Fatal accidents involving general aviation (GA) aircraft in France, as well as the number of fatalities, dropped significantly last year compared to 2015. According to the recently issued annual report from the country’s safety investigation agency, the 2016 figures are the lowest in more than a decade.
Last year, 37 people died in 30 crashes of GA airplanes, microlights and helicopters, compared with 64 deaths in 46 accidents in 2015. The number of fatal general aviation accidents involving only fixed-wing, non-microlight aircraft in 2016 was “relatively stable compared to the previous three years,” the report said. “On the other hand, while the number of fatalities was comparable to 2015, it was sharply lower than in 2013 and 2014.” There were 11 fatal accidents in such fixed-wing GA aircraft last year versus 10 in 2015, 14 in 2014 and 13 in 2013.
Apart from 2012, which was “exceptional” (when seven people died in five crashes), the number of fatalities in airplanes in 2016 was the lowest observed over the past 10 years. There were 10 such fatalities last year versus 17 in 2015, 22 in 2014 and 31 in 2013. Five of the 11 fatal accidents in 2016 were linked to continuing VFR in IMC. Four crashes were due to loss of control on takeoff (two cases), one on a go-around and one involving low-levelflying.