In the first nine months of this year, accidents involving both U.S.- and non-U.S.-registered business jets increased from those recorded in the same period last year.
According to figures compiled by AIN, the total number of nonfatal U.S.-registered business jet mishaps increased slightly–from 21 in the first three quarters of last year to 23 in the same period this year. In addition, fatal accidents involving U.S.-registered business jets climbed from one event in the first three quarters of last year to four this year, and fatalities jumped from four last year to 17 this year. All of the fatal accidents in both nine-month periods befell Part 91 operations.
Total accidents involving non-U.S.-registered business jets also increased over the comparable periods–from three last year to five this year. Two people were killed in a single fatal accident this year involving a privately operated non-U.S.-registered corporate jet, compared with 68 fatalities in five accidents in the same period last year.
Meanwhile, U.S.-registered business turboprops experienced a drop in nonfatal and fatal accidents in the first nine months versus the same period last year, with the number of fatalities falling by half–to eight this year from 16 in the first three quarters of last year. All three fatal accidents this year befell Part 91 operations, while last year five of the seven fatal accidents involved aircraft operating under Part 91. The other two were operating under Part 135.