For many people, flying on an airplane invokes feelings of anxiety and fear. Whether it’s turbulence, the unfamiliar noises of the aircraft, or simply being thousands of feet in the air, flying can be a stressful experience for some. However, just how scary is it to fly on a commercial airliner? Let’s take a close look at the facts and statistics around aviation safety to find out.
How common are airplane accidents?
First, it’s important to understand how rare major airplane accidents actually are. While even a single accident is obviously devastating, commercial aviation is remarkably safe considering the enormous number of flights every day. According to statistics from the Aviation Safety Network:
- In 2021 there were a total of 19 fatal airliner accidents worldwide, resulting in 393 fatalities. This was below the 10-year average of 20 fatal accidents per year.
- With approximately 38 million flights in 2021, the year saw 1 fatal accident per 2 million flights.
- The fatal accident rate has decreased significantly over the decades. In the early 1970s, there were over 30 fatal accidents per year. In the 1990s, the average was around 20 per year.
So while plane accidents still occur, they have become exceedingly rare events. Any given flight has an extremely small chance of being involved in an accident based on modern aviation safety records.
What causes most airplane accidents?
When accidents do rarely occur, what causes them? Looking deeper into aviation statistics:
- Pilot error accounts for 50-80% of all plane crashes. Loss of control often plays a role.
- Mechanical failure causes 15-20% of crashes. Engine failure is the most common critical mechanical issue.
- Weather such as turbulence, icing, wind shear, and lightning account for 10-15% of accidents.
- Sabotage and other external causes are responsible for under 5% of crashes.
So while the idea of mechanical failure can be scary, the vast majority of accidents involve human error in some capacity. And even mechanical issues are minimized through intensive maintenance programs and engine redundancies on large jets.
How safe is the aircraft itself?
Commercial jets are engineered to be remarkably resilient to many potential issues:
- Modern aircraft use redundant systems so there is a backup if a component fails.
- Engines go through thousands of hours of testing to ensure reliability.
- Materials used in aircraft construction must meet stringent strength and fatigue standards.
- Passenger jets have multiple pressurization systems to maintain safe cabin air pressure.
- Lightning strike protection and collision avoidance systems help reduce potential weather and traffic issues.
And in the very rare event of an emergency, all commercial jets are designed with multiple safety features to aid in evacuating passengers quickly and safely if needed.
How has airline safety improved over time?
It’s clear that statistics show flying to be very safe, but what’s behind these improving safety records over the decades? There are a few key factors:
- Better pilot training – Pilots today train for hundreds of hours in simulators practicing challenging emergency scenarios.
- Improved air traffic control – More precise air traffic management has reduced accidents due to collisions and errors.
- Advances in aviation technology – Things like computerized controls, GPS navigation, and enhanced engine reliability continue to evolve.
- Implementation of safety systems – Collision avoidance systems, terrain awareness and wind shear detection helps avoid potential issues.
- Lessons learned from past accidents – Comprehensive accident investigations lead to new safety procedures and training.
The global aviation industry has put immense focus on continuously improving safety, leading to the excellent safety record we see today.
Turbulence is common but manageable
One of the most anxiety-provoking parts of flying for many people is turbulence. While it may be bumpy, turbulence very rarely causes crashes. Aircraft are built to withstand far more turbulence than you would experience in ordinary conditions. And pilots are trained on how to minimize discomfort and avoid turbulence as much as possible.
There are a few things to keep in mind to stay calm during periods of turbulence:
- Turbulence is normal and happens frequently, usually caused by things like weather fronts or temperature changes.
- Brief turbulence may be alarming, but it’s not dangerous or a sign of a safety issue.
- Keep your seatbelt securely fastened whenever seated to avoid injury.
- Listen to announcements from the pilots and flight attendants, who are trained for this.
- Avoid moving around the cabin to minimize risk of falls and injury.
- Remember that the pilots’ top priority is safety, and they’re highly trained for these conditions.
Aircraft maintenance is highly regulated
What about maintenance issues? Can you really trust that essential work is being done properly on the aircraft? Aviation maintenance follows extremely strict procedures and standards. Some key points:
- Mechanics must be licensed and are held to rigorous training standards.
- Documentation on all work must be completed and archived.
- Mandatory maintenance schedules are set by the manufacturer and FAA.
- Surprise inspections can happen anytime by regulators.
- Mechanics use digital tools to reduce errors.
- Post-maintenance test flights check that all systems work correctly.
So while maintenance errors do occasionally happen, the system has many safeguards in place to catch any issues.
Key US commercial airline safety records
Looking at the safety records of major US airlines shows the excellence achieved today in commercial aviation. Here are a few standout statistics:
| Airline | Last Fatal Accident |
|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | November 27, 1991 |
| United Airlines | July 19, 1989 |
| American Airlines | November 12, 2001 |
| Southwest Airlines | Never had a fatal accident |
| Alaska Airlines | January 31, 2000 |
Most major US airlines have not had a single passenger fatality in over 20 years or more. Southwest Airlines in particular has never had a fatal crash in its 50+ year history. This is an extraordinary safety achievement given the hundreds of thousands of flights these airlines operate.
How do airplane accident rates compare to cars?
Air travel becomes even safer when compared to the accident rate of other modes of transportation. Driving a car is actually far riskier than flying in a commercial airplane. Some comparisons:
- There were over 38,000 motor vehicle deaths in the US in 2020, compared to 0 commercial airline deaths.
- Per billion miles traveled, airlines averaged 0.2 deaths while cars averaged 11.2 deaths.
- On average, a person could fly every day for 123,000 years before being in a fatal crash.
- You’re over 1,000 times more likely to die in a car accident than a plane crash.
Statistics clearly show air travel as one of the safest ways to travel over long distances. The risks involved are extremely small compared to our everyday lives.
Conclusion
While flying can trigger unease in many people, the facts show commercial air travel as one of the safest forms of transport when looking closely at aviation accident statistics. Safety systems, pilot training, aircraft technology and stringent maintenance programs have made air travel remarkably reliable.
Turbulence can be disconcerting, but is harmless in the vast majority of cases. Mechanical failures do occasionally occur, but critical aircraft systems have backups and redundancies. And human errors have been greatly reduced through simulator training and an overall focus on safety culture.
The global airline industry’s outstanding safety record is the result of decades of learning, technology improvements and robust safety management programs. While anytime humans are operating complex machines there are some risks, commercial aviation has achieved an astonishing level of reliability through extensive efforts and focus.
So next time you buckle your seatbelt at 35,000 feet to the slight hum of the engines, you can rest assured that you’re in very good hands. The facts show that soaring miles above the clouds is an extraordinarily safe way to travel to your destination. Pretty soon you may even start to relax and enjoy those window views and free pretzels!