Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-19
INCREASED SAFETY
IN AIR REPORTED
Young's Survey Shows AL
most 100 Per Cent Gain in
All Classes of Flying.

A marked increase in the number of
miles flown for each accident in civil
aeronautics In the United States is seen
in the semi-annual report of aircraft
accidents, made public yesterday by
Mai. Clarence M. Young. Assistant
Secretary of Commerce for Aeronautics.
The report. covering the period from
January to June 80, 1929, shows that
during this six months total of So
2O1,338 miles were nown by civil air.
craft in the United States, more than
three times as much as during the first
six months of 1928. The figures in
clude air transport operations, in which
aircraft carry passengers, mail or express
on scheduled service over regularly es-
tablished routes, and miscellaneous
operations, including student instruc-
ton, experimental, commercial and
pleasure flying.
Fatality Every 1,O22,371 Miles.
In scheduled air transport operations
there we're 9,201 1888 miles flown, with
nine fatal accidents, the mileage flown
for each fatal accident being 1922, 371
For the same period of 1928 there were
4,484,612 miles flown and five fatal ac-
cidents, the miles per fatal accident
being 896.922.
There were so accidents in scheduled
air transport operations during the six
months, or one to each 153,306 miles
flown. During the same period of 1928
there were 35 accidents, or one to each
128,13 miles; figures which will stand
comparison with any form of trans
portation used by man, transportation
officials declare.
In the field of miscellaneous opera
lions, which included the most hazard
Gus of all fiying-aircraft testing and
student training-there were 47.000,0 900
miles flown, with a total of 118 fatal
accidents, or one to each 398,3o5 miles.
This Is a marked improvement over
1928, when $4,000 900 miles were flown,
with 90 fatal accidents, or one each
130,435 miles.
The total number Of all classes of
accidents during the first six months
of last year in the miscellaneous oper-
atoms was TIA, or one to each 65,826
miles, as compared with 395 accidents,
or one to each 30,380 miles flown, in
miscellaneous operations during the
same period of 1928.
For all types of flying. according to
these figures, there was an increase in
safety of almost exactly 100 per cent
during the first six months of last
year as compared with the same period
Of 1928.
Expect Further Improvement.
The record is expected to be even
further improved in the figures cover
ing the last six months of the past
weather conditions prevailing during
the last half of the year as compared
with the first half.
The cause of the accidents are divid-
ed into four major classes-resulting
from personnel pawer-plant. failures,
airplane failures and miscellaneous
there Is a fifth category given over to
undetermined and doubtful causes
The largest percentage Of accidents
Is attributed to personnel, with total
of 59.O4 per cent. The next largest
cause was power-plant failures, which
caused 1903 per cent of all the acct
dents. Airplane structural failures
contributed 88 per cent and miscel-
laneous causes. 9.35 per cent. In the
miscellaneous class, weather caused
500 per cent: airports and terrain, 2.78
per cent: darkness. 0.51 per cent, and
other causes, not falling under the gen.
eral classification. 1.04 per cent. The
percentage of undetermined and doubt
full causes was 4.73 per cent.
The accident report is based on the
finding of the accident board of the
aeronautics branch of the Department
of two expert pilots, flight surgeon,
an aeronatitical engineer, lawyer
versed in air law and a statistician.
The accident statistics are held of great
value. particularly as they point to ways
and means of decreasing the number OF
aircraft accidents. They also are of
great assistance, Maj. Young said, in the
development of structural and flying
characteristics in aircraft.