Annual safety review 2024.
Date: 2024-08-08
Institutions: European Union Aviation Safety Agency
Subjects: European Aviation Safety Agency, activity report, air safety, air transport, aviation security, transport accident

2024 Annual Safety Review |  

1

Annual
Safety Review
2024

Catalogue number
TO-AA-24-001-EN-N

ISBN
978-92-9210-285-2

ISSN
2314-9272

DOI
10.2822/49362

Disclaimer:

The occurrence data presented is strictly for information purposes only. It is obtained from Agency databases 
comprised of data from ICAO, EASA Member States, Eurocontrol and the aviation industry. It reflects knowledge 
that was current at the time that the report was generated. Whilst every care has been taken in preparing the 
content of the report to avoid errors, the Agency makes no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency 
of the content. The Agency shall not be liable for any kind of damages or other claims or demands incurred as a 
result of incorrect, insufficient or invalid data, or arising out of or in connection with the use, copying or display 
of the content, to the extent permitted by European and national laws. The information contained in the report 
should not be construed as legal advice. 

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the contribution made by the Member States to thank them for their support 
in the conduct of this work and in the preparation of this report.

Photocredits

© istock  
© European Union Aviation Safety Agency, 2024

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Disclaimer:

3

Foreword
and 
Executive Summary

Foreword and Executive Summary

2024 Annual Safety Review | Foreword and Executive Summary

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Foreword and Executive Summary 

The EASA Annual Safety Review 2024 provides a comprehensive review of the safety performance of the aviation 
system in 2023. This reflects our unwavering commitment to aviation safety and the industry’s collaborative 
efforts in upholding the highest standards of safety.

In 2023, air traffic reached 95.5% of 2019 levels, with the early months of 2024 now matching pre-pandemic 
traffic volumes. Global large aeroplane commercial aviation safety performance in 2023 was encouraging. The 
number of fatal accidents dropped to two, compared with a stable average of around 10 in recent years (2020-
2022). There were 77 fatalities in 2023, marking a decrease from 2022. This is the second-lowest fatality count in 
the past decade but clearly still gives no grounds for complacency. 

In the EU, over 7.3 million commercial air transport flights took to the skies in 2023 – which were accomplished 
without any fatal accidents involving an EASA member state operator. Across most of the operational domains, 
the number of fatal accidents and fatalities was close to the lowest levels of the preceding decade and lower than 
in 2022. However, non-commercial aeroplane and helicopter operations saw some exceptions.

Despite the positive safety performance in most domains, it is important to be alert to the fact that  past 
performance offers no guarantee of a safe future. We must focus our risk management efforts to ensure a safe, 
secure and resilient aviation system is maintained. There has seldom been a time when the industry has faced 
such a broad range of operational risks that require our efforts and attention. 

The geo-political landscape continues to impact aviation safety significantly, leading to reduced airspace 
availability and particularly to the manipulation of GNSS signals through jamming and spoofing. On the latter, 
the Agency has taken a number of collaborative, coordinated risk mitigation measures. We have also warned 
states and operators of threats to safety through the EU Conflict Zones Alerting Mechanism, and shared real-time 
information via the European Information Sharing and Cooperation Platform on Conflict Zones. 

For the current year, the Tokyo Haneda runway collision that occurred in January 2024 confirmed the importance 
of further actions to improve runway safety. EASA has established a Runway Safety Task Force with the National 
Authorities and industry with the goal of developing concrete actions, applying modern technology wherever 
possible to reduce the risk of ground accidents.

Across various parts of the industry we also see new risks caused by the impact of climate change. In 2023, EASA 
launched the European Network on Impact of Climate Change on Aviation (EN-ICAA) which brings together 
aviation and scientific experts to help the industry be better prepared for the future and to identify the right 
priorities in this area. 

Our industry has suffered a great deal in recent years, losing over two million jobs globally. While there are huge 
growth prospects ahead, we must overcome our staffing and resource challenges if we are to achieve our full 
potential.

The next step in our safety collaboration is the SAFE 360° Conference on 23-24 September, which focuses on 
more immediate operational issues. In October, the EASA Annual Safety Conference will consider the challenges 
from a more strategic standpoint. Our teams look forward to the discussions with you at these events. 

Contents

2024 Annual Safety Review | Contents

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Contents

Foreword and Executive Summary ...........3

Introduction ............................................13

How the safety review is produced .................... 14
Information sources ........................................ 14

European Risk Classification Scheme (ERCS) .. 15

Chapter overview ................................................ 16

Typical structure for each domain-specific  
chapter and appendix ......................................... 18

The link with the European Plan for Aviation 
Safety (EPAS) ........................................................ 19
The European SRM Process ............................. 19

Chapter 1. Safety overview   ...................21

1.1  Global airline fatal accidents ....................... 22

1.2  EASA Member States cross domain  

safety overview ............................................ 25

Chapter 2. Aeroplanes  ...........................29

2.1  Commercial Air Transport (CAT) -  

complex aeroplanes ..................................... 31
Numbers of AOC holders and AOC  
aeroplanes ....................................................... 31

Key statistics ..................................................... 32

Occurrence categories .................................... 34

Phase of flight .................................................. 35

Operation type ................................................. 35

Propulsion type ................................................ 36

2.2  Commercial Air Transport (CAT) -  

other than complex aeroplanes .................. 37
Key statistics ..................................................... 37

Occurrence categories .................................... 39

Phase of flight .................................................. 39

Operation type ................................................. 40

Propulsion type ................................................ 40

2.3  Non-Commercial Complex (NCC)  

aeroplanes .................................................... 41
Key statistics ..................................................... 41

Occurrence categories .................................... 43

Phase of flight .................................................. 43

Operation type ................................................. 44

Propulsion type ................................................ 44

2.4  Specialised Operations (SPO) aeroplanes  .. 45
Key statistics ..................................................... 45

Occurrence categories .................................... 47

Phase of flight .................................................. 48

Operation type ................................................. 48

Propulsion type ................................................ 49

2.5  Non-Commercial Operations (NCO)  

other than complex aeroplanes .................. 50
Key statistics ..................................................... 50

Rates of accidents ............................................ 52

Occurrence categories .................................... 54

Phase of flight .................................................. 55

Operation type ................................................. 55

Microlights ....................................................... 56

Aeroplanes registered outside the EASA  
Member States ................................................. 57

Chapter 3. Helicopters  ............................59

3.1  All helicopter operations ............................. 61
Key statistics ..................................................... 61

Rotorcraft safety roadmap Safety Performance 
Indicator (SPI) ................................................... 63

Occurrence categories .................................... 64

Helicopter operations sub-domains ............... 66

Type of certified helicopter (CS27/CS29) ........ 67

3.2  Commercial air transport (CAT) helicopters 68
European CAT helicopter fleet ........................ 68

Key statistics ..................................................... 69

Occurrence categories .................................... 71

Phase of flight .................................................. 73

 
 
 
 
 
Contents

2024 Annual Safety Review | Contents

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Operation type ................................................. 73

Propulsion type ................................................ 74

Helicopter certification specification  
(CS27/ CS29) ..................................................... 75

3.3  Specialised Operations (SPO) helicopters ... 76
Key statistics ..................................................... 76

Chapter 7. Aerodromes and 
groundhandling  ...................................109
Key statistics ................................................... 111

Occurrence categories .................................. 113

Number of certified aerodromes in the EASA 
Member States ............................................... 114

Occurrence categories .................................... 78

Phase of flight .................................................. 80

Operation type ................................................. 80

Chapter 8. Air Traffic Management or  
Air Navigation Services (ATM/ANS)  .....116
Key statistics ................................................... 118

Propulsion type ................................................ 81

Occurrence categories .................................. 120

Helicopter certification specification  
(CS27/CS29) ...................................................... 82

Phase of flight ................................................ 121

3.4  Non-commercial operations (NCO) 

helicopters .................................................... 83
Key statistics ..................................................... 83

Occurrence categories .................................... 85

Phase of flight .................................................. 86

Operation type ................................................. 87

Propulsion type ................................................ 87

Helicopter certification specification  
(CS27/CS29) ...................................................... 88

Chapter 4. Balloons .................................89
Key statistics ..................................................... 91

Occurrence categories .................................... 93

Phase of flight .................................................. 94

Operation type ................................................. 94

Chapter 5. Sailplanes  ..............................95
Key statistics ..................................................... 97

Occurrence categories .................................. 100

Chapter 9. Occurrence reporting and  
risk classification ...................................122

9.1  Overall levels of occurrence reporting  

and levels of traffic ..................................... 123
Annual evolution over the period  
2016-2023 ...................................................... 124

Monthly variation for each year ................... 126

9.2  Volumes of reporting for the main  

types of organisations  .............................. 127
Comparison of the volume of reporting   .... 127

9.3 Overall levels of occurrence risk  

classification ............................................... 128
Volumes of occurrence records risk  
classified in accordance with the ERCS ......... 130

Volumes of occurrence records per  
key risk area (KRA) ......................................... 132

Volumes of occurrence records per  
ERCS score ...................................................... 133

Phase of flight ................................................ 100

Chapter 10. Standardisation  ................134

Operation type ............................................... 101

Chapter 6. Unmanned aircraft systems 
(UAS)  .....................................................102
Key statistics ................................................... 104

Involvement of persons on the ground  
in accidents with UAS .................................... 106

Involvement of manned aviation in  
accidents and serious incidents with UAS .... 106

Occurrence categories .................................. 107

 
 
 
 
List of Tables

2024 Annual Safety Review | List of Tables

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List of Tables

Table 1.1  

Cross-domain comparison of EASA Member States aircraft fatal accidents and fatalities .............. 25

Table 1.2  

Cross domain comparison of EASA Member States infrastructure fatal accidents and fatalities .... 26

Table 2.1  

Key statistics for CAT complex aeroplanes ......................................................................................... 32

Table 2.2  

Fatalities and serious injuries involving CAT complex aeroplanes .................................................... 32

Table 2.3  

Key statistics for CAT other than complex aeroplanes ....................................................................... 37

Table 2.4  

Fatalities and serious injuries involving CAT other than complex aeroplanes ................................. 37

Table 2.5  

Key statistics for NCC aeroplanes ........................................................................................................ 41

Table 2.6  

Fatalities and serious injuries involving NCC aeroplanes .................................................................. 41

Table 2.7  

Key statistics for SPO aeroplanes ........................................................................................................ 45

Table 2.8  

Fatalities and serious injuries involving SPO aeroplanes .................................................................. 45

Table 2.9  

Key statistics for non-commercial other than complex aeroplanes .................................................. 50

Table 2.10   Numbers of fatalities and serious injuries involving non-commercial other than complex 

aeroplanes............................................................................................................................................ 50

Table 3.1  

ey statistics for all helicopter operations............................................................................................ 61

Table 3.2 

 Fatalities and serious injuries involving all helicopter operations ................................................... 61

Table 3.3 

 Key Statistics for CAT helicopters ....................................................................................................... 69

Table 3.4  

Fatalities and serious injuries involving CAT helicopters ................................................................... 69

Table 3.5  

Key statistics for SPO helicopters ........................................................................................................ 76

Table 3.6  

Fatalities and serious injuries involving SPO helicopters .................................................................. 76

Table 3.7  

Key statistics for NCO helicopters ....................................................................................................... 83

Table 3.8  

Fatalities and serious injuries involving NCO helicopters ................................................................. 83

Table 4.1  

Key statistics for balloons .................................................................................................................... 91

Table 4.2  

Fatalities and serious injuries involving balloons .............................................................................. 91

Table 5.1  

Key statistics for sailplanes .................................................................................................................. 97

Table 5.2  

Fatalities and serious injuries involving sailplanes ............................................................................ 97

Table 6.1  

Key statistics for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) ......................................................................... 104

Table 6.2  

Fatalities and serious injuries involving UAS .................................................................................... 105

Table 6.3  

Number of occurrences by UAS in which manned aircraft were involved ..................................... 106

Table 7.1  

Key statistics for aerodromes and groundhandling ......................................................................... 111

Table 7.2  

Fatalities and serious injuries for aerodromes and groundhandling  ............................................ 111

Table 8.1  

Key statistics for ATM/ANS contribution accidents and serious incidents ...................................... 118

Table 8.2  

Number of fatalities and serious injuries involving ATM/ANS contribution ................................... 118

Table 9.1  

ERCS matrix ........................................................................................................................................ 129

List of Figures

2024 Annual Safety Review | List of Figures

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List of Figures

Figure 1.1   Fatal accidents and fatalities involving large aeroplane passenger and cargo operations, 

EASA Member States and the rest of the world   ................................................................................................. 22

Figure 1.2   Fatalities involving large aeroplane passenger and cargo operations worldwide  ................................ 23

Figure 1.3   EASA Member States accidents and serious incidents per year for Commercial air 
transport (CAT) and Non-commercial complex aeroplanes (NCC), CAT other than 
complex aeroplanes and Specialised Operations (SPO) aeroplanes ................................................. 27

Figure 1.4   EASA Member States accidents and serious incidents per year for CAT helicopters and 

SPO helicopters  ................................................................................................................................... 27

Figure 1.5   EASA Member States accidents and serious incidents per year for NCO other than 

complex aeroplanes and helicopters, and all sailplane and balloon operations ............................. 28

Figure 1.6   EASA Member States infrastructure related accidents and serious incidents per year  .................. 28

Figure 2.1   Numbers of AOC Aeroplanes and CAT aeroplanes in EASA Member States ..................................... 31

Figure 2.2   Numbers and rates of fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents, and serious incidents per 

million departures involving CAT complex aeroplanes ..................................................................... 33

Figure 2.3   Fatal and serious injuries per year involving CAT complex aeroplanes ............................................ 33

Figure 2.4   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving commercial air transport 

complex aeroplanes ............................................................................................................................ 34

Figure 2.5   Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving CAT complex aeroplanes .................. 35

Figure 2.6   Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving CAT complex aeroplanes ................. 35

Figure 2.7   Accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type involving CAT complex aeroplanes ................ 36

Figure 2.8   Numbers and rates of fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per 

million departures involving CAT other than complex aeroplanes ................................................... 38

Figure 2.9   Fatal and serious injuries per year involving CAT other than complex aeroplanes ......................... 38

Figure 2.10   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving CAT other than  

complex aeroplanes ............................................................................................................................ 39

Figure 2.11   Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving CAT other than  

complex aeroplanes ............................................................................................................................ 39

Figure 2.12   Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving CAT other than  

complex aeroplanes ............................................................................................................................ 40

Figure 2.13   Accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type involving CAT other than  

complex aeroplanes ............................................................................................................................ 40

Figure 2.14   Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving NCC aeroplanes ..... 42

Figure 2.15   Fatal and serious injuries per year involving NCC aeroplanes .......................................................... 42

Figure 2.16   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving NCC aeroplanes .................................. 43

Figure 2.17   Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving NCC aeroplanes ................................ 43

2024 Annual Safety Review | List of Figures

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Figure 2.18   Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving NCC aeroplanes ................................ 44

Figure 2.19   Accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type involving NCC aeroplanes .............................. 44

Figure 2.20   Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving SPO aeroplanes ...... 46

Figure 2.21   Fatal and serious injuries per year involving SPO aeroplanes .......................................................... 46

Figure 2.22   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving SPO aeroplanes .................................. 47

Figure 2.23   Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving SPO aeroplanes ................................ 48

Figure 2.24   Accidents and serious incidents by SPO type involving aeroplanes ................................................. 48

Figure 2.25   Accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type involving SPO aeroplanes .............................. 49

Figure 2.26   Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving non-

commercial other than complex aeroplanes ..................................................................................... 51

Figure 2.27   Fatal and serious injuries per year involving non-commercial other than complex aeroplanes .... 51

Figure 2.28   Numbers and rates of accidents involving non-commercial other than complex aeroplanes ........ 52

Figure 2.29   Comparison of number of accidents involving non-commercial other than complex 

aeroplanes per month ......................................................................................................................... 53

Figure 2.30   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving non-commercial other than 

complex aeroplanes ............................................................................................................................ 54

Figure 2.31   Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving non-commercial other than 

complex aeroplanes ............................................................................................................................ 55

Figure 2.32   Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving non-commercial other than 

complex aeroplanes ............................................................................................................................ 55

Figure 2.33   Numbers of fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving 

non-commercially operated microlights ............................................................................................ 56

Figure 2.34   Numbers of fatal and serious injuries per year involving non-commercially  

operated microlights ........................................................................................................................... 56

Figure 2.35   Numbers of fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents, and serious incidents in EU/EEA 

Member States per year involving non-commercially operated aircraft not registered in 
an EASA Member State. ....................................................................................................................... 57

Figure 2.36   Numbers of fatal and serious injuries per year involving non-commercially operated 

aircraft not registered in the EASA Member State ............................................................................. 57

Figure 2.37   Numbers of fatal and non-fatal accidents on non-commercially operated aircraft not 

registered in the EASA Member State and occurring within the EASA Member State. ................... 58

Figure 3.1   Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving all 

helicopter operations  ......................................................................................................................... 62

Figure 3.2   Fatal and serious injuries per year involving all helicopter operations  ........................................... 62

Figure 3.3   Number of accidents with a least one fatality or serious injury for all helicopter operations  ....... 63

Figure 3.4   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and occurrence class for all helicopter 

operations ............................................................................................................................................ 64

2024 Annual Safety Review | List of Figures

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Figure 3.5   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and aircraft certification type for all 

helicopter operations .......................................................................................................................... 65

Figure 3.6   Accidents and serious incidents by helicopter operation sub-domains  .......................................... 66

Figure 3.7   Accidents and serious incidents by certification specification for all helicopter 

operations with the breakdown of aircraft certification type for the reported fleet  ...................... 67

Figure 3.8   Number of helicopter AOC holders in the EASA Member States ...................................................... 68

Figure 3.9   Number of helicopters performing CAT in the EASA Member States ............................................... 68

Figure 3.10   Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving CAT helicopters ...... 69

Figure 3.11   Fatal and serious injuries per year involving CAT helicopters ........................................................... 70

 Figure 3.12   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and occurrence class involving  

CAT helicopters .................................................................................................................................... 71

Figure 3.13   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and aircraft certification type involving 

CAT helicopters .................................................................................................................................... 72

Figure 3.14   Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving CAT helicopters ................................. 73

Figure 3.15   Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving CAT helicopters ................................ 73

Figure 3.16   Accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type involving CAT helicopters with the 

breakdown of propulsion type for the reported fleet  ...................................................................... 74

Figure 3.17   Accidents and serious incidents by certification specification (CS27/CS29) for CAT 

operations with the breakdown of aircraft certification type for the reported fleet  ...................... 75

Figure 3.18   Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving SPO helicopters ...... 77

Figure 3.19   Fatal and serious injuries per year involving SPO helicopters .......................................................... 77

Figure 3.20   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and occurrence class involving  

SPO helicopters .................................................................................................................................... 78

Figure 3.21   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and aircraft certification type involving 

SPO helicopters .................................................................................................................................... 79

Figure 3.22   Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving SPO helicopters ................................ 80

Figure 3.23   Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving SPO helicopters ................................ 80

Figure 3.24   Accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type involving SPO helicopters with the 

breakdown of propulsion type for the reported fleet  ...................................................................... 81

Figure 3.25   Accidents and serious incidents by certification specification (CS27/CS29) for SPO with 

the breakdown of aircraft certification type for the reported fleet  ................................................. 82

Figure 3.26   Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving NCO helicopters ..... 84

Figure 3.27   Fatal and serious injuries per year involving NCO helicopters.......................................................... 84

Figure 3.28   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and occurrence class involving NCO 

helicopters ........................................................................................................................................... 85

Figure 3.29   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and aircraft certification type involving 

NCO helicopters ................................................................................................................................... 86

2024 Annual Safety Review | List of Figures

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Figure 3.30   Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving NCO helicopters ............................... 86

Figure 3.31   Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving NCO helicopters ............................... 87

Figure 3.32   Accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type involving NCO helicopters  

with the breakdown of propulsion type for the reported fleet  ....................................................... 87

Figure 3.33   Accidents and serious incidents by certification specification (CS27/CS29) for NCO  

with the breakdown of aircraft certification type for the reported fleet .......................................... 88

Figure 4.1   Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving balloons ................. 92

Figure 4.2   Fatalities and serious injuries involving balloons .............................................................................. 92

Figure 4.3   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving balloons .............................................. 93

Figure 4.4   Accidents and serious incidents involving balloons, by phase of flight ........................................... 94

Figure 4.5   Accidents and serious incidents involving balloons, by operation type ........................................... 94

Figure 5.1   Fatal and non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving sailplanes.......................... 98

Figure 5.2   Comparison of number of accidents involving sailplanes per month from 2021-2023 ................... 98

Figure 5.3   Fatal and serious injuries per year involving sailplanes .................................................................... 99

Figure 5.4   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving sailplanes .......................................... 100

Figure 5.5   Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving sailplanes ........................................ 101

Figure 5.6   Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving sailplanes ........................................ 101

Figure 6.1   Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving UAS ....................... 105

Figure 6.2   Fatal and serious injuries per year involving UAS ............................................................................ 105

Figure 6.3   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving UAS .................................................... 107

Figure 7.1   Numbers of fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents involving 

aerodromes and groundhandling, and rates per million aerodrome movements ........................ 112

Figure 7.2   Fatal and serious injuries per year involving aerodromes and groundhandling. .......................... 112

Figure 7.3   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving aerodromes and groundhandling ... 113

Figure 7.4   Aerodromes by EASA Member State in the scope of the EASA Basic Regulation to which 

the Aerodrome rules in Regulation (EU) 139/2014 (EASA ADR) are applicable. ............................ 115

Figure 8.1   Number of accidents and serious incidents per year and serious incidents and accidents 

rate per one million flights................................................................................................................ 119

Figure 8.2   Fatalities and serious injuries per year involving ATM/ANS contribution ...................................... 119

Figure 8.3   Numbers of occurrences by occurrence categories involving ATM/ANS contribution .................. 120

Figure 8.4   Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving ATM/ANS contribution ................... 121

Figure 9.1   Number of reports collected in the ECR per year ............................................................................ 124

Figure 9.2   Number of airport movements per year, for all EASA Member States (except Iceland) ................ 125

Figure 9.3   Reporting rate (number of reports/1 000 airport movements) per year ........................................ 125

Figure 9.4   Number of reports collected in the ECR per month per year .......................................................... 126

2024 Annual Safety Review | List of Figures

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Figure 9.5   Number of airport movements per month per year, for all EASA Member States  

(except Iceland) .................................................................................................................................. 126

Figure 9.6   Number of reports collected in the ECR per type of reporting organisation ................................. 127

Figure 9.7   Proportion of reports (in % of the total number of reports) per type of reporting  

organisation ....................................................................................................................................... 128

Figure 9.8   Number of records in 2023 (in % of the total number of records) per ERCS score status ............. 131

Figure 9.9   Number of records in 2023 (in % of the total number of records) with an ERCS score  

and KRA informed .............................................................................................................................. 131

Figure 9.10   Number of occurrence records in 2023 per KRA and occurrence class .......................................... 132

Figure 9.11   Number of occurrence records in 2023 per ERCS score and occurrence class ............................... 133

Figure 10.1   Number of findings by class and year .............................................................................................. 136

Figure 10.2  Distribution of Class C findings by Critical Element ......................................................................... 137

Figure 10.3  Distribution of Class D findings by Critical Element ........................................................................ 137

Figure 10.4   Ratio of class C and D findings per domain in 2023   ....................................................................................... 139

2024 Annual Safety Review | List of Figures

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Introduction

Introduction

2024 Annual Safety Review | Introduction

14

EASA  would  like  to  welcome  you  to  the  2024  edition  of  the  EASA  Annual  Safety  Review  (ASR)1.  

The analysis presented in this review provides the most important aviation safety statistics for Europe in 
2023 and a comparison with the past. It is also the data-driven input that supports the European Safety Risk 

Management (SRM) process and, hence, the European Plan for Aviation Safety (EPAS).

The ASR provides both a statistical summary of aviation safety in the EASA Member States and identifies the 
most important safety challenges faced by European aviation today, outlining the safety risks per aviation and 
operational domain in dedicated appendices.

The ASR supports the identification of safety issues, which are further assessed and prioritised using the 
experience of EASA Member States and the aviation industry to connect the data with the current and future 
strategic priorities of the Agency and the safety priorities contained in the EPAS. The identification of safety 
issues is a part of the SRM and benefits in addition to the ASR from the valuable inputs from the Network of 
aviation safety Analysts (NoA) and Collaborative Analysis Groups (CAGs).

How the safety review is produced

Information sources

The data presented in the ASR are based on the occurrences collected up to March 2024 by the Agency under 
Regulation (EU) 996/2010 on accident and serious incident investigation, and Regulation (EU) 376/2014 on 
occurrence reporting, analysis, and follow-up, and complemented through the active search of those events 
from other official sources. This data collection enables the analysis of two specific data sources:

•  EASA’s occurrence database: The main source of data is the Agency’s own database, which covers 
occurrences and other safety-related information reported to the Agency in its role as the competent 
authority,  and  accidents  and  serious  incidents  notified  to  the  Agency  by  Safety  Investigation 
Authorities worldwide. This is augmented by information collected by the Agency from other sources.

•  European Central Repository: The European Central Repository (ECR) is the central database of all 
occurrences and other safety-related information reported to the competent authorities of the EASA 
Member States, the reporting of which is governed by Regulation (EU) 376/2014 on the reporting, 
analysis and follow-up of occurrences in civil aviation.

The figures and analyses presented in the ASR may differ from safety reports prepared by other organisations 
and regulators, which is due to differences in collection methods, the definitions of the data collected and the 
subsequent analyses. It is important to identify and understand these differences when comparing safety reports 
and to keep in mind that each report has its own merits.

Unless otherwise specified, the data presented in the ASR core document for the domain-specific chapters are 
solely based on the accidents and serious incidents collected in the EASA’s occurrence database. Unlike the ASR 
core document, the data presented in the ASR appendices are based on all occurrences collected in the ECR. For 
the purpose of the analyses in the appendices, the values ‘significant incident’, ‘major incident’, ‘occurrence with 
no flight intended’ and ‘observation’ of the occurrence class attribute were consolidated into ‘incident’.

1 

Publication of the Annual Safety Review is mandated by Article 72(7) of REGULATION (EU) 2018/1139 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
AND OF THE COUNCIL of 4 July 2018 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Union Aviation Safety 
Agency.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Introduction

15

European Risk Classification Scheme (ERCS)

Regulation (EU) 376/2014 on the reporting, analysis and follow-up of occurrences in civil aviation introduced 
the requirement for a common risk classification of occurrences at the national and EASA levels. As a result, 
the ERCS was developed to measure the risk using a 2-dimensional matrix. The ERCS is part of the legal 
framework of Regulation (EU) 376/2014, through a Commission Delegated Regulation2 published in 2020 and 
later a Commission Implementing Regulation3, published in 2021. The application of the ERCS is mandatory as 
of January 1, 2023.

Within the ERCS safety risk matrix, the severity is addressed by identifying the worst likely accident outcome that 
would have occurred if the occurrence being scored had escalated into an accident, which considers both the size 
of the aircraft involved and the most likely type of accident. Secondly, the probability is measured, by looking at 
how close the occurrence was to that worst likely accident outcome, based on a weighted barrier model.

EASA began applying this scheme in 2017, and risk classified all the accidents and serious incidents of the 
previous editions of the ASR. For the 2024 edition however, where the presented data make use of the ERCS, 
the ASR solely relies on the risk classification performed by the competent authorities in 2023 and includes 
occurrences other than accidents and serious incidents.

The ERCS is useful because the classification of occurrences into accidents, serious incidents, or incidents does 
not necessarily provide an accurate picture of the risk of those occurrences. For example, a very close near mid-
air collision would be classified as a serious incident, while a collision between a ground handling vehicle and an 
aircraft leading to substantial damage to the latter would be classified as an accident. In terms of risk, the serious 
incident in this example would be of a higher risk category than that of the accident. In addition, the combination 
of probability and severity would differ significantly. For each domain, an analysis using ERCS-applied occurrence 
data provides an overview of the risks that were present during the analysed period; however, it does not predict 
the future risks, which will change due to changing circumstances and the remedial effects of safety mitigating 
actions.

2  COMMISSION  DELEGATED  REGULATION  (EU)  2020/2034  of  6  October  2020  supplementing  Regulation  (EU)  No  376/2014  of  the 

European Parliament and of the Council as regards the common European risk classification scheme

3  COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2021/2082 of 26 November 2021 laying down the arrangements for the implementation 
of Regulation (EU) No 376/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the common European risk classification 
scheme

2024 Annual Safety Review | Introduction

16

Chapter overview

This document is split into nine chapters. Chapters 2 to 8 cover one operational domain within the European 
aviation system. Unless otherwise specified, the scope of each domain in Chapters 2 to 6 is the EASA Member 
State, either as the state of operator or the state of registry. For the Aerodromes and Ground Handling and  
Air Traffic Management and Air Navigation Services (ATM/ANS) chapters, the scope is the EASA Member State as 
the state of occurrence. Chapter 9 reviews the reporting rates in the ECR, and Chapter 10 provides an overview 
of EASA’s monitoring of the Member State’s oversight capabilities.

The chapters of this ASR cover the following areas:

Chapter 1 – Safety overview

•  Review of global airline safety: This provides a review of global safety for large commercial air 

transport aeroplanes.

•  Cross-domain safety overview of EASA Member State: This provides an overview of the most 
important statistics across all the different operational domains. It helps to identify which domains 
are likely to need the greatest focus in the EPAS.

Chapter 2 – Aeroplanes

•  Commercial air transport complex aeroplanes: This covers all commercial air transport operations 
(passenger and cargo) involving aeroplanes with a maximum certificated take-off mass exceeding  
5 700 kg, or aeroplanes equipped with turbofan engine(s) or more than one turboprop engine  
(e.g., airline, air taxi, air ambulance).

•  Commercial air transport other than complex aeroplanes: This covers all commercial air transport 
operations (passenger and cargo) involving aeroplanes other than complex aeroplanes (e.g., airline, 
air taxi, air ambulance, sightseeing).

•  Non-commercial operations complex aeroplanes: This covers non-commercial operations involving 
aeroplanes with a maximum certificated take-off mass exceeding 5 700 kg, or aeroplanes equipped 
with turbofan engine(s) or more than one turboprop engine (e.g., business, demonstration, flight 
training/instructional, relocation).

•  Specialised operations: This covers all aerial work/Part SPO operations involving aeroplanes and 
includes a wide range of different operational activities (e.g., agriculture, aerial advertisement, or 
photography operations) conducted by EASA Member State registered aeroplanes or EASA Member 
State Air Operator Certificate (AOC) Aeroplanes holders.

•  Non-commercial  operations  other  than  complex  aeroplanes:  This  covers  all  non-commercial 
operations involving other than complex aeroplanes and includes analysis of leisure flights as well as 
flight training and other general aviation activities. Additional information regarding microlights and 
aircraft registered in third countries has also been included.

Chapter 3 – Helicopters

•  All  helicopter  operations: This  covers  an  analysis  of  all  EASA-certified  or  validated  helicopter 

operations, except for Nationally Regulated Operations (NRO).

•  Commercial air transport: This covers all commercial air transport operations involving EASA-certified 
or validated helicopters such as Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS), air taxi or sightseeing, 
as well as flights to offshore oil, gas and renewable energy installations.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Introduction

17

•  Specialised operations: This covers all aerial work/Part SPO operations involving EASA-certified  
or validated helicopters such as sling load, advertisement, or photography with an EASA Member State 
as the state of operator or state of registry.

•  Non-commercial operations: This covers all non-commercial operations involving EASA-certified  
or validated helicopters with an EASA MS as state of operator or state of registry. Training flights are 
included within the non-commercial operations definition.

Chapter 4 – Balloons

This chapter covers all operations involving hot air balloons.

Chapter 5 – Sailplanes

This chapter covers all operations involving sailplanes.

Chapter 6 – Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)

This chapter covers operations involving UAS within the EASA Member States; therefore, the scope  
for this chapter is EASA Member State as the state of occurrence..

Chapter 7 – Aerodromes and ground handling

This chapter covers aerodrome and ground handling operations that occur within the EASA Member 
States; therefore, the scope for this chapter is EASA Member State as the state of occurrence.

Chapter 8 – Air Traffic Management/Air Navigation Services (ATM/ANS)

This chapter covers ATM/ANS occurrences within the EASA Member States; therefore, the scope of the 
chapter is EASA Member State as the state of occurrence.

Chapter 9 – ECR reporting and risk classification

This chapter reviews the reporting rates in the ECR over 2016-2023, and ERCS level of completion  
for 2023.

Chapter 10 – Standardisation

This  chapter  provides  an  overview  of  EASA’s  standardisation  activities  which  entail  assessing  
the National Competent Authorities’ (NCAs) ability to discharge their safety oversight responsibilities 
on a continuous basis, as well as verifying the implementation of the rules. It provides a summary 
of information about the application by each Member State of the EASA Basic Regulation and of the 
delegated and implementing acts adopted on the basis thereof.4

4  Article 85, paragraph 7 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018 on common rules 

in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Introduction

18

Typical structure for each domain-specific chapter 
and appendix

Each of the domain chapters in this ASR contains specific information that is useful in understanding the analysis 
of that domain. The structures of the chapters and appendices, as described below, are as similar as possible 
across the domain chapters to afford the ability to compare information in each domain. 

•  Key statistics: Every chapter begins with a set of key statistics that provide information on the Tier 
1 Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs) for that domain, which includes details on the number of fatal 
accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents. The key statistics part also outlines the number 
of fatalities and serious injuries in the domain. In all cases, the figures for 2023 are followed by a 
comparison with the annual averages over the past 10 years that helps to provide a reference on how 
this year’s performance relates to historical trends; this information is also provided in a graphical 
format. The key statistics are then complemented with a figure outlining the occurrence categories5 
assigned to the serious incidents and accidents in the past five years.

•  Domain-specific analysis: As every domain is different, a further analysis of useful domain-specific 
information is included; for example, within the areas of special operations it is useful to provide 
information on the type of operation involved in safety events, while some chapters include an 
analysis of the type of propulsion. 

•  Domain-specific appendix: The domain-specific appendix provides the 2023 overview of the relative 
safety risk level and frequency of each key risk area (KRA). In the context of a safety performance 
framework, the KRAs are the Tier 2 SPIs for the domain. The KRAs are ordered based on their risk 
levels that were determined by the competent authorities using the ERCS. 

The domain-specific appendix continues with an occurrence data analysis related to Human Factors (HF) and 
Human Performance (HP), presented for all domains. The term HF describe human characteristics, abilities, and 
limitations. The knowledge of HF is used throughout the aviation industry to design systems, equipment and 
work in ways that support humans in performing at their best. HP refers to how people perform their tasks. 
Following safety occurrences, HF and HP knowledge can also be used diagnostically to better understand what 
went wrong, what went right and, more importantly, to understand how to prevent such occurrences from 
happening again. Within the ECR, HF and HP have been identified as having contributed to occurrences, based 
on information derived from investigations.

An airworthiness analysis concludes the domain-specific appendix for the product-related domains. The term 
airworthiness includes design, production, maintenance, and organisations thereof. Within the ECR, airworthiness 
is identified as having contributed to occurrences, based on information derived from investigations. The 
attribute ‘event type’ in the European Co-ordination centre for Accident and Incident Reporting Systems 
(ECCAIRS) taxonomy allows regulators and industry to code the causes and contributing factors to occurrences. 
A first level of airworthiness analysis shows the contribution of the aircraft system loss and malfunction to the 
occurrences, including the distribution of the main Air Transport Association (ATA) chapters. A second level of 
analysis goes a step further, showing the contribution of design, production, and maintenance to aircraft system 
loss and malfunction, i.e., highlighting the systemic root cause of a system or equipment failure.

5 

In accordance with the ICAO Accident/Incident Data Reporting (ADREP) taxonomy. Each category has a unique name and identifier to 
permit common, a text definition, and usage notes to clarify the category and aid in coding occurrences.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Introduction

19

The link with the European Plan for Aviation Safety 
(EPAS)

The EPAS constitutes the Regional Aviation Safety Plan (RASP) for EASA Member States in the ICAO EUR region 
and sets out the strategic safety priorities and objectives for the European aviation system, presents the main risk 
affecting that system and defines the necessary actions to mitigate those risks, to further improve aviation safety 
in Europe. The plan is prepared by EASA, with technical inputs from the EASA Advisory Bodies representing 
Member States and industry. The EPAS looks at aviation safety in a systemic manner. The safety priorities and 
corresponding mitigating actions are determined through the European SRM process. 

More information on the EPAS can be found on the EASA website: https://www.easa.europa.eu/easa-and-you/
safety-management/european-plan-aviation-safety

The European SRM Process

The main safety risks and corresponding mitigation actions feeding the EPAS are developed through the 
European SRM process, which is defined in 5 specific steps as described below:

5. Safety performance 
measurement

4. Implementation 
and follow-up

3. Definition and 
programming of safety actions

1. Identification of 
safety issues

2. Assessment of 
safety issues

Identification of safety issues: The identification of safety issues is the first step in the SRM process and is 
performed through the analysis of occurrence data and other safety-related information and supporting 
information by the Collaborative Analysis Groups (CAGs). These safety issues are formally captured by the Agency 
and are then subject to a preliminary safety assessment (the safety issues are listed in Volume III of the EPAS); this 
assessment then informs the decision on whether a candidate safety issue should be included formally within the 
relevant safety risk portfolio or be subject to other actions. Advice is taken from the NoA and CAGs. The outputs 
of this step in the process are the domain safety risk portfolios. Within the portfolios, both the key risk areas and 
safety issues are prioritised.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Introduction

20

Assessment of safety issues: The safety issues assessed as posing the highest risk to aviation safety are subject 
to a more detailed Safety Issue Assessment (SIA). The assessment process is led by EASA and is supported by the 
NoA and the CAGs; this external support is vital to achieving the best possible results. The SIA provides potential 
mitigating actions for the EPAS and is followed by an impact assessment through the Best Intervention Strategy 
(BIS) document, defining possible mitigation actions, assessing the implications and benefits of each possible 
action, and making recommendations on the best mitigation action(s) to be implemented in the EPAS.

Definition and programming of safety actions: Using the combined SIA/BIS, formal EPAS actions proposals are 
then submitted to the EASA advisory bodies. Once discussed, agreed upon and the required resources secured, 
the actions are then included in the next version of the EPAS. Prior to publication, the EPAS is approved by the 
EASA Management Board. Actions that are low-cost or require more rapid intervention are often fast-tracked 
and appear in the next available update of the EPAS. In some cases, more immediate safety actions are needed 
that could be completed before the next EPAS is published. Naturally, these are not included within EPAS. Such 
actions could include the publication of a Safety Information Bulletin (SIB) or take the form of immediate Safety 
Promotion activities.

Implementation and follow-up: The next step in the process involves the implementation and follow-up of the 
actions that have been included within the EPAS. There are different types of actions within the EPAS, including 
research, rulemaking, Member State tasks, safety promotion, and evaluation.

Safety performance measurement: The final stage in the process is the measurement of safety performance; 
this serves two purposes.  Firstly, to monitor the changes that have resulted from the implementation of safety 
actions. Secondly, it also serves to monitor the aviation system so that new safety issues can be identified. To 
ensure that there is a systematic approach to the work in this step of the SRM process, a Safety Performance 
Framework (SPF) has been developed that identifies different tiers of SPIs. Tier 1 transversally monitors all the 
domains and the overview of the performance in each domain. Tier 2 covers the KRAs at domain level, while Tier 
2+ monitors the safety issues. The ASR is the annual review of the (SPF) and identifies safety trends and highlights 
priority domains, KRAs and safety issues. From this step, the SRM process begins again.

The occurrences, that are reviewed and analysed during the production of the ASR, support the identification 
of safety issues (step 1 of the European SRM process). In addition to the safety intelligence gained through 
analysing occurrence data, roadmaps have been developed for the general aviation and the rotorcraft domains. 
These domain-specific roadmaps, which are monitored and will continue to develop, augment the overall safety 
intelligence picture when determining the safety priorities contained in the EPAS.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Introduction

21

Chapter 1
Safety overview  

Safety overview

2024 Annual Safety Review | Safety overview

22

1.1  Global airline fatal accidents

This  section  covers  large  aeroplane  passenger  and  cargo  operations  worldwide6.  The  figures  show  the 
contribution of EASA Member State operators to the number of global fatal accidents and fatalities. Figure 1.1 
shows that the number of fatal accidents in recent years has stabilised since 2020 and dropped to two accidents 
of passenger aeroplane commercially operated in the world in 2023. This low number of fatal accidents in 2023 
is the lowest in the decade. For the context of these safety figures, it is to be noted that after two years of severe 
traffic reductions in 2020 and 2021 the aviation industry in Europe experienced, a strong recovery in terms of 
traffic since summer 2022 but did not recover fully the level of pre-COVID-19 pandemic traffic yet. Indeed, the 
overall passenger traffic for the full year of 2023 was 4.5% lower than in 2019 for the European region. These 
statistics indicate that there has been again a substantial recovery in 2023. The resilience of demand for air 
transport is evident despite various challenges such as inflationary pressures and higher airfares.

With 77 fatalities, the number of fatalities in 2023 is the second lowest in the decade and close to the record of 
the so-called safest year in large aeroplane commercial aviation, which was set in 2017 with 66 fatalities. The 
accident involving an ATR 72 on January 15, 2023, near Pokhara in Nepal, accounted for most of the total number 
of fatalities (72 out of 77) in large aeroplane passenger and cargo operations worldwide in 2023. 

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Rest of world 

 ´ Figure 1.1 Fatal accidents and fatalities involving large aeroplane passenger and cargo operations, EASA 

Member States and the rest of the world  

6 

Large aeroplane commercial air transport, is defined as aircraft with a maximum take-off mass (MTOM) above 5 700 kg, carrying 
passengers  or  cargo.  Under  EASA  regulations,  commercial  air  transport  includes  all  flights  carrying  passengers  or  cargo  for 
remuneration or hire. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Safety overview

23

The definition of an accident is set out in EU law7 and in Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil 
Aviation (Chicago Convention). Although this definition excludes unlawful acts (such as stowaway, hijacking, 
bombs, shot down, etc.), such acts have often been investigated by safety investigation authorities and the 
management of safety and security risks are increasingly connected. The data presented in Figure 1.2 has been 
divided to show the fatalities related to accidents and those related to unlawful acts. Whereas accidents have 
reduced markedly since 1970 and then more slowly in recent years, fatalities related to unlawful acts have  
re-emerged since 2014. When focussing on the last decade (2014-2023), the fatalities caused by unlawful acts 
represent a fourth of the total number of fatalities with fortunately an improvement over the last three years 
since there have been no civil aviation accidents due to unlawful acts during this period. This observation, in 
conjunction with the current challenges associated with the developing geopolitical situations with numerous 
conflict zones worldwide, increasingly focuses concern on security matters that require an integrated risk 
management approach in order to be adequately mitigated.

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 ´ Figure 1.2 Fatalities involving large aeroplane passenger and cargo operations worldwide 

The same requirements that define an aviation accident also require that these accidents must be investigated 
with a view to understanding the causes and preventing similar events in the future. Based on the information 
from accident reports and from preliminary information where the investigations are ongoing, the fatal accidents 
between 2019 and 2023 had the following characteristics:

•  The most common underlying cause of these accidents is associated to flight crews’ errors or confusion 
and/or flight crews’ management of challenging circumstances created by technical failures or poor 
weather conditions, including heavy rains and thunderstorms, during approach. Safety management 
continues to emerge as an important factor in preventing accidents;

7 

Regulation (EU) No 996/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2010 on the investigation and prevention 
of accidents and incidents in civil aviation and repealing Directive 94/56/EC

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Safety overview

24

•  Aircraft upset, runway excursion and terrain collision remain as the most common accident outcomes. 
The most common flight phase for fatal accidents is approach and landing, however, accidents 
occurring en-route contribute to more than half of the total number of fatalities;

•  The design of safe and effective human-machine interfaces remains a challenge and although progress 
continues to be made in this area, many aircraft continue to operate with older designs that do not 
take account of lessons learned from previous accidents;

•  Cargo  accidents  continue  to  be  slightly  disproportionately  represented  in  fatal  accidents,  

at approximately 32% of the accidents over the past five years. 

2024 Annual Safety Review | Safety overview

25

1.2  EASA Member States cross domain safety  

overview

Each domain presented in this review provides the number of fatal accidents and fatalities for 2023 as compared 
with the preceding ten years, 2013-2022. These figures are consolidated here, to provide a cross-domain safety 
overview. 

In almost all domains, the number of fatal accidents and fatalities was close to the minimum of the preceding 
decade and lower compared to 2022. The exceptions to this are the non-commercial aeroplane and helicopter 
operations, as identified in Table 1.1. 

FATAL 
ACCIDENTS 
2023

FATAL 
ACCIDENTS 
2013-2022 
MIN - MAX

FATALITIES 
2023

FATALITIES 
2013-2022 
MIN - MAX

FATALITIES 
2013-2022 
MEDIAN

AIRCRAFT DOMAIN

AEROPLANES

CAT operations with complex 
aeroplanes

CAT operations with aeroplanes 
other than complex

Non-commercial operations with 
complex aeroplanes 

Specialised operations

0

0

0

3

0 - 2

0 - 1 8

0 - 2

3 - 11

Non-commercial operations with 
aeroplanes other than complex

35

35 - 59

HELICOPTERS

Overall

CAT operations

Specialised operations

Non-commercial operations

BALLOONS

7

1

1

5

0

5 - 11

0 - 4

0 - 4

2 - 8

0 - 3

SAILPLANES

11

9 - 27  

0

0

0

3

68

11

4

1

6

0

7

0 - 150

0 - 4 8

0 - 10

3 - 31

49 - 90

9 - 29

0 - 22

0 - 11

1 - 20

0 - 3

1

0 8

0

11

74

20

6

1

7

1

7 - 31

18

 ´ Table 1.1 Cross-domain comparison of EASA Member States aircraft fatal accidents and fatalities

8 

2014-2022, no data available before 2014 for this operational domain.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Safety overview

26

A separate table is used for aerodromes and ground handling, and for ATM/ANS. The table includes all fatal 
accidents and fatalities that happened at aerodromes or in airspace in an EASA Member State. Therefore, the 
infrastructure table not only counts fatal accidents and fatalities that are already in the table for the aircraft 
chapters, but also some that involved operators or aircraft registered outside of a Member State. This is identified 
in Table 1.2. 

INFRASTRUCTURE 
DOMAIN

AERODROMES AND 
GROUND HANDLING 

AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT  
AND AIR NAVIGATION  
SERVICES

FATAL 
ACCIDENTS 
2023

FATAL 
ACCIDENTS 
2013-2022 
MIN - MAX

FATALITIES 
2023

FATALITIES 
2013-2022 
MIN - MAX

FATALITIES 
2013-2022 
MEDIAN

0

0

0 - 0

0 - 0

0

0

0 - 0

0 -0

0

0

 ´ Table 1.2 Cross domain comparison of EASA Member States infrastructure fatal accidents and fatalities

2024 Annual Safety Review | Safety overview

27

The following graphs (Figures 1.3 to 1.6) show the number of fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious 
incidents for each aircraft domain while providing a visual comparison. Please note that the scale of the Y-axis 
is not the same for each chart, although they have in some cases been adjusted to make a comparison easier.

CAT and non-commercial complex aeroplanes

CAT other than complex aeroplanes

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Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

 ´ Figure 1.3 EASA Member States accidents and serious incidents per year for Commercial air transport 

(CAT) and Non-commercial complex aeroplanes (NCC), CAT other than complex aeroplanes and Specialised 
Operations (SPO) aeroplanes

Commercial air transport helicopters

Specialised operations helicopters

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 ´ Figure 1.4 EASA Member States accidents and serious incidents per year for CAT helicopters and SPO 

helicopters 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Safety overview

28

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Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

 ´ Figure 1.5 EASA Member States accidents and serious incidents per year for NCO other than complex 

aeroplanes and helicopters, and all sailplane and balloon operations

Aerodromes and Ground Handling

ATM/ANS

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Fatal accidents

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Serious incidents

 ´ Figure 1.6 EASA Member States infrastructure related accidents and serious incidents per year 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Safety overview

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Chapter 2
Aeroplanes 

Aeroplanes

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

30

This chapter covers aeroplane operations. The chapter is divided into five main sections: 

1.  Commercial air transport (CAT9) passenger and cargo operations conducted by EASA Air Operators 
Certificate  (AOC)  holders  with  complex  aeroplanes  with  a  maximum  certificated  take-off  mass 
exceeding 5 700 kg or equipped with (a) turbofan engine(s) or more than one turboprop engine. 
Examples include airline, air taxi, air ambulance, etc.

2.  CAT passenger and cargo operations conducted by EASA AOC holders with non-complex aeroplanes, 
having a maximum take-off mass below 5 700 kg or not equipped with (a) turbofan engine(s) or more 
than one turboprop engine. Examples include airline, air taxi, air ambulance, sightseeing, etc.

3.  EASA Member State registered, or operated complex aeroplanes carrying out non-commercial complex 
(NCC) operation with a maximum certificated take-off mass exceeding 5 700 kg or equipped with (a) 
turbofan engine(s) or more than one turboprop engine. Examples include business, demonstration, 
flight training/instructional, relocation, etc.

4.  Specialised operations (SPO) conducted by EASA Member State registered aeroplanes or EASA Member 

State AOC holders. Examples include agriculture, aerial advertisement, photography, etc.

5.  Non-commercial  operations  (NCO)  conducted  by  EASA  Member  State  registered  non-complex 
aeroplanes, having a maximum take-off mass below 5 700 kg or not equipped with (a) turbofan 
engine(s) or more than one turboprop engine, and not covered in the sections above. 

The data presented are based on the accidents and serious incidents collected by the Agency under Regulation 
(EU) 996/2010 on accident and serious incident investigation and Regulation (EU) 376/2014 on occurrence 
reporting, follow-up, and analysis, and through the active search of those events from other official sources.

For each section, the key statistics and occurrence categories are presented in the core document. 

The list of fatal accidents associated with the scope of this chapter is provided in Appendix 1, as is a list of fatal 
accidents involving non-certified aeroplanes (Annex I lists aircraft, the operation of which involves low risk for 
aviation safety).

Advanced statistics associated with the scope of this chapter are then provided in a domain-specific Appendix 
2 – Advanced Statistics Aeroplanes, giving an overview of the safety risks for these types of operations at the 
European level. The advanced statistics are solely derived from occurrence data from the European Central 
Repository (ECR).

9  As per REGULATION (EU) 2018/1139 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL, ‘commercial air transport’ means an 

aircraft operation to transport passengers, cargo or mail for remuneration or other valuable consideration.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

31

2.1  Commercial Air Transport (CAT) - complex 

aeroplanes

This section covers the CAT passenger and cargo operations conducted by EASA AOC holders with complex 
aeroplanes with a maximum certificated take-off mass exceeding 5 700 kg or equipped with (a) turbofan 
engine(s) or more than one turboprop engine. Examples include airline, air taxi, air ambulance, etc.  

Numbers of AOC holders and AOC aeroplanes

Figure 2.1 shows the number of AOC holders and the number of commercial air transport aeroplanes within 
EASA Member States. It shows that in 2023, the number of AOC aeroplane holders has slightly increased in 
comparison to the previous year and has reached the highest number in the reference period. The number of 
CAT aeroplanes, with slight increase in 2022 has further increased in 2023 but has remained below the numbers 
of the years 2019 and 2020.

8 000

7 000

6 000

5 000

4 000

3 000

2 000

1 000

0

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i

Aeroplanes (CAT ops)

AOC (A)

2019

7 017

585

2020

6 883

575

2021

6 593

635

2022

6 623

615

2023

6 817

639

 ´ Figure 2.1 Numbers of AOC Aeroplanes and CAT aeroplanes in EASA Member States

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

32

Key statistics

The key statistics for this domain are depicted in Table 2.1 and Table 2.2, and include a comparison of the 
number of accidents (fatal and non-fatal) and serious incidents for the last year and the previous 10-year period10 
. They also include a comparison of the fatalities and serious injuries sustained in those accidents during the 
same timeframe. In 2023 there was no fatal accident involving EASA CAT AOC holders. The number of non-fatal 
accidents is higher than the previous 10-year period, while the number of serious incidents is lower.

10 out of 18 non-fatal accidents had resulted in substantial damage to an aircraft. These cases encompassed a 
runway overrun on landing and collision with a parked helicopter, explosion of a main landing gear wheel, left 
nosewheel fracture and separation during crosswind landing, left wingtip colliding with a lamppost, all main 
landing gear wheels damage at landing, two tail strikes, one hard landing and two collisions on ground between 
two aircraft.

Total number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class over 
2013-2022

Number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class 
in 2023

Comparison 2023 
vs yearly average 
of 2013-2022
per occurrence class

Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

6

153

639

0

18

33

 ´ Table 2.1 Key statistics for CAT complex aeroplanes







Number of fatalities

Number of serious injuries

Total number over 2013-2022

Yearly max number over 2013-2022

Yearly min number over 2013-2022

Total number in 2023

277

150

0

0

71

15

3

7

 ´ Table 2.2 Fatalities and serious injuries involving CAT complex aeroplanes

Figure 2.2 shows that the number of non-fatal accidents in 2023 has increased in comparison to the previous 
year. The number of serious incidents has decreased in comparison with the previous year and was the second 
lowest of the period. The air traffic in 2023 had further recovered and reached approximately 88% of the 2019 
traffic level11. These figures should be considered in the context of the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, 
the impact of the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine and other conflict zones leading to the rerouting  
of the affected traffic. 

Figure 2.2 also shows that the rate of accidents has increased by 0.2 and serious incidents have decreased by 
3.4 occurrences per 1 million flights in 2023 compared to the previous year. The rates are displayed for years 

10  On 4 August 2018, a Junker-52 crashed in the Swiss Alps while performing a sightseeing flight resulting in 20 fatalities. Due to the type 
of aircraft involved (not certified by EASA and an ‘Annex I aircraft’ of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139) and the specific type of operation 
being carried, this accident has not been included in the statistics of this chapter.

11  Source: EUROCONTROL

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

33

2019 onwards due to a change in exposure data (number of flights) structure by the data provider. The rate  
of accidents in 2023 was the second highest in the period and slightly above the result of 2019. The rate of 
serious incidents, which at times bear a higher risk than accidents, was the lowest in the reference period.

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2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

60

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0

55

26

2

52

15

1

93

15

1

72

8

1

95

13

0

Serious incidents

Non-fatal accidents

Fatal accidents

Serious incident rate

Accident rate

76

20

0

9.2

2.4

31

7

0

9.3

2.1

53

13

0

13.0

3.2

52

14

1

7.9

2.3

33

18

0

4.5

2.5

 ´ Figure 2.2 Numbers and rates of fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents, and serious incidents per million 

departures involving CAT complex aeroplanes

The number of serious injuries, slightly increased in 2023, when compared to the previous year. In 2023 two 
serious injuries were attributable to encounters with turbulence during flight, a passenger being injured by 
falling from the stairs and an accidental parking brake setting during pushback causing injury to a ramp agent. 
The number of fatalities per year relates to the operation type (passenger or cargo), size and occupancy of the 
aeroplane involved in the accident. 

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180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Serious Injuries

Fatalities

7

0

7

7

120

150

9

2

15

3

5

0

6

0

3

0

7

0

5

2

7

0

 ´ Figure 2.3 Fatal and serious injuries per year involving CAT complex aeroplanes

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

34

Occurrence categories

Figure 2.4 outlines the top occurrence categories assigned to the accidents and serious incidents in the past 
five years. Occurrences are categorised using the ICAO Accident/Incident Data Reporting (ADREP) taxonomy for 
occurrence categories, developed for supporting common coding of the main elements of an occurrence that 
should be investigated, recorded, and analysed. 

Categories are of different natures, for example:

•  Operational such as low altitude operations (LALT);

•  Environmental such as turbulence encounter (TURB);

•  Technical such as system/component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant] (SCF-NP):

•  Consequential such as fire/smoke resulting from impact (F-POST); etc. 

Multiple categories may therefore be assigned to a single occurrence. For example, if an engine failure occurred, 
and loss of control followed, the occurrence would be coded in both categories, i.e., SCF-PP: powerplant failure 
or malfunction and LOC-I: loss of control in flight. The sum of the numbers of occurrences per category may 
therefore be greater than the total number of occurrences that were realised in the period.

In the period of 2019-2023, the highest number of accidents and serious incidents were non-powerplant system/
component failure related, followed by mid-air collision, and system component failure - powerplant categories. 
In 2023 the most accidents and serious incidents were non-powerplant system/component failure (main landing 
gear wheels damages and explosion, landing gear separations, decompression, overheat of the aft galley), 
ground collision (ground vehicle colliding with a taxiing aircraft, collision with two taxiing aircraft, winglet 
collision with lamppost) and mid-air collision related.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

SCF-NP

MAC

SCF-PP

GCOL

RAMP

RE

F-NI

RI

OTHR

ATM

ARC

NAV

TURB

MED

SCF-NP: System/component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant]; MAC: Airprox/ ACAS alert/ loss of separation/(near) mid-air collisions; 
SCF-PP: powerplant failure or malfunction; F-NI: Fire/ smoke (non-impact); RAMP: Ground handling; ATM: ATM/ CNS; GCOL: Ground collision; 
RE: Runway excursion; RI: Runway incursion - vehicle, aircraft or person; NAV: Navigation error; OTHR: Other; ARC: Abnormal runway contact; 
TURB: Turbulence encounter, MED: Medical

 ´ Figure 2.4 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving commercial air transport complex 

aeroplanes

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

35

Phase of flight

The numbers for 2023 in Figure 2.5 show a distribution of accidents and serious incidents per flight phase 
with a greater number during landing, and en-route. The number of accidents and serious incidents during 
landing, critical phase of flight, in 2023 was higher than the 2013-2022 average. The unknown/blank flight phase 
corresponds to those occurrences where no data was available, and it normally relates to the second aircraft in 
some of the occurrences.

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Standing

Tow

Taxi

Take-off

En route

Approach

Landing

Average 2013-2022

2023

7

5

0.6

1

8

7

14.6

7

22.8

11

14.8

3

13.2

14

 ´ Figure 2.5 Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving CAT complex aeroplanes

Unknown/
Blank

0.2

0

Operation type

Figure 2.6 compares the number of accidents and serious incidents per operation type (passenger and cargo), 
showing the figures for the last year compared with the previous 10-year average. In 2023, like in 2020, 2021, 
and 2022, the number of occurrences for passenger flight operations remained below the 10-year average.  
The number of accidents and serious incidents for cargo flights was also lower than the 10-year average.

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Average 2013-2022

2023

Passenger

71.7

45

Cargo

8.2

2

 ´ Figure 2.6 Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving CAT complex aeroplanes

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

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Propulsion type

Figure 2.7 shows the distribution by propulsion type for the last year compared with the previous 10-year 
average. The figure shows a similar pattern between the 2023 figures and the 2013-2022 average figure, 
although the absolute numbers are lower in 2023 compared with the 10-year average (2013-2022). The split 
between turbofan and turboprop is consistent with the aircraft fleet sizes and utilisation.

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70

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Turboprop

Turbofan

Average 2013-2022

2023

15.3

5

65.2

45

 ´ Figure 2.7 Accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type involving CAT complex aeroplanes

 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

37

2.2  Commercial Air Transport (CAT) - other than 

complex aeroplanes

This section covers the safety performance of CAT passenger and cargo operations conducted by EASA AOC 
holders with non-complex aeroplanes, having a maximum take-off mass below 5 700 kg or not equipped with 
(a) turbofan engine(s) or more than one turboprop engine. Examples include airline, air taxi, air ambulance, 
sightseeing, etc. Due to data availability for this domain, this chapter covers a nine-year period from 2014.

Key statistics

The key statistics for this domain are in the tables below and include a comparison of the number of accidents 
(fatal and non-fatal) and serious incidents for the last year and the previous 9-year period. Also included is a 
comparison of the fatalities and serious injuries sustained in those accidents during the same timeframe.

In 2023 there was no fatal accident and serious incident involving EASA CAT AOC holder operating other than 
complex aeroplanes. In 2023 there was one non-fatal accident that was mid-air collision of aircraft during final 
approach. Overall the number of non-fatal accidents was lower than the average of the previous 9-year period. 

Total number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class over 
2014-2022

Number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class 
in 2023

Comparison 2023 
vs yearly average 
of 2014-2022
per occurrence class

Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

2

11

14

0

1

0

 ´ Table 2.3 Key statistics for CAT other than complex aeroplanes







Number of fatalities

Number of serious injuries

Total number over 2014-2022

Yearly max number over 2014-2022

Yearly min number over 2014-2022

Total number in 2023

6

4

0

0

6

4

0

1

 ´ Table 2.4 Fatalities and serious injuries involving CAT other than complex aeroplanes

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

38

Figure 2.8 shows that the number of non-fatal accidents in 2023 has decreased, when compared with the 
previous year.

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Serious incidents

Non-fatal accidents

Fatal accidents

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2

0

3

2

1

2

1

0

2

3

0

0

1

0

 ´ Figure 2.8 Numbers and rates of fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per million 

departures involving CAT other than complex aeroplanes

The number of serious injuries, in 2023 decreased, when compared with the previous year. One serious injury 
in 2023 was attributable to a person on board being injured during mid-air collision of aircraft during final 
approach.

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Serious injuries

Fatalities

4

2

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0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

4

0

0

2

0

1

0

 ´ Figure 2.9 Fatal and serious injuries per year involving CAT other than complex aeroplanes

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

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Occurrence categories

Figure 2.10 outlines the top occurrence categories assigned to the serious incidents and accidents in the past 
five years. Occurrences are categorised using the ICAO ADREP taxonomy for occurrence categories, developed 
for supporting common coding of the main elements of an occurrence that should be investigated, recorded, 
and analysed. 

In the period of 2019-2023 the highest number of accidents and serious incidents were abnormal runway contact 
related. The non-fatal accident of 2023 was mid-air collision related.

0

1

2

3

4

ARC

MAC

SCF-PP

RE

OTHR

UNK

WSTRW

ARC: Abnormal runway contact; MAC: Airprox/ ACAS alert/ loss of separation/ (near) midair collisions; SCF-PP: powerplant failure or 
malfunction; RE: Runway excursion; OTHR: Other; UNK: Unknown or undetermined; WSTRW: Windshear or thunderstorm

 ´ Figure 2.10 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving CAT other than complex aeroplanes

Phase of flight

The low numbers in this domain do not allow any comparison in terms of flight phase. However, the data are still 
presented for information in Figure 2.11.

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1.2

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

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Average 2013-2022

2023

Standing

0.1

0

Taxi

0.1

0

Take-off

En route

Approach

Landing

Unknown

Blank

0.4

0

1.0

0

0.6

1

0.6

0

0.1

0

0.1

0

 ´ Figure 2.11 Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving CAT other than complex aeroplanes

 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

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Operation type

Figure 2.12 compares the number of accidents and serious incidents per operation type (passenger and cargo), 
showing the figures for the last year compared with the previous 10-year average. 

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Sightseeing

Air Ambulance

Airline

Average 2013-2022

2023

1

0

1.1

1

0.3

0

0.1

0

Blank

0.9

0

 ´ Figure 2.12 Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving CAT other than complex 

aeroplanes

Propulsion type

The low numbers in this domain do not allow any comparison between the two main propulsion types. However, 
the data are still presented for information in Figure 2.13.

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1.5

1.0

0.5

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Reciprocating

Turboprop

Average 2013-2022

2023

2.2

1

0.8

0

 ´ Figure 2.13 Accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type involving CAT other than complex 

aeroplanes

 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

41

2.3  Non-Commercial Complex (NCC) aeroplanes

This section covers the safety performance of complex aeroplanes performing NCC (e.g., business, demonstration, 
flight training/instructional, relocation, etc.):

•  with a maximum certificated take-off mass exceeding 5 700 kg, or equipped with (a) turbofan 

engine(s) or more than one turboprop engine, and

•  with an EASA Member State as state of operator or state of registry.

Key statistics

The key statistics for this domain are in the tables below and include a comparison of the number of accidents 
(fatal and non-fatal) and serious incidents for the last year and the previous 10-year period. Also included is a 
comparison of the fatalities and serious injuries sustained in those accidents during the same timeframe. 

Total number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class over 
2013-2022

Number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class 
in 2023

Comparison 2023 
vs yearly average 
of 2013-2022
per occurrence class

Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

5

23

60

 ´ Table 2.5 Key statistics for NCC aeroplanes

0

0

2







Number of fatalities

Number of serious injuries

Total number over 2013-2022

Yearly max number over 2013-2022

Yearly min number over 2013-2022

Total number in 2023

16

10

0

0

 ´ Table 2.6 Fatalities and serious injuries involving NCC aeroplanes

3

2

0

0

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

42

Figure 2.14 shows that during 2023, there were two serious incidents involving an EASA Member State registered 
or operated NCC aeroplane. One was near mid-air collision, and the other one electrical smell after departure 
related.

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2013

2014

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2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

5

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Serious incidents

Non-fatal accidents

Fatal accidents

Serious incident rate

Accident rate

16

4

0

2.6

0.7

3

1

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0.7

0.2

1

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0.2

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0.4

0.3

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3

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1.5

1

0.5

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a
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0
0
0
0
0
1
r
e
p

 ´ Figure 2.14 Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving NCC aeroplanes

The number of fatalities and serious injuries per year is shown in Figure 2.15. In 2023 there were no fatalities 
and no serious injuries.

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2015

2016

2017

2018

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2020

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2023

Serious Injuries

Fatalities

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

4

2

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

10

0

0

 ´ Figure 2.15 Fatal and serious injuries per year involving NCC aeroplanes

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

43

Occurrence categories

Figure 2.16 outlines the top 5 categories assigned to the serious incidents and accidents in the past five 
years. Occurrences are categorised using the ICAO ADREP taxonomy for occurrence categories, developed for 
supporting common coding of the main elements of an occurrence that should be investigated, recorded, and 
analysed. 

In the period of 2019-2023 the highest number of accidents and serious incidents were mid-air collision 
occurrence category related, followed by system component failure or malfunction - non-powerplant.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

MAC
SCF-NP
NAV
ARC
RE
LOC-I
F-NI
LOC-G
AMAN
USOS
UNK

MAC: Airprox/ ACAS alert/ loss of separation/ (near) mid-air collisions; SCF-NP: System/component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant]; 
RE: Runway excursion; NAV: Navigation error; ARC: Abnormal runway contact; LOC-I: Loss of control - inflight; F-NI: Fire/ smoke (non-impact); 
LOC-G: Loss of control - ground; AMAN: Abrupt manoeuvre; USOS: Undershoot/ overshoot; UNK: Unknown or undetermined

 ´ Figure 2.16 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving NCC aeroplanes

Phase of flight

The low numbers in this domain do not allow any comparison in terms of flight phase. However, the data are still 
presented for information in Figure 2.17.

s
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a
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A

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0

Standing

Average 2013-2022

2023

1

0

Taxi

0.4

0

Take-off

En route

Manoeuvring

Approach

Landing

Unknown

Blank

1.3

0

2.5

1

0.2

0

1.4

1

2.3

0

0.3

1

0.1

0

 ´ Figure 2.17 Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving NCC aeroplanes

 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

44

Operation type

The low numbers in this domain do not allow any comparison in terms of operation type. However, the data are 
still presented for information in Figure 2.18. 

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A

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Average 2013-2022

2023

Business

4.9

1

Flight 
Training/
Instructional

Other

Pleasure

Relocation

Test Flight

Blank

Unknown

0.9

0

0.1

0

1.6

1

1.6

1

0.2

0

0.3

0

0

1

 ´ Figure 2.18 Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving NCC aeroplanes

Propulsion type

The low numbers in this domain do not allow any comparison between the two main propulsion types. However, 
the data are still presented for information in Figure 2.19.

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a
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i
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c
A

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Turboprop

Turbofan

Average 2013-2022

2023

1.8

1

6.9

1

 ´ Figure 2.19 Accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type involving NCC aeroplanes

 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

45

2.4  Specialised Operations (SPO) aeroplanes 

The scope of this section covers SPO involving aeroplanes of all mass categories having an EASA Member State 
as state of registry or state of operator.

Key statistics

The key statistics for this domain are in Table 2.7 and Table 2.8 and include a comparison of the number of 
accidents (fatal and non-fatal) and serious incidents for the last year and the previous 10-year period. It also 
includes a comparison of the fatalities and serious injuries sustained in those accidents during the same 
timeframe.

The cumulated number of fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents, and serious incidents in 2023 remained below 
the average of the preceding decade for each occurrence class. From the three fatal accidents in 2023, two of 
them occurred during parachuting operations, the third one was a loss of control at low altitude during crop 
spraying. In 2023, four out of eight non-fatal accidents resulted in runway excursions, one in the loss of control 
during U-turn after take-off, while towing a glider, one in one engine power loss in flight, one in a crash after 
wing strike during agricultural works, and another one in collision with a cable during a discovery flight in the 
aerodrome circuit. The numbers of fatalities and serious injuries in 2023 were close to the minimum values of 
the preceding decade.

Total number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class over 
2013-2022

Number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class 
in 2023

Comparison 2023 
vs yearly average 
of 2013-2022
per occurrence class

Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

58

169

74

 ´ Table 2.7 Key statistics for SPO aeroplanes

3

8

2







Number of fatalities

Number of serious injuries

Total number over 2013-2022

Yearly max number over 2013-2022

Yearly min number over 2013-2022

Total number in 2023

120

31

4

3

 ´ Table 2.8 Fatalities and serious injuries involving SPO aeroplanes

56

16

1

1

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

46

The number of accidents and serious incidents per year is shown in Figure 2.20.

In 2023 the number of fatal accidents was equal to the minimum values of the preceding decade. Both the 
numbers of serious incidents and non-fatal accidents in 2023 were the lowest, when compared to the preceding 
decade. As in all years of the previous 10-year period, the number of non-fatal accidents is higher than the 
number of fatal accidents and the number of serious incidents in 2023.

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b
m
u
N

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Serious incidents

Non-fatal accidents

Fatal accidents

3

22

7

4

23

11

5

22

8

13

12

6

13

26

4

8

16

7

7

11

5

13

16

3

3

11

4

5

10

3

2

8

3

 ´ Figure 2.20 Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving SPO aeroplanes

The number of fatalities and serious injuries per year is shown in Figure 2.21.

In 2023 the number of fatalities was the lowest, and the number of serious injuries was equal to the lowest 
numbers observed in 2019 and 2021, when compared to the preceding decade. The number of serious injuries 
in 2023 is low in relation to the number of non-fatal accidents. Four of the eight non-fatal accidents resulted in 
aircraft being destroyed sustaining one serious and one minor injury, and remaining four in substantial damage 
to the aircraft, in one case sustaining a minor injury. 

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a
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40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Serious injuries

Fatalities

4

16

6

31

16

16

9

9

9

5

2

8

1

13

6

4

1

13

2

5

1

3

 ´ Figure 2.21 Fatal and serious injuries per year involving SPO aeroplanes

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

47

Occurrence categories

Figure 2.22 outlines the top 15 categories assigned to the serious incidents and accidents in the past five 
years. Occurrences are categorised using the ICAO ADREP taxonomy for occurrence categories, developed for 
supporting common coding of the main elements of an occurrence that should be investigated, recorded, and 
analysed. 

In the period of 2019-2023, the highest number of accidents and serious incidents were loss of control in flight, 
followed by mid-air collision and system component non powerplant failure related occurrence categories.  
In 2023 the highest number of accidents and serious incidents were runway excursion related.

0

5

10

15

20

LOC-I

MAC

SCF-NP

GTOW

RE

SCF-PP

UNK

LOC-G

LOC-I: Loss of control - inflight; MAC: Airprox/ ACAS alert/ loss of separation/ (near) mid-air collisions; SCF-NP: System/ component failure or 
malfunction [non-powerplant]; GTOW: Glider towing related events; RE: Runway excursion; SCF-PP: powerplant failure or malfunction; UNK: 
Unknown or undetermined; LOC-G: Loss of control - ground

 ´ Figure 2.22 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving SPO aeroplanes

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

48

Phase of flight

Figure 2.23 shows the distribution of accidents and serious incidents by flight phase.

The numbers of serious incidents and accidents in 2023 were lower than the average of the preceding decade for 
all flight phases except for the approach phase. In 2023, 10 out of the 13 accidents and serious incidents occurred 
during landing, approach, and manoeuvring.

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A

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Standing

Tow

Average 2013-2022

2023

0.1

0

0.3

0

Taxi

1.8

0

Take-off

En route

Manoevring

Approach

Landing

Unknown/
Blank

7.8

2

6.3

1

4

3

2.8

3

5.5

4

1.6

0

 ´ Figure 2.23 Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving SPO aeroplanes

Operation type

Figure 2.24 shows the number of accidents and serious incidents by type of SPO.

In 2023 the number of accidents and serious incidents were lower than the average of the preceding decade for 
all operation types except aerial advertising and other operations. In 2023, nine out of the 13 serious incidents 
and accidents were in parachute and towing operations. 

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12

10

8

6

4

2

0

Aerial  
Advertising

Aerial  
Observation

Aerial 
Survey

Agri-
cultural

Airshow/
Race

Animal 
Herding/ 
Mustering

Calibration

Other

Parachute
drop

Photo-
graphy

Towing

Average 2013-2022

2023

0.8

1

0.4

0

0.1

0

3.9

2

3.2

0

0.2

0

0.2

0

0.5

1

9.9

6

0.8

0

8.5

3

 ´ Figure 2.24 Accidents and serious incidents by SPO type involving aeroplanes

 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

49

Propulsion type

Figure 2.25 shows the number of accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type.

The number of accidents and serious incidents in 2023 involving aircraft with reciprocating engines or turboprop 
engines were around half of the average of the preceding decade. There were no accidents or serious incidents 
involving turbofan and turbojet engines in 2023.

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30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Turbofan

Reciprocating

Turbojet

Turboprop

Average 2013-2022

2023

0.1

0

24

11

0.2

0

5.7

2

 ´ Figure 2.25 Accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type involving SPO aeroplanes

 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

50

2.5  Non-Commercial Operations (NCO) other than 

complex aeroplanes

The scope of this section covers NCO conducted by EASA Member State registered non-complex aeroplanes, 
having a maximum take-off mass below 5 700 kg, or not equipped with (a) turbofan engine(s) or more than one 
turboprop engine, and not covered in the sections above. This dataset includes certified small aeroplanes as well 
as Light Sport Aeroplanes (LSA) and Very Light Aeroplanes (VLA). Ultralights, microlights, and other aircraft not 
certified are excluded from this dataset but are examined further in the microlights chapter. These statistics are 
therefore not fully comparable with previous editions of the ASR, apart from last year’s edition, due to the better 
filtering of the dataset.

This chapter uses a consolidated dataset from the ECR database and the EASA database as its main source for  
the key statistics. However, the safety risks, HF/HP, and airworthiness figures (available in the Appendix 2) use 
the ECR database only. 

Key statistics

The key statistics for this domain are in the tables below and include a comparison of the number of accidents 
(fatal and non-fatal) and serious incidents for the last year and the previous 10-year period. It also includes  
comparison of the fatalities and serious injuries sustained in those accidents during the same timeframe.

Table 2.9 shows a decrease of fatal and non-fatal accidents in 2023. Fatal accidents decreased by 23%, non-fatal 
accidents by 30% and serious incidents increased by 10% compared to the 10-year average.

Total number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class over 
2013-2022

Number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class 
in 2023

Comparison 2023 
vs yearly average 
of 2013-2022
per occurrence class

Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

456

2 547

962

35

178

106







 ´ Table 2.9 Key statistics for non-commercial other than complex aeroplanes

Table 2.10 presents the numbers of fatalities and serious injuries last year compared to the 10-year period.  
The table shows a 5% decrease in the number of fatalities in 2023 and there was a 46% decrease in serious 
injuries compared to the 10-year average. 

Number of fatalities

Number of serious injuries

Total number over 2013-2022

Yearly max number over 2013-2022

Yearly min number over 2013-2022

Total number in 2023

719

90

49

68

370

48

20

20

 ´ Table 2.10 Numbers of fatalities and serious injuries involving non-commercial other than complex 

aeroplanes

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

51

Figure 2.26 shows the numbers of fatal and non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year. The figure shows 
an equal number of fatal accidents between 2022 and 2023 but a drop in non-fatal accidents. Given the fact 
that Regulation (EU) 376/2014 better established occurrence reporting, it is possible that serious incidents were 
under-reported in the period before the regulation entered into force in late 2015.

500

450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

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Α

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Serious incidents

Non-fatal accidents

Fatal accidents

71

297

55

71

288

40

68

226

41

78

287

59

87

295

58

89

224

55

113

252

38

134

257

35

132

218

40

119

203

35

106

178

35

 ´ Figure 2.26 Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving non-commercial 

other than complex aeroplanes

Figure 2.27 shows the total number of fatalities and serious injuries over time. The number of fatalities in 2023 
was lower compared to the 10-year average. The number of serious injuries was close to half of the preceding 
decade.

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160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Serious Injuries

Fatalities

33

82

48

88

48

83

34

69

31

49

38

90

45

62

36

54

32

79

25

63

20

68

 ´ Figure 2.27 Fatal and serious injuries per year involving non-commercial other than complex aeroplanes

 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

52

Rates of accidents

Six years ago, EASA published accident rates for non-commercially operated small aeroplanes for the first time, 
using the results of a joint effort of EASA and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) survey in 2014. 
These figures have been updated in recent years using an AOPA/GAMA 12 survey.  The utilisation data from 
the survey for 2022 and 2023 is not available at the time of this writing.  However, it is EASA’s assumption that 
the drop in number of accidents in 2023 can be attributed to less flying being performed due to the increased 
inflation rate in Europe.   

Figure 2.28 displays the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents for the past 5 years and the accident rates  
for 2019 to 2021 per 100 000 flights.

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350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

i

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h
g
fl
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R

5

4

3

2

1

0

Non-fatal accidents

Fatal accidents

Fatal accident rate

Non-fatal accident rate

2019

252

38

0.6

3.9

2020

257

35

0.6

4.3

2021

218

40

0.7

3.8

2022

203

35

2023

178

35

 ´ Figure 2.28 Numbers and rates of accidents involving non-commercial other than complex aeroplanes

12 

 General Aviation Manufacturers Association

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

53

Figure 2.29 compares the number of accidents per month for the past three years. It can be observed that the 
2021 line is the highest line creating a peak from May to August. The figure shows the distribution of accidents 
per month and indicates clearly the season when small aeroplanes fly the most, for detailed information see 
the section on safety risks in Appendix 2.4. It is also worth noting the 2023 line and the peak in September.  
It coincides well with the key statistics and shows a similar distribution between months when compared with 
the line for 2021. 

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90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

2021

2022

2023

 ´ Figure 2.29 Comparison of number of accidents involving non-commercial other than complex aeroplanes 

per month

EASA encourages pilots to thoroughly plan their flights and mentally prepare themselves for various scenarios 
and what decisions they will make if these scenarios are realised. This enhances the pilot’s comprehension of the 
problems and improves their decision making, their clear thinking, as well as their chances of landing the aircraft 
with minimal negative consequences.

 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

54

Occurrence categories

Figure 2.30 outlines the top 15 categories assigned to the serious incidents and accidents in the past five years. 
Occurrences are categorised using the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST)/ICAO Common Taxonomy Team 
(CICTT) taxonomy for occurrence categories, developed for supporting common coding of the main elements 
of an occurrence that should be investigated, recorded, and analysed. Categories are of different natures, e.g., 
operational such as low altitude operations (LALT), environmental such as turbulence encounter (TURB), technical 
such as system/ component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant] (SCF-NP), consequential such as fire/smoke 
resulting from impact (F-POST), etc. Multiple categories may therefore be assigned to a single occurrence. For 
example, if an engine failure occurred, and loss of control followed, the occurrence would be coded in both 
categories, i.e., SCF-PP: powerplant failure or malfunction and LOC-I: loss of control in flight. The sum of the 
number of occurrences per category may therefore be greater than the total number of occurrences that were 
realised in the period.

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

ARC

MAC

SCF-PP

LOC-I

RE

SCF-NP

UNK

GCOL

LOC-G

CTOL

FUEL

OTHR

RI

CFIT

F-NI

ARC:  Abnormal  runway  contact;  MAC:  Airprox/ACAS  alert/loss  of  separation/(near)  mid-air  collisions;  SCF-PP:  powerplant  failure  or 
malfunction; LOC-I: Loss of control - inflight; RE: Runway excursion; SCF-NP: System/component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant]; 
UNK: Unknown or undetermined; GCOL: Ground Collision; LOC-G: Loss of control - ground; CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during take-off and 
landing; FUEL: Fuel related; OTHR: Other; RI: Runway incursion - vehicle, aircraft or person; CFIT: Controlled flight into or toward terrain; F-NI: 
Fire/smoke (non-impact); 

 ´ Figure 2.30 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving non-commercial other than complex 

aeroplanes

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

55

Phase of flight

The accidents in NCO most commonly occur in the landing phase. The year 2023 was no exception and there was 
an increase in three flight phases (take-off, en-route and landing) compared to the 10-year average. An increase 
of 32% is reflected in the landing and 11% during take-off, with 2% fewer accidents occurring during approach 
and 50% during manoeuvring, compared to the 10-year average. The unknown/blank column showed a minor 
decrease. The amount of unknown phase of flight through the years is considered normal as investigations often 
take up to three years to complete and all relevant information is sometimes not immediately available.

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250

200

150

100

50

0

Standing

Tow

Taxi

Take-off

En route

Manoevring

Approach

Landing

Unknown/
Blank

Average 2013-2022

2023

8.5

6

1

2

21

19

86.8

96

81.2

82

17.9

9

47.1

46

158.8

210

40.6

38

 ´ Figure 2.31 Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving non-commercial other than 

complex aeroplanes

Operation type

The two main operation types in NCO are pleasure/recreational flying and training flights. The number of 
accidents in pleasure flying is significantly fewer in 2023 compared to the 10-year average. However, flight 
training occurrences show a significant increase in 2023. This is proportionally comparable to the 10-year 
average.

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160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

Pleasure

Flight Training/ 
instructional

Relocation

Test flight

Demonstration

Other

Unknown/Blank

Average 2013-2022

2023

145.2

104

95.1

141

4.5

6

3.2

3

2.6

0

4.6

9

51.3

79

 ´ Figure 2.32 Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving non-commercial other than 

complex aeroplanes

 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

56

Microlights

The diversity of general aviation exceeds EASA´s regulatory remit. However, most accidents involving EASA 
Member State registered microlights and ultralights also occur in Europe, with some accidents also occurring 
outside Europe. Figure 2.33 shows accidents and serious incidents on EASA Member State registered microlights 
and ultralights from 2014 to 2023 that have been reported into the ECR and to EASA. The dataset used is the 
same consolidated dataset as used for non-commercial other than complex aeroplanes. The data for 2013 was 
excluded as ultralights do not specifically fall under EASA’s remit and were not within scope when the data was 
collected at the time. Therefore, such data were not always entered systematically into the databases. Regulation 
(EU) 376/2014 entered into force in 2015, since reporting rates have increased.

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180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Serious incidents

Non-fatal accidents

Fatal accidents

6

84

20

5

101

47

14

100

26

19

104

37

21

98

36

14

98

36

16

108

33

21

111

22

18

97

24

23

95

19

 ´ Figure 2.33 Numbers of fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving non-

commercially operated microlights

Figure 2.34 provides an overview of the reported fatalities and injuries during the same period. The dataset 
used is the same consolidated dataset as used for non-commercial other than complex aeroplanes. Overall, the 
number of accidents, serious injuries and fatalities is slowly showing a downward trend over time. The number 
of fatalities and serious injuries shown Figure 2.34 largely coincides with the data on accidents and serious 
incidents shown in Figure 2.33. However, in 2023 the numbers of fatalities and serious injuries was significantly 
less than in 2022, contrary to  similar number of accidents and serious incidents in 2022 and 2023.

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2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Serious Injuries

Fatalities

15

36

25

67

32

32

10

55

17

49

18

50

28

47

18

32

19

34

12

22

 ´ Figure 2.34 Numbers of fatal and serious injuries per year involving non-commercially operated microlights

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

57

Aeroplanes registered outside the EASA Member States

Aeroplanes registered outside the EASA Member States but operated inside the union, fall outside of EASA’s 
remit. Most of these aeroplanes are registered in the United States of America (N-registered aeroplanes), and 
now also in the United Kingdom (G-registered aircraft). To provide an overview of this sector, EASA provides 
figures of accidents and serious incidents that have been reported to or collected by EASA. The dataset only 
includes certified VLA, LSA and small aeroplanes, the time period used is 2016-2023.

Figure 2.35 shows 62 non-fatal and 11 fatal accidents from 2016-2023. Figure 2.36 shows that these accidents 
resulted in 21 fatalities and 10 serious injuries. 

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30

25

20

15

10

5

0

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Serious incidents

Non-fatal accidents

Fatal accidents

10

4

1

5

5

1

9

7

2

15

8

1

8

12

2

14

11

1

7

9

2

6

6

1

 ´ Figure 2.35 Numbers of fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents, and serious incidents in EU/EEA Member States 

per year involving non-commercially operated aircraft not registered in an EASA Member State.

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2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Serious Injuries

Fatalities

0

1

2

1

1

3

1

2

6

3

0

1

0

2

0

5

 ´ Figure 2.36 Numbers of fatal and serious injuries per year involving non-commercially operated aircraft not 

registered in the EASA Member State

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

58

Figure 2.37 shows that over the 2016-2023 period that 96 N-registered aeroplanes, 74 G-registered aircraft,  
16 non-EASA Member State registered aircraft and 55 aircraft of unknown registration were involved in fatal and 
non-fatal accidents in EU/EEA Member States. There were 11 fatal accidents in the period on these aeroplanes.

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120

100

80

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20

0

N-registered

G-registered

Other

Unknown

 ´ Figure 2.37 Numbers of fatal and non-fatal accidents on non-commercially operated aircraft not registered 

in the EASA Member State and occurring within the EASA Member State.

 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aeroplanes

59

Chapter 3
Helicopters 

Helicopters

2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

60

This chapter covers all operations involving EASA certified or validated helicopters. The chapter is divided in four 
main sections: 

•  All helicopter operations providing aggregated statistics on EASA certified or validated helicopters 
performing  Commercial  air  transport  (CAT),  Specialised  operations  (SPO)  or  Non-commercial 
operations (NCO), and for which an EASA Member State is either state of operator, state of registry or 
state of occurrence;

•  CAT flights conducted by EASA AOC holders and using certified or validated helicopters. This section 
brings together CAT helicopter operations for both onshore and offshore flights and includes HEMS, 
air ambulance, air taxi or sightseeing, and those flights to offshore oil, gas and renewable energy 
installations;

•  SPO involving certified or validated helicopters, such as sling load, advertisement, and photography 

with an EASA Member State as the state of operator or state of registry; 

•  NCO involving certified or validated helicopters, with an EASA Member State as the state of operator 

or state of registry. This section includes, particularly training flights.

Helicopter operations in 2023 were the safest on record over the past decade by several measures. This report 
gives a consolidated picture of the safety performance of all operations involving EASA certified or validated 
helicopters. The results of the data show that whilst progress has been made, safety management requires 
constant focus. With the pandemic behind us, we need to sustain this positive trend today and reaffirm the safety 
actions that must be part of our policies and everyday procedures to deliver consistent improvements in safety 
performance.

The data presented are based on the accidents and serious incidents collected by the Agency under Regulation 
(EU) 996/2010 on accident and serious incident investigation and Regulation (EU) 376/2014 on occurrence 
reporting up to a cut-off date of May 2024. In order to gain a wider picture, data has been supplemented by 
usage data from the aircraft manufacturers or searching for those events in other official sources. 

For each section, the key statistics and occurrence categories are presented in the core document. Advanced 
statistics are then provided in a domain-specific appendix, giving an overview of the safety risks for these types 
of operations at the European level. The advanced statistics are solely derived from occurrence data from the 
ECR. It is important to note that the fleet size data has been extracted from the Cirium13 database regarding the 
total EASA Member State fleet for the period between 2019-2023.

The list of fatal accidents associated with the scope of this chapter is provided in Appendix 1 of this document.

The advanced statistics associated with the scope of this chapter are provided in Appendix 3 of this document.

13  Source: Cirium Fleets Analyzer. Extraction date: May 2024. Includes all civil (i.e., non-military and non-state) CS-27 and CS-29 rotorcraft 
that are operated by EASA Member State operators. EASA Type I rotorcraft are excluded. Cirium makes no warranties, express or 
implied, as to the accuracy, adequacy, timeliness, or completeness of its data or its fitness for any particular purpose. Cirium disclaims 
all liability relating to or fully arising out of use of its data and other content or permissible by law. The total fleet is based on data for 
all EASA Member States, therefore excluding the United Kingdom.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

61

3.1  All helicopter operations

The scope of this section covers the key safety statistics for certified or validated helicopters performing CAT, 
SPO or NCO, for which an EASA Member State is either the state of operator, the state of registry or the state  
of occurrence.

Since these figures are not normalised with traffic data, the number of occurrences should be interpreted 
cautiously, as there is variation in the figures for the helicopter flying activity at the European level and is difficult 
to estimate the corresponding mission types and hours flown. The Agency is currently taking action to address 
the recurrent challenge of assessing the level of helicopter flying activity in Europe by engaging with industry 
and National Competent Authorities (NCA) to collect and consolidate helicopter exposure data. We know that 
the information contained within this report can be improved: accuracy and fidelity can be enhanced; industry/
NCAs intelligence can be expanded; further Information gathering, exchange and analysis can be performed  
to continuously develop this report.

Key statistics

The key statistics for this domain are in Table 3.1 and Table 3.2. It includes a comparison of the number of 
accidents (fatal and non-fatal) and serious incidents for the last year and the previous 10-year period. Similarly, 
a comparison of the fatalities and serious injuries sustained in those accidents during the same timeframe  
is also included. 

In absolute numbers, 2023 marks an overall improvement compared to the average of the preceding decade 
applicable for all three types of occurrence class analysed: fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents, and serious incidents.

Total number 
of occurrences 
per occurrence class 
over 2013-2022

Number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class 
in 2023

Comparison 
2023 vs yearly average 
of 2013-2022 
per occurrence class

Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

86

375

150

7

29

3

 ´ Table 3.1 Key statistics for all helicopter operations







Number of fatalities

Number of serious injuries

Total number over 2013-2022

Yearly max number over 2013-2022

Yearly min number over 2013-2022

Total number in 2023

208

37

9

11

118

19

5

5

 ´ Table 3.2 Fatalities and serious injuries involving all helicopter operations

2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

62

The graph below shows the distribution of fatal and non-fatal accidents over the period (Figure 3.1). In absolute 
numbers, the total number of fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents reached its minimum in 
2023.

In the last 5-year period (2019-2023) covered by this report, there were 98 fatalities in the identified accidents. 
Considering all accidents (fatal and non-fatal) gives a mean fatality rate of 0.49 fatalities per accident. Considering 
only fatal accidents, the mean fatality rate becomes 2.3 fatalities per accident.

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2014

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2020

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2022

2023

Serious incidents

Non-fatal accidents

Fatal accidents

9

51

11

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45

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6

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17

34

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18

37

8

23

37

7

20

41

11

21

25

5

16

28

10

12

36

10

3

29

7

 ´ Figure 3.1 Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving all helicopter 

operations 

The Figure 3.2 shows the 5-year occurrence number totals, split between fatal and non-fatal and serious 
incidents.

2023 also saw the lowest fatality risk and reached its minimum (number totals) in the number of fatalities and 
serious injuries.

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2020

2021

2022

2023

Serious Injuries

Fatalities

14

29

12

24

16

10

12

29

19

14

7

16

6

37

8

9

13

15

11

26

5

11

 ´ Figure 3.2 Fatal and serious injuries per year involving all helicopter operations 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

63

Rotorcraft safety roadmap Safety Performance Indicator (SPI)

Considering  the  number  of  accidents  that  have  caused  at  least  one  fatality  or  serious  injury,  the  Safety 
Performance Indicator (SPI) is used to monitor the effectiveness of the EASA Rotorcraft Safety RoadMap and 
understand the safety performance as we progress to sustain a positive trend. This indicator is shown in Figure 
3.3 in absolute numbers, in 2023 as compared to the previous 10 years, is equally low as the observed number in 
2020. This indicator has drastically improved from the year 2022 to the year 2023, by 47%. We continue to work 
within Rotorcraft Safety RoadMap to analyse with operators and manufacturers how to prioritise the detection 
of these risks within Safety Risk Management and identify the activities that need to be robustly supported  
in training and operations.

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Roadmap SPI

14

14

15

20

11

16

9

14

17

9

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

 ´ Figure 3.3 Number of accidents with a least one fatality or serious injury for all helicopter operations 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

64

Occurrence categories

Figure 3.4 shows the breakdown of all accidents by ICAO ADREP taxonomy over the 5-year period by type of 
occurrence class.

The CAST/ICAO Common Taxonomy Team (CICTT) provides definitions for aviation occurrence categories.  
For each of the accidents, where possible, one or more occurrence categories were allocated. In some cases, 
more than one occurrence category is applied to a single accident. Categories are of different natures, e.g., 
operational such as low altitude operations (LALT), environmental such as turbulence encounter (TURB), technical 
such as system/ component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant] (SCF-NP), consequential such as fire/smoke 
resulting from impact (F-POST), etc. The sum of the number of occurrences per category may therefore be 
greater than the total number of occurrences that were realised in the period.

19%

16%

LOC-I

UNK

MAC

ARC

SCF-PP

EXTL

CTOL

LALT

F-POST

CFIT

LOC-G

SCF-NP

10%

8%

8%

7%

7%

7%

5%

5%

4%

4%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Number of accidents 

Number of serious incidents 

LOC-I: Loss of control – inflight; UNK: Unknown or undetermined; MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss of separation/(near) midair collisions; ARC: 
Abnormal runway contact; EXTL: External load related occurrences; CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during take-off and landing; SCF-PP: 
powerplant failure or malfunction; LALT: Low altitude operations; F-POST: Fire/smoke (post-impact); CFIT: Controlled flight into or toward 
terrain; LOC-G: Loss of control – ground;  SCF-NP: System/component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant]

 ´ Figure 3.4 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and occurrence class for all helicopter 

operations

When it comes to the high-risk accident occurrence categories, the occurrence category LOC-I: loss of control 
inflight has been the most significant cause of fatal accidents over the 5-year period with 19%. LOC-I events being 
recognised again, the 2023 data, identifies a shift towards a predominance of occurrences in degraded visual 
environment conditions. Inland helicopter pilots primarily fly based on visual references to the terrain, according 
to visual flight rules (VFR). 

The occurrence category UNK: unknown is the second high-risk accident occurrence category which appears 
in the figures. This may be the result of the investigation process and reporting where mapping occurrence 
categories can take a certain amount of time. The UNK category here contains 16%. The quality of reporting the 
safety occurrences is in important factor to understand the true safety performance of the industry and measure 

2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

65

improvements as we progress towards our goal of zero fatal accidents and that reporting organisations and 
competent authorities continue their effort to improve the coding quality of occurrence records submitted under 
Regulation (EU) 376/2014.

The Data4Safety (D4S) programme currently in its development phase will augment the capacity to improve the 
ECR data quality. In particular, a workstream will focus on the development of automation algorithms based on 
NLP applied to the narrative text, to support the coding of ECR fields such as the Occurrence Category values and 
reduce the proportion of ‘Unknown’ values.

MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss of separation/(near) midair collisions show vulnerability and remains the third key 
risk with a proportion of 10%. The statistics underscores how important it is for crewed and uncrewed aviation 
professionals to realize that we have entered a new era with a complex airspace serving the individual needs of 
commercial, military, specialised operations, general aviation and ‘new entrant’ airspace users. It is important 
that we recognise the more likely need for focussed intervention by all stakeholders, to ensure that the potential 
for midair collision does not increase.

The Figure 3.5 shows the breakdown of all accidents by ICAO ADREP taxonomy over the 5-year by type of 
certification  specification,  Certification  Specifications  for  Small  Rotorcraft  (CS-27)  and  the  Certification 
Specifications for Large Rotorcraft (CS-29).

LOC-I

UNK

MAC

ARC

EXTL

CTOL

SCF-PP

LALT

F-POST

CFIT

LOC-G

SCF-NP

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Number of accidents and serious incidents CS 27

Number of accidents and serious incidents CS 29

LOC-I: Loss of control – inflight; UNK: Unknown or undetermined; MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss of separation/(near) midair collisions; ARC: 
Abnormal runway contact; EXTL: External load-related occurrences; CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during take-off and landing; SCF-PP: 
powerplant failure or malfunction; LALT: Low altitude operations; F-POST: Fire/smoke (post-impact); CFIT: Controlled flight into or toward 
terrain; LOC-G: Loss of control – ground;  SCF-NP: System/component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant];

 ´ Figure 3.5 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and aircraft certification type for all helicopter 

operations

2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

66

Helicopter operations sub-domains

Figure 3.5 shows the numbers of accidents and serious incidents for the 4 main sub-domains of operations 
involving certified and validated helicopters. Over the decade 2013-2022, the proportions of each domain are 
the following:

•  54% of all accidents and serious incidents involved certified and validated helicopters performing non-
commercial operations and for which an EASA Member State was either the state of operator or state 
of registry;

•  23% of all accidents and serious incidents involved certified and validated helicopters performing  

SPO and for which an EASA Member State was either the state of operator or state of registry;

•  20% of all accidents and serious incidents involved certified and validated helicopters performing  

CAT conducted by EASA Member State AOC holders;

•  2% of all accidents and serious incidents involved certified helicopters whose state of operator and 
state of registry were a third country but for which the state of occurrence was an EASA Member State; 

•  1% with unknow operation type.

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30

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20

15

10

5

0

CAT - EASA MS
AoC holder

SPO - EASA MS
operated or registered

Non commercial
- EASA MS operated or 
registered

Average 2013-2022

2023

12.5

8

14.3

9

33.2

22

Third country
registered

1.3

0

 ´ Figure 3.6 Accidents and serious incidents by helicopter operation sub-domains 

 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

67

Type of certified helicopter (CS27/CS29)

Figure 3.6 shows the distribution over the 5-year period of the EASA Member State rotorcraft fleets in total by 
type of certification specification, Certification Specifications for Small Rotorcraft (CS-27) and the Certification 
Specifications for Large Rotorcraft (CS-29), with a trendline of accidents and serious incidents in the given period. 
The total fleet in service is shown in the primary vertical axis of the graph, whereas the total number of accidents 
and serious incidents in each period is shown in the secondary vertical axis.

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CS 27 Total In Service

CS 29 Accidents and Serious incidents

CS 27 Accidents and Serious incidents

2019

741

4 063

11

62

2020

731

4 076

11

39

2021

731

4 136

6

50

2022

724

4 121

9

49

2023

734

4 117

4

34

 ´ Figure 3.7 Accidents and serious incidents by certification specification for all helicopter operations with 

the breakdown of aircraft certification type for the reported fleet 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

68

3.2  Commercial air transport (CAT) helicopters

This section presents the key safety statistics for EASA certified or validated helicopters performing CAT and 
operated by an EASA Member State AOC holder. This includes offshore flights, as well as onshore HEMS,  
air ambulance, sightseeing tours, air taxis or any other operation to transport passengers, cargo or mail for 
remuneration or other valuable consideration.

European CAT helicopter fleet

Figure 3.7 and Figure 3.8 show the size of the helicopter CAT sector in the EASA Member State and its evolution 
over the period 2019-2023.

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300

250

200

150

100

50

0

Helicopter AOCs

2019

246

2020

237

2021

251

2022

259

2023

249

 ´ Figure 3.8 Number of helicopter AOC holders in the EASA Member States

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1 500

1 000

500

0

CAT Helicopters 

2019

2 002

2020

2 031

2021

1 850

2022

1 948

2023

1 868

 ´ Figure 3.9 Number of helicopters performing CAT in the EASA Member States

The number of helicopter AOC holders had a small decrease in 2023 compared to the preceding year. The same 
trend was observed in the number of helicopters performing CAT. The average number of helicopters per AOC 
holders in 2023 was between 8 and 9.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

69

Key statistics

The key statistics for this domain are in Table 3.3 and Table 3.4, which includes a comparison of the number 
of accidents (fatal and non-fatal) and serious incidents for the last year and the previous 10-year period.  
It also includes a comparison of the fatalities and serious injuries sustained in those accidents during the same 
timeframe. 

Total number 
of occurrences 
per occurrence class 
over 2013-2022

Number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class 
in 2023

Comparison 
2023 vs yearly average 
of 2013-2022 
per occurrence class

Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

20

51

51

 ´ Table 3.3 Key Statistics for CAT helicopters

1

6

1







Number of fatalities

Number of serious injuries

Total number over 2013-2022

Yearly max number over 2013-2022

Yearly min number over 2013-2022

Total number in 2023

89

27

1

4

 ´ Table 3.4 Fatalities and serious injuries involving CAT helicopters

22

7

0

0

The number of fatal accidents, and serious incidents in 2023 are on a downward trend compared to the average 
of the previous decade whilst a increase is observed for non-fatal accidents, more than 2020 and 2021 and twice 
more than 2019.

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Serious incident

Non-fatal accident

Fatal accident

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3

8

4

1

6

1

 ´ Figure 3.10 Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving CAT helicopters

 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

70

The numbers of accidents and serious incidents per year are shown in Figure 3.11. With no serious injury and 
only one fatal accident with four fatalities, the year 2023 was one of the lowest over the last decade.

The figure below shows the 10-year occurrence number totals, split between fatal fatalities and serious injuries.

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2014

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2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Serious Injuries

Fatalities

2

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1

2

7

7

4

22

2

6

0

6

1

27

2

1

1

1

2

17

0

4

 ´ Figure 3.11 Fatal and serious injuries per year involving CAT helicopters

 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

71

Occurrence categories

Figure 3.12 outlines the top occurrence categories assigned to the serious incidents and accidents in the past 
five years.

MAC

UNK

CTOL

ARC

LOC-I

LALT

LOC-G

SCF-PP

F-POST

SCF-NP

SCF-PP

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Number of accidents 

Number of serious incidents 

MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss of separation/(near) midair collisions; UNK: Unknown or undetermined; CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during 
take-off and landing; ARC: Abnormal runway contact; LOC-I: Loss of control – inflight; LALT: Low altitude operations; LOC-G: Loss of control 
– ground; SCF-PP: powerplant failure or malfunction; OTHR: Other; F-POST: Fire/smoke (post-impact); SCF-NP: System/component failure or 
malfunction [non-powerplant]

 ´  Figure 3.12 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and occurrence class involving CAT helicopters

Occurrences  are  categorised  using  the  ICAO  ADREP  taxonomy  for  occurrence  categories,  developed  for 
supporting common coding of the main elements of an occurrence that should be investigated, recorded, and 
analysed. 

The three most common causes of accidents involving CAT helicopters from 2018-2023 remain; MAC: Airprox/
ACAS alert/loss of separation/(near) midair collisions with three fatal accidents over the 5-year period, followed 
by CFIT: Controlled flight into or toward terrain with one fatal accident and CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during 
take-off and landing. The occurrence category UNK: unknown remains of the high-risk accident occurrence 
category as seen on the overall operations.

The Figure 3.13 shows the breakdown of all accidents by ICAO ADREP taxonomy over the 5-year by type of 
certification  specification,  Certification  Specifications  for  Small  Rotorcraft  (CS-27)  and  the  Certification 
Specifications for Large Rotorcraft (CS-29).

2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

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MAC

UNK

CTOL

ARC

LOC-I

LALT

LOC-G

SCF-PP

OTHR

F-POST

SCF-NP

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Number of accidents and serious incidents CS 27

Number of accidents and serious incidents CS 29

MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss of separation/(near) midair collisions; UNK: Unknown or undetermined; CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during 
take-off and landing; ARC: Abnormal runway contact; LOC-I: Loss of control – inflight; LALT: Low altitude operations; LOC-G: Loss of control 
– ground; SCF-PP: powerplant failure or malfunction; OTHR: Other; F-POST: Fire/smoke (post-impact); SCF-NP: System/component failure or 
malfunction [non-powerplant]; 

 ´ Figure 3.13 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and aircraft certification type involving CAT 

helicopters

2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

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Phase of flight

Figure 3.14 shows the distribution of accidents and serious incidents by flight phase. Over the decade 2013-2022, 
the en-route phase and landing phase are the most involved in accidents. The same applies in 2023, where six 
occurrences out of eight have their flight phase being en-route or landing.

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4.5

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2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0

Average 2013-2022

2023

Standing

0.5

0

Taxi

0.4

1

Take-off

En route

Approach

Landing

Manoeuvring

1.3

1

3.3

2

1.6

0

2.8

4

1.1

0

Unknown/
blank

1.3

0

 ´ Figure 3.14 Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving CAT helicopters

Operation type

Figure 3.15 shows the number of accidents and serious incidents per sub-type of operations. With a total of eight 
occurrences for this operational type, seven accidents and one serious incident in 2023, the figures involving 
HEMS operations showed a significant drop of more than half compared to the average figures of the preceding 
decade for this type of operation, whereas Air Taxi operations had three occurrences compared to the average 
in the last decade, with 2.3.

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HEMS

Air Taxi

Offshore

Sightseeing

Average 2013-2022

2023

6.4

3

2.3

3

0.7

1

1.3

1

Air
Ambulance

0.3

0

Airline

0.1

0

Other/
unknown

1.4

0

 ´ Figure 3.15 Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving CAT helicopters

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

74

Propulsion type

Figure 3.16 shows the distribution over the 5-year period of the EASA Member State rotorcraft fleets in total by 
type of propulsion and with a trendline of accidents and serious incidents in the given period. The total fleet 
in service is shown in the primary vertical axis of the graph, whereas the total number of accidents and serious 
incidents in each period is shown in the secondary vertical axis. In 2023 one fatal accident involved reciprocating 
engine helicopter and the rest of non-fatal accidents and serious incidents in CAT helicopter operations involved 
turboshaft helicopters.

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2 000

1 500

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Reciprocating Total In Service

Turboshaft Total In Service

Reciprocating Accidents and Serious incidents

Turboshaft Accidents and Serious incidents

2019

685

2 092

0

16

2020

666

2 109

0

11

2021

658

2 127

2

13

2022

645

2 152

2

13

2022

645

2 133

1

7

 ´ Figure 3.16 Accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type involving CAT helicopters with the 

breakdown of propulsion type for the reported fleet 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

75

Helicopter certification specification (CS27/ CS29)

Figure 3.17 shows the distribution over the 5-year period of the EASA Member State rotorcraft fleets in total by 
type of certification specification and with a trendline of accidents and serious incidents in the given period. The 
total fleet in service is shown in the primary vertical axis of the graph, whereas the total number of accidents and 
serious incidents in each period is shown in the secondary vertical axis. The relationship between certification 
and CAT operation requirements for transport category rotorcraft is acknowledged to be convoluted due to the 
diversity of mission types and their applicability to commercial operations. Through this analysis, it becomes 
evident that the large rotorcraft fleet based on CS 29 certification standards is more exposed compared to the 
fleet of small rotorcraft based on CS 27 standards.

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CS 29 Total In Service

CS 27 Total In Service

CS 29 Accidents and Serious incidents

CS 27 Accidents and Serious incidents

2019

537

1 954

4

12

2020

538

1 957

5

6

2021

542

1 942

3

8

2022

536

1 945

6

9

2023

545

1 922

2

6

 ´ Figure 3.17 Accidents and serious incidents by certification specification (CS27/CS29) for CAT operations 

with the breakdown of aircraft certification type for the reported fleet 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

76

3.3  Specialised Operations (SPO) helicopters

This section presents the main safety statistics for EASA certified or validated helicopters performing SPO with 
an EASA Member State as state of operator or state of registry. SPO are defined as any operation other than CAT 
where the aircraft is used for specialised activities such as: agriculture, construction, photography, surveying, 
observation and patrol, aerial advertisement.

Key statistics

The key statistics for this domain are in Table 3.5 and Table 3.6, which include a comparison of the number of fatal 
and non-fatal accidents and serious incidents for the last year and the previous 10-year period. It also includes a 
comparison of the fatalities and serious injuries sustained in those accidents during the same timeframe. 

In 2023, there was a slight increase in the number of non-fatal accidents compared to the previous year, while 
the occurrences of serious incidents and fatal accidents remained at their lowest levels. Moreover, the numbers 
of fatalities and serious injuries remained below the average figures of the preceding decade, marking an overall 
minimum in safety incidents.

Total number 
of occurrences 
per occurrence class 
over 2013-2022

Number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class 
in 2023

Comparison 
2023 vs yearly average 
of 2013-2022 
per occurrence class

Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

14

95

34

 ´ Table 3.5 Key statistics for SPO helicopters

1

7

1







Number of fatalities

Number of serious injuries

Total number over 2013-2022

Yearly max number over 2013-2022

Yearly min number over 2013-2022

Total number in 2023

22

11

0

1

 ´ Table 3.6 Fatalities and serious injuries involving SPO helicopters

39

8

1

3

2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

77

The number of accidents and serious incidents per year is shown in Figure 3.18. The total number of occurrences 
in 2023 had a slight downward trend in comparison to 2022, below the average for the same period. However, 
one fatal accident still occurred in 2023 during an agriculture operation under unknown circumstances.

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2014

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2020

2021

2022

2023

Serious incident

Non-fatal accident

Fatal accident

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11

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12

1

7

10

1

4

12

1

3

10

1

3

4

1

5

5

1

1

7

1

 ´ Figure 3.18 Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving SPO helicopters

The numbers of fatalities and serious injuries per year are shown in Figure 3.19. With one fatality and three 
serious injuries, the figures for 2023 are below the average of the preceding 10-year period.

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2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Serious Injuries

Fatalities

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11

5

0

5

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4

1

6

2

3

1

2

1

1

2

1

1

4

1

3

1

 ´ Figure 3.19 Fatal and serious injuries per year involving SPO helicopters

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

78

Occurrence categories

Figure 3.20 outlines the top occurrence categories assigned to the serious incidents and accidents in the past 
five years.

EXTL

LOC-I

LALT

UNK

CTOL

SC-PP

CFIT

ARC

F-POST

MAC

RAMP

GCOL

0

5

10

15

20

25

Number of accidents 

Number of serious incidents 

EXTL: External load related occurrences; LOC-I: Loss of control – inflight; LALT: Low altitude operations; UNK: Unknown or undetermined; SCF-
PP: powerplant failure or malfunction; CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during take-off and landing;  CFIT: Controlled flight into or toward 
terrain; ARC: Abnormal runway contact; F-POST: Fire/smoke (post-impact); MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss of separation/(near) midair collisions; 
RAMP: Ground Handling; GCOL: Ground Collision

 ´ Figure 3.20 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and occurrence class involving SPO helicopters

Specific to this type of operation, helicopters carry external loads for a variety of missions, hence the most 
frequent occurrence category associated with all accidents and serious incidents is EXTL: External load-related 
occurrences. It is followed by LOC-I: Loss of control – inflight being as well specific hazards for SPO and Low-
altitude operations. 

2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

79

The Figure 3.21 shows the breakdown of all accidents by ICAO ADREP taxonomy over the 5-year by type of 
certification  specification,  Certification  Specifications  for  Small  Rotorcraft  (CS-27)  and  the  Certification 
Specifications for Large Rotorcraft (CS-29).

EXTL

LOC-I

LALT

UNK

SCF-PP

CTOL

CFIT

ARC

F-POST

MAC

RAMP

GCOL

0

5

10

15

20

25

Number of accidents and serious incidents CS 27

Number of accidents and serious incidents CS 29

EXTL: External load related occurrences; LOC-I: Loss of control – inflight; LALT: Low altitude operations; UNK: Unknown or undetermined; SCF-
PP: powerplant failure or malfunction; CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during take-off and landing;  CFIT: Controlled flight into or toward 
terrain; ARC: Abnormal runway contact; F-POST: Fire/smoke (post-impact); MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss of separation/(near) midair collisions; 
RAMP: Ground Handling; GCOL: Ground Collision

 ´ Figure 3.21 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and aircraft certification type involving SPO 

helicopters

2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

80

Phase of flight

Figure 3.22 shows the breakdown of accidents and serious incidents by flight phase for SPO. As was the case 
with the average of the preceding 10-year period, the highest number of accidents and serious incidents in 
2023 happened during the manoeuvring phase, which is expected for helicopters performing SPO, as the risk 
undertaken is the highest when performing the activities, such as high-dimension lifting devices, power line 
operations or constructing a large mast. 

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Average 2013-2022

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Standing

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En route

Manoeuvring

Approach

Landing

1.8

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2.2

1

6.1

3

1

3

2.1

0

Unknown/
blank

0.4

2

 ´ Figure 3.22 Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving SPO helicopters

Operation type

Figure 3.23 shows the number of accidents and serious incidents per sub-type of SPO operations. In 2023, 
agricultural  missions  were  by  far  the  most  affected.  The  other  identified  operation  types  involved  in  an 
occurrence in 2023 were aerial patrol and survey.

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0.4

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Aerial
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0.9

2

Aerial
survey

0.8

2

Agricultural

1.7

4

Airshow
/race

0.1

0

Average 2013-2022

2023

Animal 
herding/
mustering

0.3

0

Construction 
sling/
load 

Calibration

Logging

Photography

0.1

0

5.4

0

0.7

0

1

0

Other/
unknown

3.3

0

 ´ Figure 3.23 Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving SPO helicopters

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

81

Propulsion type

Figure 3.24 shows the distribution over the 5-year period of the EASA Member State rotorcraft fleets in total by 
type of propulsion and with a trendline of accidents and serious incidents in the given period. The total fleet 
in service is shown in the primary vertical axis of the graph, whereas total number of accidents and serious 
incidents in each period is shown in the secondary vertical axis.

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2019

2020

Reciprocating Total In Service

Turboshaft Total In Service

Reciprocating Accidents and Serious incidents

Turboshaft Accidents and Serious incidents

142

452

1

16

141

455

2

12

2021

137

475

0

8

2022

132

456

0

11

2023

141

461

2

7

 ´ Figure 3.24 Accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type involving SPO helicopters with the 

breakdown of propulsion type for the reported fleet 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

82

Helicopter certification specification (CS27/CS29)

Figure 3.25 shows the distribution over the 5-year period of the EASA Member State rotorcraft fleets in total by 
type of certification specification, Certification Specifications for Small Rotorcraft (CS-27) and the Certification 
Specifications for Large Rotorcraft (CS-29), with a trendline of accidents and serious incidents in the given period. 
The total fleet in service is shown in the primary vertical axis of the graph, whereas the total number of accidents 
and serious incidents in each period is shown in the secondary vertical axis.

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CS 29 Total In Service

CS 27 Total In Service

CS 29 Accidents and Serious incidents

CS 27 Accidents and Serious incidents

2019

2020

161

495

2

15

160

497

4

10

2021

161

513

0

8

2022

163

498

1

10

2023

171

503

0

8

 ´ Figure 3.25 Accidents and serious incidents by certification specification (CS27/CS29) for SPO with the 

breakdown of aircraft certification type for the reported fleet 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

83

3.4  Non-commercial operations (NCO)helicopters

This section presents the main safety statistics for EASA certified or validated helicopters performing NCO with 
an EASA Member State as state of operator or state of registry. The type of flying included in this section are 
mainly flight training, test flights, leisure flights and ferry flights.

Key statistics

The key statistics for this domain are in Table 3.7 and Table 3.8, which includes a comparison of the number 
of  fatal  and  non-fatal  accidents  and  serious  incidents  for  the  last  year  and  the  previous  10-year  period.  
It also includes a comparison of the fatalities and serious injuries sustained in those accidents during the same 
timeframe. 

In 2023, the number of accidents, both fatal and non-fatal, along with serious incidents, were lower compared 
to the average of the preceding decade, marking them as among the lowest in the analysed period. Despite this 
decrease, the fatality risk in 2023 remained close to that of 2022, maintaining its position among the top three 
lowest numbers of fatalities and serious injuries.

Total number 
of occurrences 
per occurrence class 
over 2013-2022

Number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class 
in 2023

Comparison 
2023 vs yearly average 
of 2013-2022 
per occurrence class

Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

45

219

58

 ´ Table 3.7 Key statistics for NCO helicopters

5

16

1

=





Number of fatalities

Number of serious injuries

Total number over 2013-2022

Yearly max number over 2013-2022

Yearly min number over 2013-2022

Total number in 2023

71

20

1

2

 ´ Table 3.8 Fatalities and serious injuries involving NCO helicopters

49

11

2

2

2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

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Figure 3.26 illustrates the numbers of accidents and serious incidents per year. Following the year 2020, which 
yielded the lowest figures observed since 2011, 2023 stands out as the next lowest year in terms of occurrence 
numbers.

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2023

Serious incident

Non-fatal accident

Fatal accident

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5

 ´ Figure 3.26 Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving NCO helicopters

The numbers of fatalities and serious injuries per year are shown in Figure 3.27. 

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2023

Serious Injuries

Fatalities

4

8

6

20

4

1

2

6

11

4

4

9

3

8

5

6

11

13

3

6

2

6

 ´ Figure 3.27 Fatal and serious injuries per year involving NCO helicopters

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

85

Occurrence categories

Figure 3.28 outlines the top occurrence categories assigned to the serious incidents and accidents in the past 
five years.

LOC-I

UNK

ARC

SCF-PP

LOC-G

CTOL

MAC

F-POST

CFIT

GCOL

SCF-NP

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Number of accidents 

Number of serious incidents 

LOC-I: Loss of control – inflight; UNK: Unknown or undetermined; ARC: Abnormal runway contact; SCF-PP: powerplant failure or malfunction; 
LOC-G: Loss of control – ground; CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during take-off and landing; MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss of separation/
(near) midair collisions; F-POST: Fire/smoke (post-impact); CFIT: Controlled flight into or toward terrain; GCOL: Ground Collision; SCF-NP: System/
component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant] 

 ´ Figure 3.28 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and occurrence class involving NCO helicopters

Occurrences  are  categorised  using  the  ICAO  ADREP  taxonomy  for  occurrence  categories,  developed  for 
supporting common coding of the main elements of an occurrence that should be investigated, recorded, and 
analysed. 

Loss of control in flight (LOC-I) emerges as the primary occurrence category for non-commercial operations, with 
flight training missions being notably susceptible. Notably, all occurrences categorized under LOC-I have resulted 
in accidents, highlighting their high-risk nature.

Abnormal ground contact with the runway (ARC) is the third key risk area, after UNK: Unknown or undetermined.  
Similarly, this scenario is one of the main ones appearing in flight training and excursion from/overshooting of 
the helipad. Events such as hard/heavy landings, off centre landings are included in this category. Includes any 
rotor striking the intended landing surface during take-off and landing. However, if loss of control or collision  
occurred, the event is also coded under the appropriate categories: LOC-I: Loss of control – inflight; LOC-G: Loss 
of control – ground; GCOL: Ground Collision; CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during take-off and landing.

The Figure 3.29 shows the breakdown of all accidents by ICAO ADREP taxonomy over the 5-year by type of 
certification  specification,  Certification  Specifications  for  Small  Rotorcraft  (CS-27)  and  the  Certification 
Specifications for Large Rotorcraft (CS-29).

2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

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LOC-I

UNK

ARC

SCF-PP

LOC-G

CTOL

MAC

F-POST

CFIT

GCOL

SCF-NP

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Number of accidents and serious incidents CS 27

Number of accidents and serious incidents CS 29

LOC-I: Loss of control – inflight; UNK: Unknown or undetermined; ARC: Abnormal runway contact; SCF-PP: powerplant failure or malfunction; 
LOC-G: Loss of control – ground; CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during take-off and landing; MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss of separation/
(near) midair collisions; F-POST: Fire/smoke (post-impact); CFIT: Controlled flight into or toward terrain; GCOL: Ground Collision; SCF-NP: System/
component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant] 

 ´ Figure 3.29 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category and aircraft certification type involving NCO 

helicopters

Phase of flight

Figure 3.30 shows the distribution of accidents and serious incidents by flight phase. Among the occurrences in 
2023 for which the flight phase was identified, take-off, landing and en route phases were the most frequent, 
which is also the case for the 10-year average figures. 

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7.7

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Unknown/
blank

3.7

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 ´ Figure 3.30 Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving NCO helicopters

 
 
 
 
 
Helicopters

2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

87

Operation type

Figure 3.31 shows the number of accidents and serious incidents per type of operation. In 2023, as in the 
previous decade, the highest number of occurrences for which the type of operation was identified were in 
pleasure flights and flight training/instructional operations. This is to be expected that flight instruction is 
still one of the riskiest environments. Most of the helicopters used in this sector are small and equipped with 
one engine. It should be highlighted that the exact nature of the operation is unknown at this stage for five 
occurrences.

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Test Flight

Average 2013-2022

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1.1

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10.3

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1.5

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0.8

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 ´ Figure 3.31 Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving NCO helicopters

Other/
unknown

4.9

3

Propulsion type

Figure 3.32 shows the distribution over the 5-year period of the EASA Member State rotorcraft fleets in total by 
type of propulsion and with a trendline of accidents and serious incidents in the given period. 

The total fleet in service is shown in the primary vertical axis of the graph, whereas the total number of accidents 
and serious incidents in each period is shown in the secondary vertical axis.

In 2023, the figures for reciprocating helicopters decreased in absolute numbers reaching its minimum over the 
5-year period, whereas a small increase was observed in turboshaft helicopters. 

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Reciprocating Accidents and Serious incidents

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1 400

1 302

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1 294

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1 421

1 299

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2022

1 419

1 285

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2023

1 415

1 294

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 ´ Figure 3.32 Accidents and serious incidents by propulsion type involving NCO helicopters with the 

breakdown of propulsion type for the reported fleet 

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2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

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Helicopter certification specification (CS27/CS29)

Figure 3.33 shows the distribution over the 5-year period of the EASA Member State rotorcraft fleets in total by 
type of certification specification, Certification Specifications for Small Rotorcraft (CS-27) and the Certification 
Specifications for Large Rotorcraft (CS-29), with a trendline of accidents and serious incidents in the given period. 
The total fleet in service is shown in the primary vertical axis of the graph, whereas total number of accidents 
and serious incidents in each period is shown in the secondary vertical axis.   

A downward trend is observed for the number of occurrences in Small Rotorcraft (CS-27), whereas no increase 
for Large Rotorcraft (CS-29), remaining close to minimum. 

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CS 27 Total In Service

CS 29 Accidents and Serious incidents

CS 27 Accidents and Serious incidents

2019

148

2 424

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2 420

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125

2 469

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2 468

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117

2 479

2

20

 ´ Figure 3.33 Accidents and serious incidents by certification specification (CS27/CS29) for NCO with the 

breakdown of aircraft certification type for the reported fleet

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Helicopters

89

Chapter 4
Balloons

Balloons

2024 Annual Safety Review | Balloons

90

The scope of this chapter covers hot air balloon operations where the state of the registry or the state of operator 
is an EASA Member State. The data presented is based on the accidents and serious incidents collected by the 
Agency under Regulation (EU) 996/2010 on accident and serious incident investigation and Regulation (EU) 
376/2014 on occurrence reporting, and through actively searching for those events from other official sources.

The chapter provides in the core document the key statistics and occurrence categories for balloon operations. 
Advanced statistics are then provided in a domain-specific appendix, giving an overview of the safety risks for 
these operations at the European level. These advanced statistics are solely derived from occurrence data from 
the European Common Repository (ECR).

The list of fatal accidents associated with the scope of this chapter is provided in Appendix 1 of this document.

The advanced statistics associated with the scope of this chapter are provided in Appendix 4 of this document.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Balloons

91

Key statistics

The key statistics for this domain are in Table 4.1 and Table 4.2 and include a comparison of the number of 
accidents (fatal and non-fatal) and serious incidents for the last year and the previous 10-year period. It also 
includes a comparison of the fatalities and serious injuries sustained in those accidents during the same 
timeframe. 

Table 4.1 shows a comparison between the 10-year average vs. 2023. This indicates that the number of fatal 
accidents and the number of serious incidents is decreasing compared to the 10-year average. Non-fatal 
accidents, however, continue to show a small increase compared to the 10-year average.

Table 4.2 presents the number of fatalities and serious injuries for 2023 vs. the 10-year average. 

The number of fatalities is at the minimum and has decreased in 2023 compared to the 10-year average, with 
the number of serious injuries in 2023 close to even when compared to the 10-year average, with an indication 
of slight increase.

A better understanding of the level of balloon safety in EASA Member States could be achieved if exposure data 
showing the number of flights was collected at regulatory level. EASA encourages all national authorities to 
collect, aggregate and share such data for the benefit of all. 

Total number 
of occurrences 
per occurrence class 
over 2013-2022

Number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class 
in 2023

Comparison 
2023 vs yearly average 
of 2013-2022 
per occurrence class

Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

12

161

56

 ´ Table 4.1 Key statistics for balloons

0

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4







Number of fatalities

Number of serious injuries

Total number over 2013-2022

Yearly max number over 2013-2022

Yearly min number over 2013-2022

Total number in 2023

12

3

0

0

 ´ Table 4.2 Fatalities and serious injuries involving balloons

176

24

10

18

2024 Annual Safety Review | Balloons

92

Figure 4.1 illustrates the trend in fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents, and serious incidents from 2013 to 2023. 
Notably, last year's data closely resembled that of 2019. Additionally, a slight upward trend in the overall figures 
can be observed in the year 2023 in comparison with 2022.

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Serious incidents

Non-fatal accidents

Fatal accidents

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 ´ Figure 4.1 Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving balloons

Figure 4.2 shows the number of fatalities and serious injuries in a similar upward trend as Figure 4.1. Last year 
2023 can be compared to the year before and to 2018 in terms of serious injuries. Number of fatalities is zero in 
2023, marking four years out of the previous 10 without loss of life in this domain.

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 ´ Figure 4.2 Fatalities and serious injuries involving balloons

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Balloons

93

Occurrence categories

Figure 4.3 outlines the top 19 categories assigned to the serious incidents and accidents in the past five years. 
Occurrences are categorised using the ICAO Accident Incident Data Reporting (ADREP) taxonomy for occurrence 
categories, developed for supporting common coding of the main elements of an occurrence that should 
be investigated, recorded, and analysed. Categories are of different nature, e.g., operational such as abrupt 
manoeuvre (AMAN), environmental such as windshear or thunderstorm (WSTRW), technical such as system/
component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant] (SCF-NP), consequential such as fire/smoke resulting from 
impact (F-POST), etc. Multiple categories may therefore be assigned to a single occurrence. For example, if an 
engine failure occurred and loss of control followed, the occurrence would be coded in both categories, i.e.,  
SCF-PP: powerplant failure or malfunction and LOC-I: loss of control in flight. The sum of the number of 
occurrences per category may therefore be greater than the total number of occurrences realised in the period.

For the period 2019-2023 figures show that abnormal runway contact is the most common cause of injuries. This 
remains the same as in the previous ASR edition and means that hard landings are causing injuries, mostly to 
passengers, resulting in bone fractures or torn ligaments. The collision with obstacles during take-off or landing 
occurrence category includes collisions with powerlines, buildings, or other structures. 

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CTOL

OTHR

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F-POST

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MAC

WSTRW

AMAN

TURB

LALT

MED

RAMP

ARC: Abnormal runway contact; OTHR: Other; CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during take-off and landing; UNK: Unknown or undetermined; 
F-POST: Fire/smoke (post-impact); LOC-I: Loss of control - inflight; GCOL: Ground Collision; WSTRW: Windshear or thunderstorm; AMAN: Abrupt 
manoeuvre; F-NI: Fire/smoke (non-impact); CFIT: Controlled flight into or toward terrain; GCOL: Ground Collision; LOC-G: Loss of control - 
ground; NAV: Navigation error; SCF-NP: System/component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant]; TURB: Turbulence encounter; CABIN: 
Cabin safety events; LALT: Low altitude operations; MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss of separation/(near) midair collisions; MED: Medical; RAMP: 
Ground Handling

 ´ Figure 4.3 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving balloons

2024 Annual Safety Review | Balloons

94

Phase of flight

Vast majority of balloon accidents and serious incidents remain occurring during the landing phase of the 
flight, as shown in Figure 4.4. It can also be observed that the number of recorded landing accidents and serious 
incidents is very slightly lower than the 10-year average. There is an increase in accidents and serious incidents 
during the standing flight phase, whilst for take-off and manoeuvring phases these numbers are decreasing.  
For balloons, the flight phase standing covers the period where the balloon is filled with hot air, but the basket 
is still heavy.

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 ´ Figure 4.4 Accidents and serious incidents involving balloons, by phase of flight

Unknown/
Blank

1.1

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Operation type

Most balloon accidents and serious incidents are related to passenger and pleasure flights, as shown in Figure 4.5 
with a decrease in 2023 compared with the 10-year average. Note that activities such as competitions and record 
flights are considered to be part of the airshow/race category and in the year 2023 there were more accidents 
and serious incidents in this category than in the 10-year average. There is a fairly stable and low number of 
accidents and serious incidents in all other categories. In 2023 no accidents and serious incidents were recorded 
in five out of nine categories as shown in the Figure 4.5, possibly at the expense of the notable increase in the 
number of blank/unknown operation type category.

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 ´ Figure 4.5 Accidents and serious incidents involving balloons, by operation type

 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Balloons

95

Chapter 5
Sailplanes 

Sailplanes

2024 Annual Safety Review | Sailplanes

96

This chapter covers sailplane operations where the state of registry of the aircraft is an EASA Member State.  
The data presented are based on the accidents and serious incidents collected by the Agency under Regulation 
(EU) 996/2010 on accident and serious incident investigation and Regulation (EU) 376/2014 on occurrence 
reporting, and through actively searching for those events from other official sources.

The chapter provides in the core document the key statistics and the occurrence categories for sailplanes. The 
European Common Repository (ECR) and the EASA database are used as the data sources for this part. Advanced 
statistics are then provided in a domain-specific appendix, giving an overview of the safety risks for these 
operations at the European level. These advanced statistics are solely derived from occurrence data from the ECR. 
Updated accident rates for sailplanes are not available this year due to missing utilisation data.  It is therefore 
worth stressing the importance of collecting exposure data to provide proper oversight visibility on the domain.

Sailplane operations are a unique aviation domain, largely due to how gliding is performed. Unlike other domains 
where aircraft are powered by engines, most sailplane operations depend on teamwork and safe towing into the 
air, using an aircraft or a winch, for the flight to commence. This added operational complexity has fostered a 
collaborative team spirit and cohesive atmosphere for safety within the gliding community. The dataset used in 
this chapter contains both non-powered and powered sailplanes but excludes ultralight sailplanes. The gliding 
community, with the leadership of the European Gliding Union (EGU), has been actively involved in shaping the 
EU rules on Sailplane Air Operations (OPS) and Flight Crew Licensing (FCL) rules, and in providing EASA with 
valuable input and insight into sailplane operations. 

The list of fatal accidents associated with the scope of this chapter is provided in Appendix 1 of this document.

The advanced statistics associated with the scope of this chapter are provided in Appendix 5 of this document.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Sailplanes

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Key statistics

The key statistics for this domain are in Table 5.1 and Table 5.2 and include a comparison of the number of 
accidents (fatal and non-fatal) and serious incidents for the last year and the previous 10-year period. It also 
includes a comparison of the fatalities and serious injuries sustained in those accidents during the same 
timeframe. Table 5.1 shows a downward trend in the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents but a slight upward 
trend in the number of serious incidents, compared to the 10-year average. Table 5.2 lays out the figures on 
the number of fatalities and serious injuries. In 2023 there were 7 fatalities which is significantly lower than the 
minimum value for the preceding 10 years. Compared to the 10-year average, the number of fatalities decreased 
by 67% and the number of serious injuries was close to 55% fewer. 

Total number 
of occurrences 
per occurrence class 
over 2013-2022

Number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class 
in 2023

Comparison 
2023 vs yearly average 
of 2013-2022 
per occurrence class

Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

193

1 372

274

 ´ Table 5.1 Key statistics for sailplanes

11

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28







Number of fatalities

Number of serious injuries

Total number over 2013-2022

Yearly max number over 2013-2022

Yearly min number over 2013-2022

Total number in 2023

211

31

15

7

 ´ Table 5.2 Fatalities and serious injuries involving sailplanes

290

45

17

13

2024 Annual Safety Review | Sailplanes

98

Figure 5.1 provides an overview of both fatal and non-fatal accidents and serious incidents from 2013 to 2023. 
The figure shows a stable and slightly downward trend over the period. However, in 2022 the number of fatal 
accidents increased to a similar figure as in 2019. 

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 ´ Figure 5.1 Fatal and non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving sailplanes

Figure 5.2 shows a monthly comparison between the years 2021 to 2023. The figure clearly shows a jump in the 
number of accidents in May 2021. 2022 and 2023 show a similar trend with a spike in accidents in June and July. 
In comparison to 2022, the number of accidents is more evenly spread between months while in 2021 the main 
spike is in May, then drops to an even phase until the end of August.  

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 ´ Figure 5.2 Comparison of number of accidents involving sailplanes per month from 2021-2023

 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Sailplanes

99

Figure 5.3 shows an even trend in number of fatalities and serious injuries over the period. Last year, however, 
records the far lowest number of fatalities compared to the previous 10 years and from 2019 until 2023 the trend 
is showing a downward trend. Serious injuries in 2019 were significantly more frequent than in 2023. The figure 
also shows that the number of reported serious injuries are the lowest since 2013. 

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 ´ Figure 5.3 Fatal and serious injuries per year involving sailplanes

 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Sailplanes

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Occurrence categories

Figure 5.4 outlines the top 15 categories assigned to the serious incidents and accidents in the past five years. 
Occurrences are categorised using the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST)/ICAO Common Taxonomy Team 
(CICTT) taxonomy for occurrence categories, developed for supporting common coding of the main elements 
of an occurrence that should be investigated, recorded, and analysed. Categories are of different natures, e.g., 
operational such as low altitude operations (LALT), environmental such as turbulence encounter (TURB), technical 
such as system/component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant] (SCF-NP), consequential such as fire/smoke 
resulting from impact (F-POST), etc. Multiple categories may therefore be assigned to a single occurrence, 
pointing towards the root cause of the accident. For example, if an engine failure occurred, and loss of control 
followed, the occurrence would be coded in both categories, i.e., SCF-PP: powerplant failure or malfunction and 
LOC-I: loss of control in flight. The sum of the number of occurrences per category may therefore be greater than 
the total number of occurrences that occurred in the period.

For the period 2019-2023, the main occurrence categories are abnormal runway contact – which in many 
cases leads to damage due to collision with objects in the outfield landing area. The second in line are mid-air 
collisions, that show actual collisions or near-misses, and the third category shows loss of control occurrences. 

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MAC
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LOLI
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GCOL
CFIT
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RE
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LOC-G

ARC: Abnormal runway contact; MAC: Airprox/ ACAS alert/ loss of separation/ (near) mid-air collisions; LOC-I: Loss of control - inflight; GTOW: 
Glider towing related events; UNK: Unknown or undetermined; CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during take-off and landing; SCF-NP: System/
component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant]; LOLI: Loss of lifting conditions en-route; OTHR: Other; GCOL: Ground Collision, CFIT: 
Controlled flight into or toward terrain, SCF-PP: powerplant failure or malfunction; RE: Runway excursion; USOS: Undershoot/ overshoot; LOC-G: 
Loss of control – ground.

 ´ Figure 5.4 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving sailplanes

Phase of flight

The nature of gliding creates a different set of challenges for sailplane pilots compared to flights using motorised 
aircraft. This includes both a different means of take-off and the need for the sailplane pilot to frequently plan for 
possible landing areas during the flight. Figure 5.5 provides an overview of the accidents and serious incidents 
per phase of flight.

Most sailplane accidents occur during the landing phase of the flight. The landings occur both as airfield landings 
and off-field landings. The off-field landings rely on a good eye for the landscape topography in order to select 
a landing spot that is flat and clear of obstacles for a successful landing. It is during these landings where the 
sailplanes suffer damage, but the risk of injuries is low. Airfield landing accidents are mostly caused by under and 

2024 Annual Safety Review | Sailplanes

101

overshoot landings where wind strength and direction play a big role. Most common accidents during take-off 
are due to various mishaps while using a winch. The dataset includes towing occurrences where the occurrence 
involves a glider. Sailplane towing is addressed in the SPO Aeroplanes chapter.

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Manoevring

Approach

Landing

Unknown/
blank

38.7

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29.1

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16.1

7

83.9

72

17.4

30

 ´ Figure 5.5 Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving sailplanes

Operation type

Most sailplane accidents and serious incidents occurred during leisure/private flights. Accidents during flight 
training come next but in 2023 there was a significant reduction of leisure/private flight accidents compared to 
the 10-year average. Flight training accidents were almost on par with the 10-year average. It should be noted 
that many of the unknown/blank phases of flight have not been categorised due to a lack of information as these 
accidents are still being investigated by the national safety investigation authorities. 

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Pleasure

Unknown/blank

Average 2013-2022

2023

8.9

0

38

37

4.3

3

119.8

70

24.4

32

 ´ Figure 5.6 Accidents and serious incidents by operation type involving sailplanes

 
 
 
 
 
 
Chapter 6
Unmanned
aircraft systems (UAS) 

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)

2024 Annual Safety Review | Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)

103

For the first time, this edition of the Annual Safety Review (ASR) covers the new domain of unmanned aircraft 
systems (UAS) and their operations. The chapter is based on accidents and serious incidents involving UAS where 
the state of occurrence is an EASA Member State.

The data presented are based on the accidents and serious incidents collected by the Agency under Regulation 
(EU) 996/2010 on accident and serious incident investigation and Regulation (EU) 376/2014 on occurrence 
reporting and that were found in the European Central Repository (ECR). Additionally, other official sources were 
actively searched for those events. 

Generally, it has to be kept in mind that when it comes to occurrences and other safety-related information 
involving UAS, the European legislator limited mandatory reporting to UAS for which a certificate or declaration 
is required unless the occurrence or other safety-related information involving such unmanned aircraft resulted 
in a fatal or serious injury to a person or it involved aircraft other than unmanned aircraft14.

Because of the current limitations of the taxonomy15 used by the European Co-ordination Centre for Accident and 
Incident Reporting System (ECCAIRS) it is not possible to query in which operational category (open, specific or 
certified16) the UAS were operated in. This can only be individually derived from the narrative of an occurrence 
report if it contains enough information. Furthermore, it is also not possible to query the state of the registry 
when it comes to UAS, and this will not change in the future because the European UAS rule does not require  
a registration of UAS unless it is certified17. 

For  the  above  reasons,  this  chapter  focuses  on  the  state  of  occurrence  being  the  EASA  Member  States. 
Consequently, accidents and serious incidents involving EU-registered manned aircraft and involving UAS but 
occurring outside the EASA Member States are not included here.  Such occurrences would be found among the 
accidents and serious incidents covered in other chapters of this ASR, namely chapter 2 – Aeroplanes and chapter 
3 – Helicopters. Furthermore, due to the focus on civil aviation, this chapter also excludes accidents and serious 
incidents involving UAS operated by the state, i.e., the military, police or other governmental agencies. Finally, 
accidents and serious incidents by experimental UAS during test flights are also excluded from the dataset 
underlying this chapter.

14  Article 3.2 of Regulation (EU) No 376/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 on the reporting, analysis and 
follow-up of occurrences in civil aviation, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 
4 July 2018 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Union Aviation Safety Agency. 

15  The reader should be informed that based on recommendations prepared by the UAS Working Group of the Network of Analysts, the 
ECCAIRS taxonomy will in the next few months be amended to allow for a more appropriate occurrence reporting for this aircraft 
category and its complex operations. Other adjustment to the taxonomy will follow as needed.

16  Please note, that at this moment UAS operations in the certified category are not yet enabled; the rules for such operations are under 

preparation. 

17  UAS operations in the ‘certified’ category shall require the certification of the UAS but also the registration of the aircraft based on the 
SARPs found in Annex 7 to the Convention on International Civil aviation on Aircraft Nationality and Registration Marks. UAS operated 
in the  ‘open’ and ‘specific’ operational category are not registered themselves but are linked to a registration number of the UAS 
operator for their identification, see Article 14 - Registration of UAS operators and certified UAS of Regulation (EU) 2019/947. 

2024 Annual Safety Review | Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)

104

On the other hand, this chapter covers accidents and serious incidents caused by model aircraft, because 
such aircraft are also considered UAS based on the definition of ‘unmanned aircraft’ found in the EASA Basic 
Regulation18, the definition of ‘unmanned aircraft system’ in the European rules for UAS19, as well as the specific 
rule found therein addressing operations of UAS in the framework of model aircraft clubs and associations20. 

Notwithstanding the above limitations, exclusions and considerations, this chapter presents the key statistics and 
occurrence categories for UAS operations, 

The list of fatal accidents associated with the scope of this chapter is provided in Appendix 1 of this document.

Key statistics

The key statistics for this domain are in Table 6.1 and Table 6.2. The first table depicts the number of accidents 
(fatal and non-fatal) and serious incidents for the year 2023. The next table shows the number of fatalities and 
serious injuries sustained in those accidents during 2023. 

The year 2023 was chosen as a starting point for the first domain-related chapter in the ASR because it is the year 
by which according to the European rules for UAS operations conducted in the framework of model aircraft clubs 
and associations were no longer allowed to continue without an authorisation in accordance with the European 
rules for UAS operations or based on national regulation21.

Number of occurrences per occurrence class in 2023

Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

1

9

2

 ´ Table 6.1 Key statistics for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)

Figure 6.1 plots the total number of fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents, and serious incidents in 2023 for the UAS 
domain. These are all recorded accidents and serious incidents by UAS, but only some of them involved persons 
on the ground being seriously harmed or manned aviation being endangered. However, in most of the recorded 
accidents involving UAS (80%) found in the ECR neither a person on the ground was injured nor was manned 
aviation affected.

However, two accidents listed in Table 6.1 resulted in one fatal and one serious injury to persons on the ground, 
see Table 6.2 below22.

18  Article 3 - Definitions, (30) ‘unmanned aircraft’ means any aircraft operating or designed to operate autonomously or to be piloted 
remotely without a pilot on board, see Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council on common rules in 
the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Union Aviation Safety Agency. 

19  Article  2  –  Definitions  under  (1)  ´Unmanned  aircraft  system’  (‘UAS’)  means  an  unmanned  aircraft  and  the  equipment  to  control  it 
remotely´ in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 of 24 May 2019 on the rules and procedures for the operation of 
unmanned aircraft, as well as article 16 - UAS operations in the framework of model aircraft clubs and associations in of the same 
regulation. 

20  When such operations take place in areas managed by nationally recognised model aircraft clubs and associations, they fall in the 
'specific' category of UAS operations. Model aircraft can also be operated in the ‘open’ category, if all the limitations of that category 
are respected.

21  Article 16 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 of 24 May 2019 on the rules and procedures for the operation of 

unmanned aircraft. Article 21 of the same regulation states the sunset clause. 

22 

In yet another accident involving a UAS one person on the ground was slightly but not seriously injured, therefore not being accounted 
for in the table 6.2 and Figure 6.2.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)

105

The fatal accident in this 
domain occurred on

Number of fatalities - ground

Number of serious injuries - ground

Total number in 2023

1

1

 ´ Table 6.2 Fatalities and serious injuries involving UAS

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Serious incidents

Non-fatal accidents

Fatal accidents

2023

2

9

1

 ´ Figure 6.1 Fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents per year involving UAS

Figure 6.2 shows the number of fatalities and serious injuries in 2023 for the UAS domain. In this year these 
fatalities and serious injuries were sustained by persons on the ground. 

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 ´ Figure 6.2 Fatal and serious injuries per year involving UAS

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)

106

Involvement of persons on the ground in accidents with UAS

Due to the special characteristics of the UAS domain it is important to monitor the risk of persons on the ground 
being injured by a UAS. Table 6.2 and Figure 6.2 above include one fatality and one case of a serious injury 
caused by UAS in the year 2023. These accidents were separate events and occurred on terrains for model aircraft 
aviation that are managed by model aircraft clubs and associations. In the fatal accident, an 8 kg model aircraft in 
full flight struck an uninvolved remote pilot. In the non-fatal accident, a 31 kg model sail plane diverted from its 
path during the towing phase and hit the ground before seriously injuring an uninvolved remote pilot of another 
UAS with one of its wings. Only one of the described accidents was investigated by an organisation on behalf of 
the national aviation accident investigation bodies23.

Involvement of manned aviation in accidents and serious incidents 
with UAS

Due to the special characteristics of the UAS domain, it is equally important to monitor the number of occurrences 
by UAS in which manned aviation was involved. In the year 2023 the domain recorded two such occurrences. 
These were two serious incidents of Airprox24 events between UAS and manned aircraft. The manned aircraft 
involved in these occurrences were large aircraft that encountered UAS during approach and departure from a 
Member State aerodrome. The aircraft affected were Bombardier BD500 and Airbus A320. In both cases the size 
of the UAS encountered remained unknown or was not coded in the occurrence report. As regards their safety 
risks, these occurrences were given high ERCS scores25.

In summary, Table 6.3 shows that in summary 17% (two serious incidents) of the total number of 12 occurrences 
in the UAS domain involved a manned aircraft.

Total number of accidents  
and serious incidents 

Number of accidents and serious incidents 
in which manned aircraft were involved

2023

12

2

 ´ Table 6.3 Number of occurrences by UAS in which manned aircraft were involved

23  When it comes to accidents involving UAS and resulting in fatal or serious injuries a safety investigation by the responsible safety 
investigation authority is required based on Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 996/2010 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 on 
common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Union Aviation Safety Agency. 

24  An Airprox is a situation in which, in the opinion of a pilot or air traffic services personnel, the distance between aircraft as well as their 
relative positions and speed have been such that the safety of the aircraft involved may have been compromised. (ICAO Doc 4444: 
PANS-ATM).

25 

‘European risk classification scheme’ or ‘ERCS’ means the methodology applied for the assessment of the risk posed by an occurrence to 
civil aviation in the form of a safety risk score; see Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/2034 of 6 October 2020 supplementing 
Regulation  (EU)  No  376/2014  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  as  regards  the  common  European  risk  classification 
scheme.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)

107

Occurrence categories

Figure 6.3 below depicts the occurrence categories assigned to the serious incidents and accidents for the 
UAS domain in the year 2023. Occurrences are categorised using the ICAO Accident Incident Data Reporting 
(ADREP) taxonomy for occurrence categories, developed to support the common coding of the main elements 
of an occurrence that should be investigated, recorded, and analysed. Categories are of different nature, e.g., 
operational such as an abrupt manoeuvre (AMAN), or environmental such as windshear or thunderstorm 
(WSTRW), technical such as system/ component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant] (SCF-NP), but they may 
also be consequential such as fire/ smoke resulting from impact (F-POST). Therefore, multiple categories may 
be assigned to a single occurrence. For example, if an engine failure occurred, and loss of control followed, the 
occurrence would be coded in both categories, i.e., SCF-PP: powerplant failure or malfunction and LOC-I: loss 
of control in flight. The sum of the number of occurrences per category may therefore be greater than the total 
number of occurrences realised in the period.

0

2

4

6

8

10

OTHR

MAC

LALT

LOC-I

NAV

SCF-NP

CTOL

SCF-PP

UNK

OTHR: Other; CTOL: MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss of separation/(near) midair collisions; LALT: Low altitude operations; LOC-I: Loss of control - 
inflight; NAV: Navigation error; CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during take-off and landing; SCF-NP: System/component failure or malfunction 
[non-powerplant; CTOL: SCF-PP: powerplant failure or malfunction; and UNK: Unknown or undetermined.

 ´ Figure 6.3 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving UAS

In the year 2023, there were 12 accidents and serious incidents involving UAS. The occurrence category ‘OTHR: 
Other’ was assigned to eight serious incidents and accidents, of which one resulted in the fatality involving 
the model aircraft/UAS on a model aircraft terrain. The occurrence category ‘MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss 
of separation/(near) mid-air collisions’ was assigned to four serious incidents and accidents. The occurrence 
category ‘LALT: Low altitude operations’ was assigned to three non-fatal accidents, one of which resulted in 
the serious injury recorded in Table 6.2 and Figure 6.2. The occurrence categories ‘NAV: Navigation error’ and 
‘LOC-I: Loss of control – inflight’ were each assigned twice to the serious incidents and non-fatal accidents of 
2023. Finally, ‘CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) during take-off and landing’; ‘SCF-NP: System/component failure or 
malfunction [non-powerplant]’; ‘SCF-PP: powerplant failure or malfunction’; ‘UNK: Unknown or undetermined’, 
were assigned once each to the serious incidents and accidents of 2023.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)

108

The category ‘OTHR’ is meant for ‘any occurrence not covered under another category’26. The high usage of 
this category, also in combination with other categories, could mean that the reporters wanted to express the 
unusual character of the occurrence involving UAS or, when used alone, that the occurrence was so unique that 
they would not fit another category. For example, the occurrence category ‘OTHR’ was used for the accident 
that caused a fatality on the ground, and for two occurrences where the UAS were presumably operated in the 
‘specific’ category for UAS operations. On the other hand, the use of the category ‘OTHR’ correlates also with the 
operational type 1 non-commercial or unknown and the operational type 2 was either unknown or not filled in.

The occurrence category ‘MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss of separation/(near) mid-air collisions’ was used for 
occurrences that were Airprox events. The occurrence category ‘LALT: Low altitude operations’ was used three 
times and notably in the two accidents that resulted in one serious and one minor injury to persons on the 
ground.  While this occurrence category officially excludes the take-off or landing phase it was nevertheless used 
for the non-fatal accident that occurred in the towing phase (take-off phase) of a model aircraft that resulted in 
the serious injury.  

In conclusion, the use of the occurrence categories for different types of occurrences with UAS of different sizes 
should be studies and clarified, as there appears to be some hesitancy about assigning ‘MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/
loss of separation/(near) mid-air collisions’ to occurrences with very small UAS.

26 

 Aviation Occurrence Categories, Definitions and Usage, ICAO Common Taxonomy Team, May 2021.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)

109

Chapter 7
Aerodromes and 
groundhandling 

Aerodromes and groundhandling

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aerodromes and groundhandling

110

This chapter covers aerodrome and groundhandling operations in the EASA Member States. The data presented 
is based on accidents and serious incidents collected by the Agency under Regulation (EU) 996/2010 on the 
investigation and prevention of accidents and incidents in civil aviation and Regulation (EU) 376/2014 on the 
reporting, analysis and follow-up of occurrences in civil aviation, and through the active search of those events 
from other official sources. 

The accidents and serious incidents considered in this chapter are the following:

•  Runway excursions and runway incursions related to aerodrome operations and the aerodrome 

infrastructure;

•  Occurrences  happening  on  the  apron  and  on  the  taxiway,  including  occurrences  related  to 

groundhandling operations; 

•  Occurrences  with  the  aircraft  being  airborne,  in  the  case  where  the  aerodrome  operations, 
infrastructure or groundhandling operations may have been contributors to these occurrences. 

Accidents relating to occupational health and safety, with no element of aviation safety, are not included.

The accidents and serious incidents considered in this chapter are the ones which occurred at aerodromes 
that are in the EASA Member States. This means that the data includes not only aerodromes that fall under the 
scope of the EASA Basic Regulation due to the infrastructure provided at the aerodrome or due to the number 
of passengers and number of movements, but also includes aerodromes that fall under the scope of national 
regulations. Moreover, it is important to keep in mind that the occurrences shown here are those where the 
analysis concluded that the aerodrome design, aerodrome or groundhandling operations contributed to the 
event. Conversely, events of runway excursions and incursions where the aircraft and its operation caused the 
occurrence would be found in the chapters covering the respective products (e.g. Chapter 2 – Aeroplanes). 

The key statistics and occurrence categories for the aerodromes and groundhandling domain are presented in 
this document. Advanced statistics are then provided in a domain-specific appendix, giving an overview of the 
safety risks at the European level. The advanced statistics are solely derived from occurrence data taken from 
the ECR.

The list of fatal accidents associated with the scope of this domain is provided in Appendix 1 of this document.

The advanced statistics associated with the scope of this chapter are provided in Appendix 7 of this document.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aerodromes and groundhandling

111

Key statistics

The key statistics for the domain of aerodromes and groundhandling are shown in Table 7.1 and Table 7.2.  
The number of accidents and serious incidents in 2023 was lower than the average of the preceding decade. In 
2023, there were no fatal accidents related to aerodrome and groundhandling in EASA Member States. However, 
one accident causing a serious injury still occurred in 2023, but this is well below the average of the preceding 
decade.

Total number 
of occurrences 
per occurrence class 
over 2013-2022

Number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class 
in 2023

Comparison 
2023 vs yearly average 
of 2013-2022 
per occurrence class

Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

0

207

100

0

12

5

 ´ Table 7.1 Key statistics for aerodromes and groundhandling

=





Number of fatalities

Number of serious injuries

Total number over 2013-2022

Yearly max number over 2013-2022

Yearly min number over 2013-2022

Total number in 2023

0

0

0

0

23

5

0

1

 ´ Table 7.2 Fatalities and serious injuries for aerodromes and groundhandling 

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aerodromes and groundhandling

112

Figure 7.1 shows the number of accidents and serious incidents per year, as well as the rate of these occurrences 
per 1 million aerodrome flight movements in the EASA Member States. Whereas the aerodrome traffic in EASA 
Member States significantly recovered in 2023 after two years of low activity, the number of accidents and 
serious incidents for that year is one of the lowest observed over the time scope analysed. After three years 
of increase with a peak in 2021, the rate of such occurrences has decreased in 2023 down to 1.7 accidents and 
serious incidents per million aerodrome flight movements. While this trend confirms last year's downward trend, 
EASA will continue to monitor the rate over the next few years to determine if this is a sustainable trend.

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1.7

 ´ Figure 7.1 Numbers of fatal accidents, non-fatal accidents and serious incidents involving aerodromes and 

groundhandling, and rates per million aerodrome movements

The number of fatalities and serious injuries per year is shown in Figure 7.2. There was only one case of a serious 
injury in 2023. The accident causing the serious injury was related to a student pilot under instruction being 
struck by the rotating propeller of a small aeroplane (Dimond) in the parking lot area of an aeroclub. 

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 ´ Figure 7.2 Fatal and serious injuries per year involving aerodromes and groundhandling.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Aerodromes and groundhandling

113

Occurrence categories

Figure 7.3 outlines the occurrence categories assigned to the serious incidents and accidents in the past five 
years. Occurrences are categorised using the ICAO Accident Incident Data Reporting (ADREP) taxonomy for 
occurrence categories, developed for supporting common coding of the main elements of an occurrence that 
should be investigated, recorded, and analysed. Categories are of different natures, e.g., operational such as 
low altitude operations (LALT), environmental such as turbulence encounter (TURB), technical such as system/
component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant] (SCF-NP), consequential such as fire/smoke resulting from 
impact (F-POST), etc. Multiple categories may therefore be assigned to a single occurrence. For example, if an 
engine failure occurred, and loss of control followed, the occurrence would be coded in both categories, i.e., SCF-
PP: powerplant failure or malfunction and LOC-I: loss of control in flight. The sum of the number of occurrences 
per category may therefore be greater than the total number of occurrences that were realised in the period.

For the period 2019-2023, ground collisions are by far the most frequent type of accident or serious incident, 
followed by ramp/groundhandling occurrences. A more detailed categorisation of the type of event is depicted 
in Appendix 7 of this document. 

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

GCOL

RAMP

LOC-G

UNK

OTHR

NAV

SCF-NP

CTOL

RE

ADRM

BIRD

LOLI

AMAN

WILD

EXTL

GCOL: Ground Collision; RAMP: Ground Handling; LOC-G: Loss of control – ground; UNK: Unknown or undetermined; OTHR: Other; NAV: 
Navigation error; SCF-NP: System/component failure or malfunction [non-powerplant]  RE: Runway excursion; CTOL: Collision with obstacle(s) 
during take-off and landing; RE: Runway excursion - vehicle, aircraft or person; ADRM: Aerodrome; BIRD: Birdstrike; LOLI: Loss of lifting 
conditions en-route; AMAN: Abrupt manoeuvre; WILD: Collision Wildlife; EXTL: External load related occurrences.

 ´ Figure 7.3 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence category involving aerodromes and groundhandling

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aerodromes and groundhandling

114

Number of certified aerodromes in the EASA Member States

Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 (the EASA Basic Regulation), in its Article 2(1)(e) establishes which aerodromes fall 
under the scope of the European aviation safety rules and must therefore be certified for the safety of their 
design and operations. Regulation (EU) 139/2014, the Aerodromes Regulation (EASA ADR), lays down the detailed 
requirements for the certification and operation of those aerodromes located in the EASA Member States. 

As of 31 December 2023, 536 aerodromes are within the scope of the EASA Basic Regulation, 409 of which are 
certified and 127 are granted an exemption in accordance with Article 2(7) of the EASA Basic Regulation, due to 
low traffic volumes. At the end of the year 2023 and for the first time since the full applicability to the aerodrome 
safety rules in the year 2018, no aerodrome remained uncertified, when it should have been certified. Figure 7.4 
shows the number of aerodromes per EASA Member State as either certified in accordance with the European 
aviation safety rules or exempted due to low traffic volumes27.

It should be noted that although groundhandling services are also in the scope of the EASA Basic Regulation, 
the delegated acts laying down the detailed rules for the operation and oversight of groundhandling services 
are yet to be adopted. These acts are being developed within EASA rulemaking task RMT.0728 and the related 
opinion 01/2024 was published in January 2024 and the ground handling Regulation is expected to be published 
in early 2025.

27 

 A detailed list of aerodromes falling under EU rules can be accessed via the EASA website under the following link: https://www.easa.
europa.eu/en/datasets/aerodromes-falling-scope-regulation-eu-20181139

2024 Annual Safety Review | Aerodromes and groundhandling

115

63

26

2

4

5

2

France

Germany

Norway

Sweden

Italy

Spain

Greece

Finland

Romania

Poland

Portugal

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30

44

36

35

36

25

24

17

15

11

Denmark

10

Ireland

Croatia

Switzerland

Austria

Netherlands

Belgium

Czech Republic

Estonia

Slovakia

Hungary

Bulgaria

Iceland

Lithuania

Slovenia

Latvia

Cyprus

Malta

Luxembourg

7

8

5

6

4

5

5

5

4

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1

2

0

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40

60

80

100

120

Number of aerodromes

Certified aerodromes

Aerodromes with traffic related exemptions

 ´ Figure 7.4 Aerodromes by EASA Member State in the scope of the EASA Basic Regulation to which the 

Aerodrome rules in Regulation (EU) 139/2014 (EASA ADR) are applicable.

Chapter 8
Air Traffic Management 
or Air Navigation Services 
(ATM/ANS) 

ATM/ANS

2024 Annual Safety Review | ATM/ANS

117

This chapter covers accidents and serious incidents related to the provision of Air Traffic Management or 
Air Navigation Services (ATM/ANS) in EASA Member States. The data are based on the accidents and serious 
incidents collected by EASA under ICAO Annex 13 and Regulation (EU) 996/2010 on accident and serious incident 
investigation and Regulation (EU) 376/2014 on occurrence reporting, analysis and follow-up.

Accidents and serious incidents in this chapter involve at least one Commercial air transport (CAT) aircraft, 
either fixed-wing aeroplanes with a maximum take-off mass of at least 2250 kg, or small (CS-27) or large (CS-29) 
helicopters, which occurred in an EASA Member State.

Accidents and serious incidents reviewed in this chapter comprise occurrences where the provision of services 
by the ATM/ANS was, directly or indirectly, a contributing factor in the occurrence or played a role in aggravating 
the occurrence encountered by the aircraft. 

This chapter introduces the key statistics and occurrence categories on ATM/ANS occurrences. Advanced statistics 
are then provided in a domain-specific appendix, giving an overview of the safety risks. The advanced statistics 
are solely derived from occurrence data from the European Central Repository (ECR). 

The list of fatal accidents associated with the scope of this chapter is provided in Appendix 1 of this document.

The advanced statistics associated with ATM/ANS are provided in Appendix 8 of this report.

2024 Annual Safety Review | ATM/ANS

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Key statistics

The key statistics for this domain are in Table 8.1. They include a comparison of the number of fatal and non-fatal 
accidents and serious incidents for the last year and the previous 10-year period. 

No fatal accidents in 2023 and the preceding period 2013-2022, where ATM/ANS was a contributing factor 
(ATM involved or ATM indirectly involved) were recorded. As in 2020 and 2021 also no non-fatal accidents were 
reported in the year 2023. In the last decade, six non-fatal accidents with ATM contribution were recorded. 

Total number 
of occurrences 
per occurrence class 
over 2013-2022

Number of 
occurrences per 
occurrence class 
in 2023

Comparison 
2023 vs yearly average 
of 2013-2022 
per occurrence class

Fatal accidents

Non-fatal accidents

Serious incidents

0

6

108

0

0

4

=





 ´ Table 8.1 Key statistics for ATM/ANS contribution accidents and serious incidents

Table 8.2 includes a comparison of the fatalities and serious injuries sustained in those accidents during the same 
timeframe. 

As shown in Table 8.2, no fatalities with ATM/ANS contributions were recorded in 2023. Only three serious 
injuries with ATM contribution (directly or indirectly involved) were recorded during the last decade. 

Number of fatalities

Number of serious injuries

Total number over 2013-2022

Yearly max number over 2013-2022

Yearly min number over 2013-2022

Total number in 2023

0

0

0

0

3

2

0

0

 ´ Table 8.2 Number of fatalities and serious injuries involving ATM/ANS contribution

2024 Annual Safety Review | ATM/ANS

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Figure 8.1 shows the number of accidents and serious incidents for 2013-2023 and the number of accidents and 
serious incident rates per one million flights for 2019-2023. The reference data chosen for the rate calculation 
are traffic data (IFR flights) without UK, therefore only 2019-2023 are considered for the accident and incident 
rate calculation. In the past decade, no fatal accidents with ATM contributions were recorded. The rate of serious 
incidents with ATM/ANS contribution, as seen in Figure 8.1, decreased in 2020 compared to 2019 with a further 
decrease in 2021 and plateaued in 2022 on the same level before it decreased again in 2023. During the last four 
years, fewer serious incidents were recorded than in the years before (2013-2019). The accident rate declined 
since 2019 with no accidents with ATM direct or indirect involvement since 2019. 

s
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2023

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2

0

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Serious incidents

Non-fatal accidents

Fatal accidents

Accident rate

Serious incident rate

11

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0

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0.10

1.20

4

0

0

4

0

0

6

0

0

4

0

0

0.90

0.73

0.72

0.44

 ´ Figure 8.1 Number of accidents and serious incidents per year and serious incidents and accidents rate per 

one million flights

The number of fatalities and serious injuries per year are shown in Figure 8.2. In 2023, there were no occurrences 
with ATM/ANS contributions that resulted in fatalities. In 2018 there was one occurrence and in 2013 there were 
two occurrences where serious injuries were reported.

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2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Serious Injuries

Fatalities

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

 ´ Figure 8.2 Fatalities and serious injuries per year involving ATM/ANS contribution

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | ATM/ANS

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Occurrence categories

Figure  8.3  outlines  the  occurrence  categories  assigned  to  the  serious  incidents  and  accidents  with  ATM 
contribution in the past five years. 

Occurrences  are  categorised  using  the  ICAO  ADREP  taxonomy  for  occurrence  categories,  developed  for 
supporting common coding of the main elements of an occurrence that should be investigated, recorded, 
and analysed. Categories are of different natures, e.g., operational such as low altitude operations (LALT), 
environmental such as turbulence encounter (TURB), technical such as system/component failure or malfunction 
[non-powerplant] (SCF-NP), consequential such as fire/smoke resulting from impact (F-POST), etc. Multiple 
categories may therefore be assigned to a single occurrence. For example, if an engine failure occurred, and 
loss of control followed, the occurrence would be coded in both categories, i.e., SCF-PP: powerplant failure or 
malfunction and LOC-I: loss of control in flight.

For the period 2019-2023, there were 31 serious incidents and accidents with ATM/ANS contributions. The 
occurrence category ATM: ATM/CNS was assigned to 27 serious incidents and accidents. The occurrence 
categories MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss of separation/(near) mid-air collisions was assigned to 23 serious 
incidents and accidents and RI: runway incursion – vehicle, aircraft or person was assigned to 11 serious incidents 
and accidents. The occurrence categories NAV: Navigation error and GCOL: Ground collision were assigned to 
three occurrences each. The occurrence categories, RE: Runway Excursion, CFIT: Controlled flight into or toward 
terrain and ADRM: Aerodrome were assigned to one occurrence each. The occurrence category OTHER was 
compiled of two occurrences that had also other occurrence categories like runway incursion listed.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

ATM

MAC

RI

NAV

GCOL

OTHER

RE

CFIT

ADRM

ATM: ATM/CNS; MAC: Airprox/ACAS alert/loss of separation/(near) mid-air collisions; RI: Runway incursion – vehicle, aircraft or person; ADRM: 
Aerodrome; NAV: Navigation error; CFIT: Controlled flight into or toward terrain; RE: Runway excursion; GCOL: Ground Collision

 ´ Figure 8.3 Numbers of occurrences by occurrence categories involving ATM/ANS contribution

2024 Annual Safety Review | ATM/ANS

121

Phase of flight

The majority of accidents and serious incidents in 2023 with ATM/ANS contribution took place during the  
take-off phase, as shown in Figure 8.4. While for 2013-2022, looking at the average of occurrences, approach was 
the most affected flight phase, no occurrences were recorded in 2023 for this flight phase. Both occurrences in 
2023 in the take -off phase referred to the occurrence category runway incursion. 

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Average 2013-2022

2023

Taxi

1.6

1

Take-off

En route

Approach

Landing

2.8

2

3.3

1

3.8

0

1.6

1

Tow

0.1

0

Unknown/
blank

0.3

0

 ´ Figure 8.4 Accidents and serious incidents by phase of flight involving ATM/ANS contribution

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | ATM/ANS

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Chapter 9
Occurrence reporting 
and risk classification

Occurrence reporting and risk classification

2024 Annual Safety Review | Occurrence reporting and risk classification

123

This chapter intends to measure the volume of occurrence reports collected in the European Central Repository 
(ECR) under Regulation (EU) 376/2014 over the period 2016-2023 and to put the changing levels of occurrence 
reporting in perspective with changes to the level of aviation activity in Europe. It also intends to measure 
the volume of occurrence records that were risk-classified in accordance with the European Risk Classification 
Scheme (ERCS) over the year 2023.

9.1  Overall levels of occurrence reporting and 

levels of traffic

Occurrence reporting rates are important to monitor as they are an indicator of the changes to safety culture  
in Europe. A large number of reports can be regarded as a sign of a good safety culture. In this respect, whereas 
in the rest of the annual safety review, a higher number of accidents and serious incidents may be viewed in as 
negative; in this section an increase in overall occurrence reporting, which includes incidents, can be viewed  
as a positive development.

This section had initially been developed for the 2021 annual safety review by the safety performance indicators 
working group (SPI WG), under the Network of aviation safety Analysts (NoA), which is established under Article 
14 of Regulation (EU) 376/2014. 

For all figures in this section, the number of reports should be interpreted as the number of reports from distinct 
reporting entities. For a single occurrence record, if more than one report is reported by the same reporting 
entity (e.g., in case of follow-up or final reports), the record is counted as one report. For reports from two 
different reporting entities about a single occurrence, the record is counted as two reports, etc. The counting of 
distinct reports was performed using a software platform different from last year, therefore the numbers were 
recomputed in a consistent manner from 2016 onwards, and they may slightly vary compared with last years' 
edition.

The traffic data used in this section were provided by Eurocontrol. The extent of the data scope is 30 out of the  
31 EASA Member States, since Eurocontrol does not collect data for Iceland. The IFR traffic data used in this 
report includes both EU and Non-EU operators.

It  should  be  highlighted  that  the  figures  shown  in  this  section  are  highly  dependent  on  the  quality  and 
completeness of the coding of the occurrences collected in the ECR, in particular on the attribute ‘Reporting 
Entity’.

To reach more accurate figures from which more solid interpretations can be built, it is important that reporting 
organisations and competent authorities continue their effort to improve the coding quality of occurrence 
records submitted under Regulation (EU) 376/2014. 

The hereafter paragraphs give a high-level quantitative analysis of the total number of reports collected in the 
ECR over the period 2016-2023, in parallel with the evolution of the level of traffic in Europe. The data were 
extracted from the ECR on April 15, 2024.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Occurrence reporting and risk classification

124

Annual evolution over the period 2016-2023

The total number of reports collected in the ECR over the period 2016-2023 is shown in Figure 9.1, and the 
number of cumulated airport movements in Europe for the same time period is illustrated in Figure 9.2. 
Reporting rates were then calculated by normalising the volumes of reports with the airport movements,  
as shown in Figure 9.3.

After the entry into force of Regulation (EU) 376/2014 at the end of 2015, the number of reports in the ECR 
steadily increased from 2016 to 2019, with the figure for 2019 being 43% higher than for 2016. By contrast, the 
level of traffic in Europe increased at a slower pace, with +8% of airport movements in 2019 compared to 2016. 
The overall reporting rate, therefore, increased over this period from 14.9 to 19.6 reports per 1 000 airport 
movements. 

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a drastic decrease in the level of traffic, which then recovered only 
partially in 2021. The total number of reports also dropped substantially in 2020, but this drop was less 
pronounced than the drop in traffic. Also, in 2021, the number of reports increased rapidly compared to 2020, 
reaching back to the volumes reported in 2018. Consequently, the overall reporting rate continued to increase 
significantly over 2020 and 2021, reaching 33.9 reports per 1 000 airport movements, which is doubled compared 
to 2016.

In 2022, the reporting rate remained higher than 30 reports per 1 000 airport movements, but was slightly down 
compared to the previous year, with 31.4 reports per 1 000 airport movements.

The volumes of reports in 2023 were the highest observed since 2016, and 37% higher than in 2019. In terms of 
activity, 2023 saw the traffic continuing its recovery to reach 87% of the level of 2019. As a result, the reporting 
rate in 2023 remained almost at the highest level observed in 2021 and very near to the rate observed in 2022, 
with 31.1 reports per 1 000 airport movements.

350 000

300 000

250 000

200 000

150 000

100 000

50 000

0

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2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

 ´ Figure 9.1 Number of reports collected in the ECR per year

 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Occurrence reporting and risk classification

125

)
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12

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6

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0

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

 ´ Figure 9.2 Number of airport movements per year, for all EASA Member States (except Iceland)

33.9

31.4

31.1

28.6

16.8

16.9

15.6

19.6

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5.0

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2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

 ´ Figure 9.3 Reporting rate (number of reports/1 000 airport movements) per year

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Occurrence reporting and risk classification

126

Monthly variation for each year

Figure 9.4 shows the number of reports by month for each year over the period 2016-2023.

The steady increase in reporting levels is clearly visible from 2016 to 2019. 2020 shows a very different profile, 
with a substantial drop in the number of reports from March 2020, which coincides with the even more 
pronounced drop in traffic, as shown in Figure 9.5. In 2021, whereas the first months of the year showed a lower 
number of reports compared to the preceding years, the number of reports progressively caught up with the 
levels of 2019 and were even alike 2019 for the second semester of the year. This trend for reports in 2021 was 
not observed in the number of airport movements which stayed lower than the pre-pandemic levels despite  
a visible increase over the year. In 2022 and 2023, the evolution of airport traffic went back to their more usual 
seasonal profile, which was still slightly below the pre-pandemic years, including below the level of traffic in 
2016. The number of reports was the highest observed in 2023, almost all along the year, with a particular 
increase observed during the first quarter of the year.

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35 000

30 000

25 000

20 000

15 000

10 000

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0

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Month of the Year

 ´ Figure 9.4 Number of reports collected in the ECR per month per year

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Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Month of the Year

 ´ Figure 9.5 Number of airport movements per month per year, for all EASA Member States (except Iceland)

 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Occurrence reporting and risk classification

127

9.2  Volumes of reporting for the main types of 

organisations 

This section provides data split by the main type of reporting organisations, to better identify which organisations 
are the main contributors to safety occurrence reporting and evaluate how their relative contributions have 
evolved over the period 2016-2023. 

Comparison of the volume of reporting  

In Figure 9.6, the total number of reports was split into five main categories of reporting organisations, using  
the ECR attribute ‘Reporting Entity’. These five categories are as follows:

•  Aircraft operators;

•  Air navigation service providers (ANSPs);

•  Aerodrome operators; 

•  Other types of reporting entities, such as design organisations, maintenance organisations, ground 

handling organisations, production organisations, individuals;

•  Unknown: the reports for which the ‘Reporting Entity’ value was not completed. 

For the three main types of organisations, following a progressive increase from 2016 to 2019, and lower 
numbers during 2020 and 2021, the number of reports in 2022 was the highest observed since 2016. In 2023 
however, while the total number of reports continued to increase, the number of reports from ANSPs decreased 
for the first time. In comparison to the last pre-pandemic year 2019, the number of reports in 2023 from aircraft 
operators is 39% higher, also 23% higher for ANSPs, and doubled (109% higher) for aerodrome operators.

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160 000

140 000

120 000

100 000

80 000

60 000

40 000

20 000

0

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Aircraft operator

ANSP

Aerodrome operator

Others

Unknown

 ´ Figure 9.6 Number of reports collected in the ECR per type of reporting organisation

 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Occurrence reporting and risk classification

128

Figure 9.7 brings an additional perspective on the trend in occurrence reporting, by showing the relative 
proportion of reports for the five categories defined in Figure 9.6. 

The proportion of reports from aircraft operators increased from 38% to 45% of all reports over the period 
2016-2023, with an exceptional drop to 35% in 2020 and 2021. For the ANSPs, the proportion of reports slightly 
decreased since 2016 to stabilise around 28% of the total reports over 2020-2022, dropping to 22% in 2023 
though. The proportion of aerodrome reports had a continuous increase since 2016, starting from 9% of the total 
reports in 2016 to reach 19% of the overall reports over the last two years.

It is important to highlight that the accuracy of the figures and trends described here are affected by the 
proportion of reports for which the type of reporting entity is unknown. The number of reports in the ECR with 
no reporting entity value oscillated between 7% and 13% of the overall reports for each year between 2016 
and 2021. Over the last two years, this proportion was reduced to 6% and 4% of the overall reports, which is 
encouraging, but still a limiting factor in the interpretability of the ECR data.

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80%

70%

60%

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20%

10%

0%

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2017

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2020

2021

2022

2023

Aircraft operator

ANSP

Aerodrome operator

Others

Unknown

 ´ Figure 9.7 Proportion of reports (in % of the total number of reports) per type of reporting organisation

9.3 Overall levels of occurrence risk classification

Regulation (EU) 376/2014 on the reporting, analysis and follow-up of occurrences in civil aviation introduced the 
requirement for a common risk classification of occurrences at the national and EASA levels. As a result, the ERCS 
was developed to risk classify occurrences.

Within the risk classification scheme of the ERCS, the severity component is addressed by identifying the 
worst likely accident outcome that would have resulted if the occurrence had escalated into an accident, 
which considers both the most likely type of accident -called key risk area (KRA)- and the potential loss of life, 
considering, for example, the size of the aircraft involved. The likelihood component is then measured, by 
looking at how close the occurrence was to the worst likely accident outcome, based on a weighted barrier 
model. The resulting ERCS score is shown as a two-digit value where the first digit corresponds to the alphabetic 
value resulting from the calculation of the severity of the occurrence (severity score A to X) and the second 
digit represents the numerical value from the calculation of the corresponding score of the occurrence (0 to 9).  
Table 9.1 provides the ERCS matrix reflecting the different possible ERCS scores.

 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Occurrence reporting and risk classification

129

The ERCS is part of the legal framework of Regulation (EU) 376/2014, through a Commission Delegated Regulation 
published in 2020 and later a Commission Implementing Regulation, published in 2021. The application of  
the ERCS is mandatory as of January 1, 2023.

 ´ Table 9.1 ERCS matrix

2024 Annual Safety Review | Occurrence reporting and risk classification

130

The hereafter paragraphs give a high-level quantitative analysis of the ERCS completion for the occurrence 
records collected in the ECR for the year 2023. The data were extracted from the ECR on April 15, 2024.

For the purpose of this analysis, the values ‘unsurvivable environment’ and ‘injuries or damage’ of the KRA 
attribute were respectively consolidated into ‘fire, smoke and pressurisation’ and ‘other injuries’. The values 
‘significant incident’, ‘major incident’, ‘occurrence with no flight intended’, and ‘observation’ of the occurrence 
class attribute were consolidated into ‘incident’.

Volumes of occurrence records risk classified in accordance with the 
ERCS

There were around 300 000 occurrence records collected in the ECR in 2023.

Figure 9.8 provides the percentage of occurrence records in the ECR that were risk classified in accordance with 
the ERCS. 

Although the safety risk classification is a mandatory field in the occurrence reporting regulation, and there is 
an obligation on the competent authorities to risk classify the occurrences in accordance with the ERCS, slightly 
more than half of the occurrence records in the ECR do not provide any value for the ERCS score field.

Around one out of three occurrence records only are informed with an ERCS score, i.e., not blank/not pending. 
A similar order of magnitude is observed for accidents and serious incidents.

The risk classification is reported as ‘pending’ by competent authorities in one out of ten occurrence records. 
From the 31 900 occurrence records with a pending ERCS score, 31 631 occurrence records are the responsibility 
of one single Member State.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Occurrence reporting and risk classification

131

36%

11%

53%

Blank

Pending

Informed

 ´ Figure 9.8 Number of records in 2023 (in % of the total number of records) per ERCS score status

Figure 9.9 shows the percentage of occurrence records where the KRA and the ERCS score are informed. Only 
about one in seven of the occurrence records are reported with both values, the KRA and the ERCS score. Unlike 
the ERCS score, the KRA is not a mandatory field in the occurrence reporting regulation. Therefore, there is 
no obligation on the competent authorities to complete this field. Unless conversion procedures are used, the 
application of the ERCS scheme to an occurrence record includes the determination of the KRA, so it is ultimately 
just a matter of documenting that KRA in the ECR alongside the ERCS score.

15%

85%

ERCS score and 
KRA informed

ERCS score and 
KRA not informed

 ´ Figure 9.9 Number of records in 2023 (in % of the total number of records) with an ERCS score and KRA 

informed

Volumes of occurrence records per KRA, and aggregated ERCS numerical equivalent scores per KRA, are 
meaningful measures when evaluating the safety performance of an aviation domain. In the context of a safety 
performance framework, the KRAs are the Tier 2 safety performance indicators (SPIs) for the domain. While it is 
acknowledged that the 2023 year is the first year of ERCS implementation and that it constitutes a challenging 
objective, it is important that competent authorities augment their effort to improve the data completeness for 
the risk classification over the coming years, including safety management essential fields such as the KRA one.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Occurrence reporting and risk classification

132

Volumes of occurrence records per key risk area (KRA)

For the occurrence records where an ERCS score is informed (i.e., not blank/not pending), representing only 
36% of the total number of occurrence records collected in the ECR in 2023, Figure 9.10 shows the number of 
occurrence records per KRA and occurrence class.

As already outlined in Figure 9.9, a considerable number of occurrence records do not provide any value for the 
KRA (i.e., blank), while the occurrence has been risk classified, and the record informed with an ERCS score. The 
frequency of KRAs, as shown in the right-hand part of Figure 9.10, is based on a volume of occurrence records 
representing only 15% of the total number of occurrence records in the ECR in 2023.

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60 000

50 000

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Accident

Serious incident

Incident

Blank

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120

Aircraft 
upset

Airborne 
collision

Other 
injuries

Ground 
damage

94

60

3

46

27

19

14

10

Not 
safety 
related

0

1

Excursion

33

48

Fire, 
smoke 
and 
pressuri-
sation

1

26

59 071

11 974

5 085

5 063

3 017

2 073

2 638

2 041

Occurrence without safety effect

3 171

2 036

3 240

917

1 476

1 987

461

303

Not determined

Blank

189

73

58

9

55

12

23

3

26

0

6

4

15

0

8

1

Collision 
on 
runway

Terrain 
collision

Obstable 
collision 
in flight

Security

0

1

861

282

11

0

3

11

872

206

13

1

35

14

772

200

20

1

14

11

224

60

5

3

 ´ Figure 9.10 Number of occurrence records in 2023 per KRA and occurrence class

Concentrating on accidents and serious incidents, the five most frequent KRAs would become aircraft upset 
(104), excursion (81), airborne collision (49), terrain collision (49), and other injuries (46). 

The value ‘not safety related’ of the KRA attribute is not regulated. It is shown as an historical value in the 
European Co-ordination Centre for Accident and Incident Reporting Systems (ECCAIRS 2) reporting platform, 
and can actually no longer be selected for new occurrences. One exception aside, the use of that KRA value was 
adequately made in combination with the ERCS score A0 ‘no implication to safety’. Its use for occurrence classes 
other than ‘occurrence without safety effect’ is however questionable. 

The ERCS numerical equivalent scores aggregated by KRA are to be found in the domain-specific appendices of 
the ASR. This section rather focuses on data correctness and completeness.

Amongst the approximately 46 500 occurrence records informed with an ERCS score and a KRA, 20 occurrence 
records provided more than one ERCS risk classification. Besides the documentation of the KRA, as mentioned in 
the previous subsection, it is important that competent authorities continue their effort to make sure that there 
is only one ERCS risk classification per occurrence record.

 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Occurrence reporting and risk classification

133

Volumes of occurrence records per ERCS score

For the occurrence records where an ERCS score value is documented in the ECR (i.e., not blank), representing 
slightly more than half of the total number of occurrence records collected in 2023, Figure 9.11 shows the 
number of occurrence records in 2023 per ERCS score and occurrence class. For readability purposes, the figure 
only outlines the ERCS scores whose frequency is greater than 2 000 occurrence records.

Within this subset of occurrence records, a considerable number of occurrence records provide the value 
‘pending’ in the ERCS score field. The value ‘pending’ of the safety risk score attribute is not regulated. This value 
is given in the ECCAIRS 2 reporting platform as an opportunity to complete the mandatory field at an early stage, 
when information on the occurrence is very limited, thereby complying with the occurrence reporting regulation 
when transferring the occurrence records into the ECR. Figure 9.11 however, implies a use of the ‘pending’ value 
departing from this initial intent. This practice appears to be limited to one single Member State. 

0

5 000

10 000

15 000

20 000

25 000

30 000

35 000

Number of occurrence records

e
r
o
c
s

S
C
R
E

Pending

X9

X7

X5

A0

M7

X6

M5

M9

S7

M4

X4

E4

Accident

Serious incident

Incident

E4

0

1

X4

0

16

M4

1

18

S7

1

2

M9

4

2

M5

5

12

X6

M7

A0

1

8

0

6

2

2

X5

3

76

X7

X9

Pending

0

8

4

4

124

347

1 492

2 032

2 244

2 514

3 018

3 424

5 902

6 159

4 684

10 350

11 136

22 356

30 104

Occurrence without safety effect

539

392

273

79

97

202

343

102

5 006

895

357

3 048

Not determined

Blank

12

0

16

2

32

8

2

8

3

1

26

5

30

0

11

9

139

14

31

6

3

18

11

12

555

146

624

 ´ Figure 9.11 Number of occurrence records in 2023 per ERCS score and occurrence class

As mentioned earlier in the review, the use of the ERCS score A0 ‘no implication to safety’ for occurrence classes 
other than ‘occurrence without safety effect’ is questionable.

While there is no relationship drawn in the regulation between an occurrence class and the ERCS matrix colour 
scheme, accidents and serious incidents are not expected to be risk classified as low-risk occurrences (green). 
From the accidents and serious incidents collected in the ECR in 2023, and for which an ERCS score is informed 
(i.e., not blank/not pending), around two out of five occurrence records are risk classified as low-risk occurrences. 
Conversely, occurrence records with an occurrence class ‘occurrence without safety effect’ are not expected to be 
risk classified as elevated risk occurrences, e.g., 392 occurrences without safety effect with an X4 ERCS score. It is 
therefore important that competent authorities continue their effort to ensure consistency between occurrence 
classes and ERCS grades (high-, elevated-, low-risk occurrences).

 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Occurrence reporting and risk classification

134

Chapter 10
Standardisation 

Standardisation

2024 Annual Safety Review | Standardisation

135

Safety is the Agency’s core business. Standardisation28, aimed at achieving and maintaining a high and uniform 
level of safety within the EU, is one of its main tasks. EASA conducts standardisation activities to monitor the 
application of the requirements of the Basic Regulation29 and its Implementing Rules, the occurrence reporting 
regulation30 and its delegated and implementing rules, as well as their uniform implementation by the National 
Competent Authorities (NCAs), in order to ensure that:

•  Passengers can fly safely to, from and within the EU;

•  The EU industry benefits from a level playing field;

•  Certificates issued by NCAs are mutually recognised; and

•  The European system is recognised by international partners.

Standardisation activities include the continuous assessment of the NCAs’ ability to discharge their safety 
oversight responsibilities (Continuous Monitoring Activities: CMA), as well as conducting standardisation 
inspections as necessary to directly verify the implementation of the European rules. Such inspections are 
prioritised, planned and performed using a risk-based approach, based on the Agency’s assessment of well-
defined indicators. Feedback from stakeholders has shown that NCAs generally see standardisation inspections as 
a valuable means to discuss implementation issues and share best practices, also facilitated by the participation 
of NCAs in inspections as team members or observers.

This chapter summarises the standardisation activities conducted by EASA in 2023. During 2023, the Agency 
performed standardisation inspections and CMA in the following domains:

1.  Systemic Enablers for Safety Management (SYS),

2.  Aerodromes (ADR),

3.  Airworthiness (Production and Maintenance) (AIR),

4.  Air Traffic Management/Air Navigation Services (ATM/ANS),

5.  Air Operations (OPS),

6.  Ramp inspections (RAMP), 

7.  Aircrew - Licensing (FCL),

8.  Aircrew - Medical (MED),

9.  Aircrew - Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTD)

10. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

28  Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 628/2013 of 28 June 2013.

29  Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018.

30  Regulation (EU) No 376/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014. Since 2018, the Agency has conducted 
standardisation  of  Regulation  (EU)  No  376/2014  and  its  delegated  and  implementing  regulations  on  a  specific  mandate  from  the 
European Commission. 

2024 Annual Safety Review | Standardisation

136

During  the  year  the  Agency  continued  the  build-up  of  its  standardisation  activities  in  the  UAS  domain.  
In addition, the scope of the inspection programmes have continued to grow, with new elements such as 
U-space, the European Risk Classification Scheme (ERCS), as well as the extension of safety management systems 
(SMS) requirements to maintenance. 

In this context, the total number of findings continues to grow, with 635 findings of non-compliance raised  
in 2023, including 7 immediate safety concerns (ISCs), see Figure 10.1: 

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

Class G

Class D

Class C

2019

5

166

380

2020

3

72

147

2021

6

155

318

2022

2

198

391

2023

7

243

385

 ´ Figure 10.1 Number of findings by class and year

Class C findings (385 in 2023) raise mainly standardisation concerns, whereas class D findings (243 in 2023) 
also raise safety concerns, if not timely corrected, and class G findings (7 in 2023) represent immediate safety 
concerns (ISCs) requiring the concerned NCA to take immediate corrective actions. 

Comparing 2023 and 2022 figures shows that the number of findings in 2023 has increased. The biggest increase 
is observed in airworthiness with an insufficient implementation of novelties, such as SMS and risk-based 
oversight (RBO). Other contributing factors are: The ramp-up of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS standardisation 
inspections and a more data-driven approach with intelligence collected by the Enhanced Continuous Monitoring 
Approach (ECMA) leading to off-site findings. The aerodromes domain contributes to the increase in the number 
of findings despite a shift from comprehensive to focused inspections. The main contributor is the verification of 
the effectiveness of oversight by NCAs where non-compliances are often identified. 

The percentage of findings raising safety concerns (class D & class G) increased by 5% to 39% in 2023 compared 
to 2022. This is due to an increase in aviation traffic and an increasingly complex aviation ecosystem, combined 
with an increasing shortage of staff and/or competencies in many NCAs.

In terms of the ratio of findings per inspection, the ratio increased from 6.9 in 2022 to 7.7 in 2023. This indicates 
a need to maintain regular onsite inspections with an upward trend over the last four years (6.3 in 2021 and 6.2 
in 2020). 

2024 Annual Safety Review | Standardisation

137

Class C

CE-8; 5%

Class C

CE-7; 25%

CE-6; 17%

 ´ Figure 10.2  Distribution of Class C findings by Critical Element

Class D

CE-8; 5%

Class D

CE-7; 38%

 ´ Figure 10.3  Distribution of Class D findings by Critical Element

CE-1; 1%

CE-2; 3%

CE-3; 13%

CE-4; 11%

CE-5; 25%

CE-1; 0%

CE-2; 3%

CE-3; 8%

CE-4; 2%

CE-5; 7%

CE-6; 36%

 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Standardisation

138

Figure 10.2 and Figure 10.3 illustrate the distribution of class C and D findings raised in 2023 according to the 
eight Critical Elements (CEs) of a State’s Safety Oversight System defined by the International Civil Aviation 
Organisation (ICAO) in its Doc 9734 ‘Safety Oversight Manual’. The ICAO CEs are the main constituents of a safety 
oversight system. They encompass the whole spectrum of civil aviation oversight activities, and their effective 
implementation is an indication of a State's capability in providing safety oversight. The eight CEs are:

CE-1  

Primary aviation legislation;

CE-2  

Specific operating regulations;

CE-3  

State civil aviation system and safety oversight functions;

CE-4  

Technical personnel qualification and training;

CE-5  

Technical guidance, tools and the provision of safety-critical information;

CE-6  

Licensing, certification, authorisation and approval obligations;

CE-7  

Surveillance obligations;

CE-8  

Resolution of safety concerns.

As in previous years, most class D findings (74%) relate to CE-6 (initial certification/approval) and CE-7 (continued 
oversight/surveillance). This confirms the continued safety impact of the inadequacy of certification and oversight 
processes that was already observed in the previous years; it represents a standing concern, and it is a focus area 
for standardisation inspections.

For class C findings, the main areas of concern are CE-5 and CE-7, followed by CE-3, CE-4 and CE-6; combined, they 
account for 91% of all class C findings. Besides certification and oversight, the unavailability of proper procedures 
and tools and technical training and qualification of personnel (CE-5), remain a source of standardisation concern.

In 2023 a total of 7 ISCs were raised, 3 in the OPS domain and 1 each in the AIR, FCL, FSTD and ANS domains. 
This is an increase compared to the 2 raised in 2022, and it is the highest number of ISCs in the last five years. All 
safety concerns were addressed immediately by the NCAs involved.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Standardisation

139

The distribution of findings between the classes has essentially shifted somewhat from C to D. In 2023, 38.3% of 
the findings were classified as D, compared with 2022, when 33.5% were classified as D. For class C findings, the 
ratio in 2023 is 60.6% compared to 66.2% in 2022. Class G findings, immediate safety concerns, increased from 2 
(0.3%) in 2022 to 7 (1.1%) in 2023. This distribution varies by domain, see Figure 10.4.

i

s
g
n
d
n
fi
D
s
s
a
l
c
d
n
a
C
s
s
a
l
c

f
o
e
g
a
t
n
e
c
r
e
P

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

AIR

OPS

RAMP

FCL

MED

FSTD

ANS

ADR

SYS

UAS

Class C

Class D

AIR - Airworthiness; OPS - Air Operations; RAMP - Ramp inspections; FCL - Aircrew Licencing; MED - Aircrew Medical; FSTD - Flight Simulation 
Training Devices; ANS - Air Traffic Management/Air Navigation Services; ADR – Aerodromes, SYS - Systemic Enablers for Safety Management; 
UAS - Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

 ´ Figure 10.4 Ratio of class C and D findings per domain in 2023  

More generally, the key outcomes of standardisation activities in 2023 can be summarised as follows:

•  Lack of effective oversight. As in previous years, the NCAs’ performance of certification and oversight 
tasks (ICAO Critical Elements CE-6 and CE-7), remains the most challenging issue. The severity of 
the issue increased in almost all technical domains, especially in airworthiness (AIR), air operations 
(OPS), air traffic management and air navigation services (ATM/ANS), flight simulation training devices 
(FSTD), flight crew licensing (FCL) and Aerodromes (ADR) with 7 immediate Safety Concerns in 2023. 
The inability of several NCAs to properly discharge their certification and oversight responsibilities has 
a direct safety impact for example on overdue Airworthiness Directives (ADs) in AIR, non-compliance 
with ADs regarding Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTDs) and inappropriate approvals in the OPS, 
FCL and ANS domains. 

•  Availability of sufficient and competent personnel. Ineffective oversight is often linked to difficulties 
in recruiting and retaining sufficient numbers of competent staff. The competence of personnel and 
the turn-over of qualified staff remains a concern at a time when industry is recruiting. The best 
performing NCAs in that respect are typically funded by fees and can adapt their recruitment and 
salaries to their needs. In addition, more recurrent training and administrative tools are needed 
for inspectors to cope with an expanded inspection scope due to new SMS requirements, new 
technologies and concepts as well as regulatory changes, including the requirements to switch to 
performance-based oversight.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2024 Annual Safety Review | Standardisation

140

• 

Inadequate change management. NCAs face difficulties to properly implement recent regulatory 
changes and change management in general. Many States are underestimating the need to establish 
a proper Management System that meets the specificities of the aviation system. Some re-organise to 
gain efficiency or outsource activities, but this often leads to a loss of control of safety-relevant tasks. 
In addition, the implementation of regulatory changes and novelties is often started late, without 
taking advantage of transition periods. On the other hand, the significant volume and speed of 
regulatory changes is a permanent challenge for NCAs. A robust change management and compliance 
monitoring function can mitigate such problems.

•  States struggling to restore their oversight function – a changing landscape. More States are lagging 
behind in correcting their non-conformities. This is illustrated by the number of safety-related findings 
(class D) that remain open and overdue at the end of each year. The increase of supplementary reports 
combined with European Commission enforcement actions are however driving improvements, 
especially on findings that the NCA cannot resolve without the involvement of Ministries or other 
National Authorities. Such findings are often linked to funding, recruitment, civil servants’ status and 
organisational issues at the level of the State. In addition to enforcement activities, EASA also provided 
technical support to some States. This proactive Standardisation effort helped States in preparing for 
audits from third parties (e.g. FAA or ICAO).

•  Difficulties in implementing the occurrence reporting obligations and oversight. The coordination 
at State level of the State Safety Programme has progressed in many Member States, however, 
occurrence reporting is the weak point of safety risk management. It generates most findings in the 
SYS domain. With the ERCS in force, a poor quality of reporting can jeopardise the risk assessment at 
EU level and lead to delayed and misguided State Plan for Aviation Safety (SPAS) priorities. In order 
to improve on this aspect, a dedicated task on data quality has been added to the European Plan for 
Aviation Safety (EPAS), requesting Member States to take action.

•  Action needed for securing maintenance training examinations. Some recurrent issues were 
identified related to Part 147 (aircraft maintenance training organisations) regarding the ability of 
a NCAs to react and take decisive measures against irregularities or deficiencies in the examination 
processes. This issue can jeopardise the mutual recognition of maintenance licences. A rulemaking 
activity has been initiated to address these problems.

Delays in incorporating new EU regulations into Annex XIII to the European Economic Agreement applicable to 
Norway and Iceland were identified in the ASR 2023. The growing technical divergence between the certification 
and oversight requirements implemented by EU Member States and non-EU EEA States is now in the process of 
being resolved.

Due to the growing volume of regulations to monitor, EASA needs to adapt its Continuous Monitoring Approach 
to become more efficient and targeted in executing its inspection programme. For this purpose, EASA is working 
to increase the use of maturity level assessments of States with an ambition to credit improvements in maturity. 
The objective is to adapt standardisation activities according to the maturity of States and the domains they 
oversee. For States facing difficulties, the traditional domain-centric approach will remain. For more mature 
States, EASA is establishing a State Monitoring Programme. The programme will measure the States’ overall 
performance/maturity and include a sampling of the State safety oversight outputs with less time being spent 
on checking compliance regarding the enablers (ICAO CEs 1 to 5). This new risk-based approach will be rolled 
out in the coming years and can be maintained as long as the assessment and overall performance indicators 
remain positive.

2024 Annual Safety Review | Standardisation

141

EUROPEAN UNION AVIATION SAFETY AGENCY
SAFETY INTELLIGENCE
DEPARTMENT

Catalogue number
TO-AA-24-001-EN-N

ISBN
978-92-9210-285-2

ISSN
2314-9272

DOI
10.2822/49362

Postal address  
Postfach 10 12 53 
50452 Cologne 
Germany

Visiting address 
European Union Aviation Safety Agency 
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, D-50668  
Köln, Germany

Tel.   +49 221 89990 - 000  
Mail   safetypromotion@easa.europa.eu
Web   www.easa.europa.eu