NTSB/ARC-04/01 Aircraft Accidentdata Annual Reviewof 7502A Safety Board Transportation National Washington, D.C
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U.S. Air Carrier Operations Calendar Year 2000 Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data NTSB/ARC-04/01 PB2004-106609 Notation 7502A National Transportation Safety Board Washington, D.C. Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data U.S. Air Carrier Operations Calendar Year 2000 NTSB/ARC-04/01 PB2004-106609 National Transportation Safety Board Notation 7502A 490 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W. Adopted June 17, 2004 Washington, D.C. 20594 National Transportation Safety Board. 2004. U.S. Air Carrier Operations, Calendar Year 2000. Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data NTSB/ARC-04/01. Washington, D.C. Abstract: The National Transportation Safety Board’s Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data: U.S. Air Carrier Operations is a statistical review of U.S. commercial aviation accidents that occurred in calendar year 2000. In addition to accident statistics, the review provides general economic and aviation industry indicators that may have influenced aircraft activity during the year. Accident data for the 9 years preceding calendar year 2000 provide an historical context. The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent Federal agency dedicated to promoting aviation, railroad, high- way, marine, pipeline, and hazardous materials safety. Established in 1967, the agency is mandated by Congress through the Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 to investigate transportation accidents, determine the probable causes of the accidents, issue safety recommendations, study transportation safety issues, and evaluate the safety effectiveness of government agencies involved in transportation. The Safety Board makes public its actions and decisions through accident reports, safety studies, special investigation reports, safety recommendations, and statistical reviews. Recent publications are available in their entirety on the Web at <http://www.ntsb.gov>. Other information about available publications also may be obtained from the Web site or by contacting: National Transportation Safety Board Public Inquiries Section, RE-51 490 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20594 (800) 877-6799 or (202) 314-6551 Safety Board publications may be purchased, by individual copy or by subscription, from the National Technical Information Service. To purchase this publication, order report number PB2004-106609 from: National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, Virginia 22161 (800) 553-6847 or (703) 605-6000 The Independent Safety Board Act, as codified at 49 U.S.C. Section 1154(b), precludes the admission into evidence or use of Board reports related to an incident or accident in a civil action for damages resulting from a matter mentioned in the report. C ONTENTS ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Introduction.........................................................................................................1 Purpose of the Annual Review .......................................................................1 Which Aircraft Are Included in this Review? ...................................................1 Which Aircraft Are Not Included in this Review? ............................................3 Organization of the Annual Review ...............................................................3 The Safety Board’s Investigative Process ........................................................4 The Safety Board’s Aviation Accident/Incident Database ...............................4 Historical Trends and Current Accident Data .......................................8 Aircraft Flight Activity ....................................................................................8 United States Commercial Aircraft Accidents, 1991 - 2000 ......................10 Part 121 Operations: 10-Year Summary ..............................................14 Safety Board’s Severity Classfication of Part 121 Accidents ..........................14 Defintions of Safety Board Severity Classifications for Part 121 Accidents ........14 Part 121 Accidents by Severity Classification ..............................................15 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Probable Causes, Factors, and the Broad Cause/Factor Classification ........20 Scheduled Part 135 Operations: 10-Year Summary ........................21 Safety Board Severity Classification of Scheduled Part 135 Accidents ............21 Definitions of Highest Level of Injury ...........................................................21 Definitions of Level of Aircraft Damage........................................................21 Scheduled Part 135 Accidents by Severity Classification .............................21 Probable Causes, Factors, and the Broad Cause/Factor Classification .......24 On-Demand Part 135 Operations: 10-Year Summary ....................25 Safety Board Severity Classification of On-Demand Part 135 Accidents ......25 On-Demand Part 135 Accidents by Severity Classification ..........................25 Probable Causes, Factors, and the Broad Cause/Factor Classification ........28 Focus on 2000 .................................................................................................29 General United States Social, Economic, and Aviation Indicators .................29 Part 121 Accidents in 2000 .......................................................................33 Part 135 Accidents in 2000 .............................................................................41 Detailed Analysis of Scheduled Part 135 Accidents for 2000 ......................44 Detailed Analysis of On-Demand Part 135 Accidents for 2000 ..................47 Appendixes A: National Transportation Safety Board Regional Offices ..........................53 B: 2000 Part 121 Accidents ......................................................................54 C: 2000 Scheduled Part 135 Accidents ..........................................................60 D: 2000 On-Demand Part 135 Accidents ..................................................62 iii 1 I I ANNUAL REVIEW OF AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT DATA REVIEW OF AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT DATA ANNUAL ANNUAL NTRODUCTION NTRODUCTION ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ INTRODUCTION PURPOSE OF THE ANNUAL REVIEW The National Transportation Safety Board’s Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data: U.S. Air Carrier Operations is a statistical review of U.S. commercial aviation accidents that occurred in calendar year 2000. In addition to accident statistics, the review provides general economic and aviation industry indicators that may have influenced aircraft activity during the year. Accident data for the 9 years preceding calendar year 2000 provide an historical context. WHICH AIRCRAFT ARE INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW? This review covers accidents involving aircraft operated by U.S. air carriers under Title 14,1 Parts 121 and 135, of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Air carriers are generally defined as operators that fly aircraft in revenue service. Part 121 operations must adhere to specific requirements that address routes, airports, aircraft maintenance, and crew performance. These requirements limit Part 121 operations to controlled airspace and to controlled airports that are characterized by specific weather, navigational, operational, and maintenance support. Part 135 operations must adhere to similar requirements (with some notable differences with respect to aircraft and airport characteristics and to crew training and experience). However, Part 135 operations are allowed to service routes to smaller airports that do not have the weather, communications, and navigational capabilities required of the larger airports serving Part 121 operations. This typically means that Part 121 applies to major airlines and cargo carriers that fly large transport-category aircraft while Part 135 applies to commercial air carriers flying smaller jet and turboprop aircraft commonly referred to as commuter airlines (that is, scheduled Part 135) and air taxis (that is, on- demand Part 135). In March 1997, the regulations defining Part 121 operations changed to include scheduled aircraft with more than 10 seats. Previously, scheduled aircraft with fewer than 30 passenger seats were operated under Part 135. As a result, after 1997, most carriers that once were popularly known as “commuters” began operating as Part 121 flights. In this review, data for scheduled and on-demand Part 135 operations are presented separately to reflect their distinctly different operating characteristics. According to 14 CFR Part 119.3, a scheduled operation is defined as any Twonineteen Thousand “passenger-carrying operation for compensation or hire conducted by an air carrier or commercial operator for which the certificate holder or its representative 0909 1 Title 14 is also known as the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR). 2 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ offers in advance the departure location, departure time, and arrival location.” Scheduled Part 135 operations represent a small segment of scheduled air carrier operations and accounted for less than 2.0% of the total air carrier flight hours in 2000. By contrast, an on-demand operation is defined as any operation for compensation or hire for which the departure location, departure time, and arrival location are negotiated with the customer. Customers can arrange to charter an entire aircraft or book a single seat on an air taxi. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), about 3,000 on-demand