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Figures recently published by Canada's Transportation Safety Board (TSB) reveal that business airplanes, defined as those flown primarily by their owners, suffered eight accidents that resulted in one fatality last year versus just one accident and no fatalities in 2017. Last year was also far above the annual average of three business airplane accidents between 2013 and 2017. Business helicopter accidents climbed from zero in 2017 to two last year, but were no accidents from 2013 to 2017.
There were also no accidents in the last two years by corporate airplanes or helicopters, defined as those flown by a paid crew. This segment averaged one accident per year between 2013 and 2017.
Meanwhile, accidents involving propeller-driven air-taxi airplanes (under Canadian regulations, jets cannot be operated as an air taxi) declined from 28 in 2017 (two of which incurred fatalities) to 23 last year, including one fatal. Accidents involving airplane ambulance flights remained at one each for 2017 and 2018. Helicopter ambulance flights experienced no accidents last year compared with one in 2017.
The top-three most serious incidents reported in 2018 were associated with smoke or fire (85); risk of collision or loss of separation (133); and emergencies declared for various reasons not given in the statistics (297).
The number of business aircraft accidents in Canada increased considerably in 2018 compared to 2017, according to year-end statistics published by the country’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB). The TSB accident statistics are released on a monthly basis and include both Canada- and non-Canada-registered airplanes and helicopters.
Canada-registered business airplanes, generally defined as those flown primarily by their owners or non-paid pilots, suffered eight accidents resulting in one fatality last year versus just one accident and no fatalities in 2017. The TSB study shows the average number of business airplane accidents between 2013 and 2017 was three. Canada-registered business helicopter accidents climbed from zero in 2017 to two last year, but they averaged zero accidents from 2013 to 2017.
There were no accidents over the last two years by corporate airplanes or corporate helicopters, defined as those aircraft flown by a paid crew or career pilots. However, this segment did average one accident of a corporate airplane between 2013 and 2017.
Air-taxi Accidents Decline
The number of accidents involving piston and turboprop air-taxi airplanes combined declined from 28 in 2017 (two of which incurred fatalities) to 23 last year, including one fatal. The TSB statistics did not break down accidents by engine type, other than that the aircraft were prop-driven. Accident statistics for air-taxi helicopters were not shown. Accidents involving airplane ambulance flights remained at one mishap each for 2017 and 2018. Helicopter ambulance flights experienced no accidents last year compared to one in 2017.
From these figures it is impossible to obtain accident statistics strictly involving private or on-demand corporate jets. In Canada, jets cannot be operated as an air taxi, the rules of which come under CFAR 703. Commuter airline and corporate jets used for hire operate under CFAR 704. Privately operated business aircraft used by company employees or guests are operated under Subpart 604.
The top three most serious incidents reported in 2018 by Canada- and non-Canada-registered aircraft were associated with smoke or fire (99); risk of collision or loss of separation (141); and emergencies declared for various reasons not given in the statistics (339).