will minimize costs while meeting the level of safety appropriate 

for these aircraft.” The FAA accepted the first industry consensus 

standards for manufactured light sport aircraft in February 2005, a 

few months after the law passed. 

Sport Pilots

The sport pilot airman certificate differs from the private pilot certificate 

in that it requires a minimum of 20 hours total flight time compared 

to the 40 hours required by the private pilot certificate, with some 

additional operating limitations. Sport pilots may only operate light 

sport aircraft or aircraft that meet the light sport definition.42 Sport 

pilots may not carry more than one passenger and may not operate 

an aircraft at night, above 10,000 feet mean sea level, when flight 

visibility is less than 3 statute miles, or in class A airspace. Additional 

training and a logbook endorsement are required for a sport pilot to 

operate an aircraft in B, C, or D airspace, or to operate from a controltowered airport.

In addition to new training requirements and operating limitations, 

Focus on General Aviation Safety

38 See 14 CFR 21.190 and FAA Order 8130.2F, “Airworthiness Certification of Aircraft and Related Products.”

39 Two-place ultralight trainers formerly operated under an exemption in 14 CFR Part 103.

40 The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 mandated that federal agencies “use technical standards that are developed or adopted by voluntary 

consensus standards bodies.” The guidance for using consensus standards stated, “federal agencies and departments shall consult with voluntary, private sector consensus 

bodies and shall, when such participation is in the public interest and is compatible with agency and departmental missions, authorities, priorities, and budget resources, 

participate with such bodies in the development of technical standards.” The Office of Management and Budget provided related guidance that, “when properly conducted, 

standards development can increase productivity and efficiency in Government and industry, expand opportunities for international trade, conserve resources, improve 

health and safety, and protect the environment.”

41 Federal Register, Vol. 69, No. 143 (Tuesday, July 27, 2004), p. 44788.

42 Examples of previously type-certificated aircraft that meet the light-sport operational definition include models of Piper Cub, Taylorcraft, Aeronca, Luscombe, and 

Ercoupe.
41 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

the sport pilot certificate includes a self-certification 

medical requirement. Pilots holding a sport pilot 

certificate or operating under its provisions43 are not 

required to hold a medical certificate to act as pilotin-command, but may instead use a valid, current 

driver’s license and determine for themselves whether 

they are medically fit to fly.

Accidents

Between September 1, 2004, and October 31, 2007, 

19 general aviation accidents involved pilots holding 

a sport pilot certificate, and 41 general aviation 

accidents involved S-LSA airplanes piloted by airmen 

holding certificates of all levels. These accidents are 

summarized below. 

Sport Pilot Accidents

Of the 19 accidents for which the accident pilot held a 

sport pilot certificate, two resulted in fatalities (a total 

of three fatalities), five resulted in serious injuries (a 

total of five serious injuries), two resulted in a minor 

injury, and the remaining ten accidents resulted in no 

injuries. 

Only two of the accident pilots who held a sport pilot 

certificate were flying S-LSAs. Another two pilots were flying normally certificated 

aircraft that met the operational definition of LSA. The remaining pilots were flying 

amateur-built aircraft that met the operational definition of LSA or existing ultralights 

registered or re-registered in the experimental light sport category—including one 

power-parachute and one gyroplane. 

As the following table indicates, the average number of flight hours for accident pilots 

holding sport pilot certificates was noticeably lower than for those holding private 

certificates. The average pilot-in-command and total flight times of sport pilots were 

slightly higher than student pilots and noticeably lower than private pilots. The low 

number of total hours among sport pilots might have been due in part to the recent 

introduction of the sport pilot certificate. 

43 Airmen holding a private, commercial, or airline transport pilot certificate may act as pilot-in-command of an aircraft meeting the definition of light sport using the driver’s 

license medical provision, while adhering to the operational limitations of the sport pilot certificate.

Student Sport Pilot Private Commercial ATP

Last 90 Days All Aircraft 26 29 26 95 99

Same make/model 24 31 21 60 48

Pilot in Command All Aircraft 49 213 857 3,716 9,071

Same make/model 20 92 293 987 818

Total All Aircraft 91 255 1,070 4,357 12,092

Same make/model 54 100 865 1,195 903

Average Flight Time of General Aviation Accident Pilots by Highest Certificate Held 

September 1, 2004-October 31, 2007
42

As shown below, accident pilots holding sport pilot certificates were 

older on average than holders of all other types of pilot certificate. The 

driver’s license medical provision may contribute to the popularity of 

the sport pilot certificate and may encourage persons to apply who 

are concerned about their ability to meet the medical requirements for 

another pilot certificate.

Despite the apparent simplicity of using a driver’s license in lieu of a 

medical certificate, sport pilots must also meet the requirements of 14 

CFR 61.23(c)(2), which state that the person must:

(i) Comply with each restriction and limitation imposed 

by that person’s U.S. driver’s license and any judicial 

or administrative order applying to the operation of 

a motor vehicle;

(ii) Have been found eligible for the issuance of at least 

a third-class airman medical certificate at the time of 

his or her most recent application (if the person has 

applied for a medical certificate);

(iii) Not have had his or her most recently issued 

medical certificate (if the person has held a medical 

certificate) suspended or revoked or most recent 

Authorization for a Special Issuance of a Medical 

Certificate withdrawn; and

(iv) Not know or have reason to know of any medical 

condition that would make that person unable to 

operate a light-sport aircraft in a safe manner.

The bottom line is that, even if pilots use driver’s licenses in lieu of 

medical certificates, they are still responsible as pilot-in-command for 

ensuring that they are fit to conduct a flight safely and that they do not 

fly if they know of any condition that could affect their ability to fly.

Light Sport Aircraft Accidents

Due to the potentially large variations in aircraft types that may be 

certificated as E-LSA, the aircraft-specific data presented in this 

section are limited to S-LSA airplanes. Of the 41 accidents between 

September 1, 2004, and October 31, 2007, involving S-LSA airplanes, 

7 were fatal44 (11 fatalities); 6 resulted in serious injuries (8 serious 

injuries); 7 resulted in minor injuries (11 minor injuries); and the 

remaining 21 resulted in no injuries. The total number of accidents as 

of October 31, 2007, was small enough that percentages associated 

with accident subgroups may not yet indicate a trend; however, the 

ratio of fatal S-LSA accidents to total S-LSA accidents is similar to 

that of general aviation overall at approximately 17%. 

Focus on General Aviation Safety

Average General Aviation Accident Pilot Age by

Highest Certificate Held

September 1, 2004 - October 31, 2007

41

57

53

48

54

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Student Sport Pilot Private Commercial ATP

Age in Years

44 One accident involved an aircraft that, at the time of writing, was missing and presumed to involve fatal injury.
43 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Although the privileges of the sport pilot certificate include some 

restrictions on where and how flight operations can be conducted, there 

are no similar restrictions on the operation of light sport aircraft. Rather 

than being a lower class of aircraft, many light sport aircraft are equipped 

with advanced avionics, glass cockpit displays, and autopilots. A properly 

equipped light sport aircraft can be certified for instrument flight and can 

be flown in any condition or for any purpose allowed by the certification 

of the pilot-in-command. Of the S-LSA accidents included in this review, 

all but one occurred during daylight hours and all 41 occurred in VMC. In 

addition to personal recreation, light sport aircraft can be used to conduct 

flight training and can be offered for rental.45 Twelve of the S-LSA accident 

aircraft were being used for instructional flights at the time of the accident 

and the remaining 29, for personal/business flights. Seventeen of the 

S-LSA accident aircraft were being used for local flights.

The sport pilot rule establishes a new type of pilot certificate; however, 

any holder of a higher level pilot certificate may also use the driver’s 

license medical provision to act as pilot-in-command of an E-LSA, 

S-LSA, or normally certificated aircraft that meets the operational 

definition of an LSA, as long as he or she adheres to the operational 

limitations of the sport pilot certificate. Only two of the accident pilots 

flying S-LSA aircraft held a sport pilot certificate as their highest level of 

certification. Three of the accident pilots held student pilot certificates 

and the remaining pilots held private certificates or greater.

The figure on the next page compares data concerning the average 

number of flight hours for pilots flying S-LSA and normally certificated 

single-engine piston aircraft involved in accidents occurring between 

September 1, 2004, and October 31, 2007. Note that the average number 

of flight hours for accident pilots flying S-LSA airplanes is relatively high 

overall and very similar to the single-engine pilots on average. The 

exception is the time in make/model, which is understandably low because 

the aircraft type is new. Accordingly, these averages may change in the 

future but they do indicate that most persons piloting S-LSA airplanes hold 

a private pilot or greater certificate and had previous flying experience.

As mentioned previously, sport pilots using driver’s licenses in lieu of 

medical certificates may do so because they are concerned that they 

may be unable to pass the medical examination required to continue 

or resume flying. When compared to accident pilots flying singleengine piston aircraft during the same period, pilots and student pilots 

flying S-LSA airplanes were noticeably older than those flying singleengine piston aircraft.

At least 10 of the 41 accident pilots held either no medical certificate 

or an expired certificate and were using the driver’s license provision. 

As previously mentioned, 14 CFR 61.23(c)(2) states that when using 

the driver’s license provision, pilots-in-command cannot fly if they are 

taking medication or experiencing a condition that would make them 

ineligible for a medical certificate. 

Accidents Involving S-LSA Aircraft on

Local and Point-to-Point Flights 

September 1, 2004 - October 31, 2007

17

24

Local

Point to Point

45 Experimental light sport aircraft may be used for flight instruction, but may not be rented.
44

As of publication, probable cause was available for 32 of the 41 

accidents involving S-LSA airplanes. The breakdown of broad cause/

factor categories cited in S-LSA investigations indicates that personnel 

were cited in all of the accidents with probable cause released and 

that light sport aircraft were involved in more loss-of-control and hard 

landings than type-certificated single-engine piston-powered airplanes. 

The percentages of cases citing aircraft or environment as cause or 

factor were lower than for accidents involving other single-engine piston 

aircraft, but the validity of this finding may be limited by the small number 

of S-LSA investigations that have been completed.

2004 in Depth

Comparison of Average Flight Time of Accident Pilots Flying 

S-LSAs and Single-Engine Piston Airplanes 

 September 1, 2004, and October 31, 2007

62

33

72

2,114

40

1,469

3,538

100

1,992

49

29

40

2,341

481

1,440

2,886

828

1,666

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500

All aircraft

Same make

and model

All single-engine

All aircraft

Same make

and model

All single-engine

 All aircraft

Same make

and model

All single-engine

Flight Hours

S-LSA Single-Engine Piston

Total Pilot-in-Command Last 90 Days

Average Pilot Age for Accidents Involving S-LSA and 

Standard Single-Engine Piston Aircraft

September 1, 2004 and October 31, 2007

49 46

39

43

52

61

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Student Pilot Flight Instructor Pilot

Age in Years

S-LSA Accident Pilots Single-Engine Piston Accident Pilots
45 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Summary

The recent addition of the light sport aircraft and sport pilot certificate 

regulations is a significant change for U.S. general aviation. It appears 

that the largest effect to date may have been to encourage inactive 

pilots to resume flying, or to transition pilots to light sport aircraft 

to take advantage of the driver’s license medical provisions of the 

certificate. This change may affect general aviation for years to come 

as pilots—and the population in general—continue to age. As more 

data are collected on sport pilot and light sport aircraft operations, it 

will be important to follow the use of the medical provision, as well as 

pilot and aircraft-related data, to identify any effect of the new rule on 

general aviation safety.

Comparison of Broad Cause / Factors of Completed 

Investigations of Accidents Involving S-LSA and 

 Single - Engine Piston Aircraft

 September 1, 2004, and October 31, 2007

19% 19%

100%

25%

41%

91%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Aircraft Environment Personnel

LSA Single-Engine Piston

47 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Appendix A: The National

Transportation Safety Board

Aviation Accident/Incident Database

The National Transportation Safety Board is responsible for maintaining 

the government’s database on civil aviation accidents. The Safety 

Board’s Accident/Incident Database is the official repository of aviation 

accident data and causal factors. The database was established in 

1962 and about 2,000 new event records are added each year. 

The Accident/Incident Database is primarily composed of aircraft 

accidents. An “accident” is defined in 49 CFR 830.2 as “an occurrence 

associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between 

the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and 

all such persons have disembarked, and in which any person suffers 

death or serious injury, or in which the aircraft receives substantial 

damage.” The database also contains a select number of aviation 

“incidents,” defined in 49 CFR 830.2 as “occurrences other than 

accidents that are associated with the operation of an aircraft and 

that affect or could affect the safety of operations.”

Accident investigators use the Safety Board’s Accident Data 

Management System (ADMS) software to enter data into the 

Accident/Incident Database. Shortly after the event, a preliminary 

report containing a few data elements such as date, location, aircraft 

operator, type of aircraft, etc. becomes available. A factual report 

with additional information concerning the occurrence is available 

within a few months. A final report, which includes a statement of the 

probable cause and other contributing factors, may not be completed 

for months until the investigation is closed. 

An accident-based relational database is currently available to the 

public at http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp#query_start. It contains 

records of about 40,000 accidents and incidents that occurred between 

1982 and the present. Each record may contain more than 650 fields 

of data concerning the aircraft, event, engines, injuries, sequence 

of accident events, and other topics. Individual data files are also 

available for download at ftp://www.ntsb.gov/avdata, including one 

complete data set for each year beginning with 1982. The data files 

are in Microsoft Access (.mdb) format and are updated monthly. This 

download site also provides weekly “change” updates and complete 

documentation.
48

Appendix B: Definitions

Definitions of Safety Board Severity Classifications 

The severity of a general aviation accident or incident is classified 

as the combination of the highest level of injury sustained by the 

personnel involved (that is, fatal, serious, minor, or none) and level of 

damage to the aircraft involved (that is, destroyed, substantial, minor, 

or none). Accidents include those events in which any person suffers 

fatal or serious injury, or in which the aircraft receives substantial 

damage or is destroyed. An event that results in minor or no injuries 

and minor or no damage is not classified as an accident.

Definitions for Highest Level of Injury

Fatal—Any injury that results in death within 30 days of the 

accident.

Serious—Any injury that (1) requires the individual to be hospitalized 

for more than 48 hours, commencing within 7 days from the date the 

injury was received; (2) results in a fracture of any bone (except simple 

fractures of fingers, toes, or nose); (3) causes severe hemorrhages, 

nerve, muscle, or tendon damage; (4) involves any internal organ; 

or (5) involves second- or third-degree burns, or any burns affecting 

more than 5% of the body surface.

Minor—Any injury that is neither fatal nor serious.

None—No injury.

Definitions for Level of Aircraft Damage

Destroyed—Damage due to impact, fire, or in-flight failures to the 

extent that the aircraft cannot be repaired economically.1

Substantial Damage—Damage or failure that adversely affects the 

structural strength, performance, or flight characteristics of the aircraft, 

and that would normally require major repair or replacement of the 

affected component. Engine failure or damage limited to an engine if 

only one engine fails or is damaged, bent fairings or cowling, dented 

skin, small puncture holes in the skin or fabric, ground damage to 

rotor or propeller blades, and damage to landing gear, wheels, tires, 

flaps, engine accessories, brakes, or wingtips are not considered 

“substantial damage.”2

Minor Damage—Any damage that neither destroys the aircraft nor 

causes substantial damage (see definition of substantial damage for 

details).

None—No damage.

1 Title 49 CFR 830.2 does not define “destroyed.” This term is difficult to define because aircraft are sometimes rebuilt even when it is not economical to do so.

2 See 49 CFR 830.2.
49 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data

Appendix C: The National

Transportation Safety Board

Investigative Process

The National Transportation Safety Board investigates every accident 

that occurs in the United States involving civil aviation and public aircraft 

flights that do not involve military or intelligence agencies. It also 

provides investigators to serve as U.S. Accredited Representatives 

as specified in international treaties for aviation accidents overseas 

involving U.S.-registered aircraft or involving aircraft or major 

components of U.S. manufacture.1 Investigations are conducted from 

Safety Board Headquarters in Washington, D.C. or from one of the 10 

regional offices in the United States (see appendix D). 

In determining probable cause(s) of a domestic accident, investigators 

consider the facts, conditions, and circumstances of the event. The 

objective is to ascertain those cause and effect relationships in the 

accident sequence about which something can be done to prevent 

recurrence of the type of accident under consideration.

Note the distinction between the population of accidents investigated 

by the Safety Board and those that are included in the Annual Review 

of Aircraft Accident Data, U.S. General Aviation. Although the Safety 

Board is mandated by Congress to investigate all civil aviation accidents 

that occur on U.S. soil (including those involving both domestic and 

foreign operators), the Annual Review describes accidents that 

occurred among U.S.-registered aircraft in all parts of the world.

1 For more detailed information about the Safety Board’s investigation of aviation accidents or incidents, see 49 CFR 831.2.
50

Appendix D: National Transportation Safety Board Regional Offices1

Southwest Regional Office

1515 W. 190th Street, Suite 555 

Gardena, California 90248

Phone: 310-380-5660

FAX: 310-380-5666

7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (Pacific)

Northwest Regional Office

19518 Pacific Highway South 

Room 201 

Seattle, Washington 98188-5493

Phone: 206-870-2200

FAX: 206-870-2219

8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Pacific)

North Central Regional Office

31 West 775 North Avenue 

West Chicago, Illinois 60185 

Phone: 630-377-8177 

FAX: 630-377-8172 

7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. (Central) 

South Central Regional Office

624 Six Flags Drive 

Suite 150 

Arlington, Texas 76011

Phone: 817-652-7800 

FAX: 817-652-7803

7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. (Central) 

Central Mountain Regional Office

4760 Oakland Street, Suite 500 

Denver, Colorado 80239 

Phone: 303-361-0600

FAX: 303-361-0619 

7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. (Mountain) 

Mid-Atlantic Regional Office

490 L'Enfant Plaza, S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20594 

Phone: 202-314-6320 

FAX: 202-314-6329 

8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. (Eastern) 

Alaska Regional Office

222 West 7th Avenue 

Room 216, Box 11

Anchorage, Alaska 99513

Phone: 907-271-5001

FAX: 907-271-3007

8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Alaska)

Northeast Regional Office

2001 Route 46, Suite 504 

Parsippany, New Jersey 07054 

Phone: 973-334-6420 

FAX: 973-334-6759 

8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. (Eastern) 

Southern Regional Office

Atlanta Federal Center 

60 Forsyth Street, SW 

Suite 3M25 

Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3104 

Phone: 404-562-1666 

FAX: 404-562-1674 

8:00 a.m.-4:300 p.m. (Eastern)

Southeast Regional Office

8405 N.W. 53rd Street

Suite B-103 

Miami, Florida 33166 

Phone: 305-597-4610 

FAX: 305-597-4614 

8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Eastern)

1 As of fiscal year 2004.