Aviation Accident Law

2002 Accidents Resulting
in Fatalities

-January 14-

All three aboard a Embraer 120

-January 15-

Four out of
18 aboard a DHC-6

-January 16-

One out of
60 aboard a
B737-300

-January 17-

All twenty-six
aboard a FH-227

-January 28-

All ninety-
two aboard a
Boeing 727

-February 7-

All eight aboard a Antonov 12

-February 12-

All 119 aboard a Tupolev 154M

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Aviation Safety Goals

The FAA outlined aviation safety goals in 2001 for the future of airline travel. In ten years the FAA hopes to reduce the U.S. aviation fatal accident rate by 80%. The FAA’s main objectives are to reduce the overall aircraft accident rate and fatalities and losses from accidents that occur for each major type of aircraft accident.

The FAA hopes to make the aviation safety improvements through accident prevention, certification and surveillance, and information sharing. Currently, pilot errors, FAA violations, negligent Federal government-employed Air Traffic Controllers or Flight Service State employees, faulty equipment or structural or design problems in the aircraft itself or a component part, negligence in the maintenance or repair of the aircraft or aircraft component, negligence in the fueling of the aircraft, or negligence in a third party’s selection of a carrier causes the aircraft accidents leading to injuries, fatalities, and damage. The FAA reviews NTSB safety recommendations and considers necessary implementation.

In 2001, the number of near-collisions and unauthorized movements on airport runways did decline in number, though it is not necessarily attributed to more effectively met safety goals. Last year there was a decrease in air traffic possibly due to the September 11th attacks and the economic conditions according to the FAA, but at the same time there is reason to believe that the decrease in traffic is not the only attribution.

Although 80% of the NTSB’s recommendations have been used by people in a position to effect change, there are still around 20 emergency landing made by U.S. airlines every month

This statistic finally reverses the growing, upward accident trend that had been the subject of aviation concern. The number is down from 431 incidents in 2000 to 380 in 2001. The decrease in incidents includes an aircraft, vehicle, or person entering or making unauthorized or dangerous movements on the runway. This aviation mistake is caused by pilot errors or air traffic controller mistakes. Regardless, the majority of all airline difficulties occur in the U.S. According to John Clark, NTSB Director, he feels that the number of flying hours is increasing and the number of accidents is also increasing, all while the accident rate staying the same. Clark feels, “we want to do whatever we can to keep this rate down, and this would keep the total number of accidents down as well.”

To read the FAA’s strategic plan, click here.  

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Recent Aviation Safety News!!


"NTSB Issues Conclusions and Recommendations on Wellstone Airplane Crash"

November 18, 2003
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued its conclusions and recommendations following the investigation of the October 25, 2002 airplane crash killing Sen. Paul Wellstone, his wife, their daughter, three aides, and two pilots.

Probable cause of the airplane crash was determined to be the flight crew’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed, leading to an aerodynamic stall that was never recovered.

>Read Full Article


March 7, 2002

An American Airline flight from Lincoln to St. Louis had a high-pressure hose explode, leading to a fire in the cargo area. The plane was turned around and landed at a parallel taxiway to the runway. While passengers were shaken up by the incident, a safety-related accident, incident, or threat is reported once a day in the U.S. on average. This figure is estimated to be conservative because the majority of incidents are thought to go unreported.

Helpful Links

“We are at a critical moment in the crossroads of air transportation. We see continuing decline in overall industry quality, and we are nearing complete gridlock at many crucial airports.”
(Brent Bowen, director and professor UN Omaha Aviation Institute/Department of Public Administration)

The Department of Transportation (DOT) Aviation Consumer Protection Division

The Aviation Consumer Protection Division

The Federal Aviation Administration

Air Transport Association

National Transportation Safety Board (for Aviation)