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Fatalities from accidents of U.S. business jets worldwide remained unchanged in the first nine months compared to the same period in 2017, according to statistics researched by AIN. However, fatalities declined from accidents involving non-U.S.-registered business jets and turboprops worldwide year-over-year. (Figures do not include intentional crashes, such as the August 13 event involving a Cessna CitationJet.)
Three people died in two U.S.-registered business jet crashes in the first three quarters: an April 15 accident of a CitationJet that hit terrain near Crozet, Virginia, in night IMC, killing the private pilot; and a September 27 overrun crash of a Dassault Falcon 50 landing at Greenville Downtown Airport, South Carolina, that killed the two pilots and critically injured the two passengers.
Three crashes of non-U.S.-registered business jets took the lives of 12 in the first nine months, four fewer fatalities than a year ago. Eleven of the fatalities this year occurred in the March 11 crash of a privately operated Turkish-registered Bombardier Challenger 604.
Fatalities from N-numbered business turboprops declined by half in the first nine months versus last year—eight people died in four accidents this year, compared with 17 people in eight accidents in 2017. Non-U.S. registered turboprops also bettered their fatality statistics—in the first three quarters, 19 people perished in five accidents versus 30 fatalities in seven crashes last year.
Fatalities in accidents of U.S. business jets worldwide did not improve in the first nine months of this year compared to the same period in 2017, according to statistics researched by AIN. However, fatalities significantly declined from accidents involving non-U.S.-registered business jets as well as U.S.- and non-U.S.-registered business turboprops worldwide year over year.
Three people died in two crashes involving U.S.-registered business jets in the first three quarters in each of the two comparable periods. The first fatal accident this year occurred on April 15 when a Cessna Citation 525 hit terrain near Crozet, Virginia, on a personal flight. The private pilot was killed. The NTSB said no flight plan was filed. Night IMC prevailed.
The second fatal accident in the initial nine months of this year took place on September 27 when a Dassault Falcon 50 landing in day VMC at Greenville Downtown Airport, North Carolina, overran Runway 19 and broke apart behind the flight deck (see article on page XX). The two pilots died and the two passengers were seriously injured. According to the NTSB’s preliminary report, the left-seat pilot held an ATP certificate with a type rating for the Falcon 50 but with a limitation for second-in-command only. The right-seat pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multiengine land. He did not hold an instrument rating.
Though not included in the statistics, on April 2 a Cessna 150 on takeoff at Marion Municipal Airport Indiana, hit a Cessna Citation rolling out on an intersecting runway and then crashed into the ground. The two people aboard the single-engine piston airplane were killed. But because there were no injuries to the five people aboard the jet, this accident is listed in the business jet statistics table under the nonfatal category.
Three crashes of non-U.S.-registered business jets took the lives of 16 people in the first nine months of 2017 versus 12 people who died in two crashes in the period this year. Of those 12 fatalities this year, 11 occurred in the March 11 crash of a privately operated Turkish-registered Bombardier Challenger 604. After reaching cruising altitude, the twinjet suddenly entered a pronounced descent. The crew requested permission to descend because of a technical problem.
The aircraft then crashed in mountainous terrain. Weather conditions at the accident site included thunderstorms, heavy winds, and rain.
Notably, despite the usual increase in flight activity during the summer months, there were no reported accidents of U.S. jets or turboprops in the month of August.
T-Prop Accidents and Fatalities Decline
Fatalities involving N-numbered business turboprops declined by half in the first nine months compared to the period last year: eight people died in four accidents this year versus 17 people in eight accidents in 2017.
Three of the four fatal turboprop accidents occurred within a nine-day period in February. On February 18, the pilot and passenger on a personal flight in a Socata TBM 700 single turboprop died when the airplane crashed in IMC while on an IFR approach. Four days later, on February 22, the pilot and the two passengers on a Part 91 business flight were fatally injured when their Cessna Conquest went out of control and crashed shortly after takeoff in night IMC.
The pilot and passenger on a personal flight were killed when their Quest Aircraft Kodiak 100 crashed in night VMC while maneuvering to land on February 27. On September 25, the pilot was killed in the crash of a Beechcraft King Air 200 after the twin turboprop was cleared for a GPS approach in IMC. The aircraft was on a positioning flight.
Non-U.S.-registered turboprops also bettered their fatality statistics. In the first three-quarters of this year, 19 people perished in five accidents versus 30 fatalities in seven crashes last year.
Statistics reported by AIN do not include intentional crashes, such as the August 13 event when a 47-year-old corporate pilot committed suicide by crashing the Cessna CitationJet he flew for a construction company into his home in Payson, Utah, approximately seven hours after his arrest and booking on domestic assault charges.