Story ID: 
ACSF Puts Part 135 Accidents Under Microscope
By: Chad Trautvetter
Caption: The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) released its updated safety review of the on-demand air charter industry yesterday.
Word Count: 769
The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) released its updated safety review of the on-demand air charter industry yesterday. The “Part 135 Incident/Accident Review” takes a comprehensive look at the factors surrounding charter incidents and accidents from 2004 to the end of last year. In conducting the study, the ACSF analyzed Part 135 on-demand incidents and accidents reported in the NTSB database and identified non-revenue flights flown under Part 91 that were under the control of a certificate holder. These maintenance, ferry, positioning and instructional flights conducted under Part 91 were not included in the review. According to the ACSF’s findings, approximately 67 percent of all revenue flight accidents, and 63 percent of non-revenue, occurred in visual meteorological conditions. It also found that revenue accident flights involving transportation to/from oil rigs represent 16 percent of all accidents on an average annual basis. “The ACSF refrains from drawing specific conclusions about these figures as the means to place them into proper context depends on an accurate reporting of flight hours in each category,” the association said. Unfortunately, “Such data is not collected by either the FAA or NTSB.” Copies of the report are being delivered to ACSF members; non-members can order a copy from the association for $30.

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