The ATSB’s latest research report focusses on aviation safety occurrences over the last ten years, identifying improvements and problems.
Every year, thousands of safety occurrences involving Australian-registered and foreign aircraft are reported to the ATSB by individuals and organisations in Australia’s aviation industry, and by the public. The vast majority are minor, but there are serious incidents and accidents. Each notification is retained in the ATSB’s databases, building up a detailed picture of Australian aviation.
The report describes what accidents and incidents have happened, how often they are happening, and what we can learn from them.
The new ATSB report, Aviation Occurrence Statistics 2003 to 2012, gives that information back to pilots, operators, regulators, and other aviation industry participants. The report describes what accidents and incidents have happened, how often they are happening, and what we can learn from them.
In 2012, there were 107 accidents, 195 serious incidents, and over 7,300 incidents reported to the ATSB involving Australian (VH– registered) aircraft, and a further 570 occurrences that involved foreign-registered aircraft operating within Australia or its airspace. A new addition to this report is data on 274 occurrences involving recreational (non–VH) aircraft safety.
These statistics provide an important reminder to everyone involved in the operation of aircraft that accidents, incidents, and injuries happen more often than is widely believed. Some of the most frequent accident types are preventable, particularly in general aviation.