A Van’s RV-4 Experimental Amateur-Built aircraft. Photo by Richard Thornton/Shutterstock
The FAA recently unveiled its most recent figures for fatal accidents in the Experimental Category aircraft, which encompasses amateur-built aircraft (E-AB), and the findings are quite promising. However, there are certain intricate circumstances at play. The FAA utilizes fatal accident numbers as a benchmark to gauge the safety of the Experimental segment, and although these figures may not necessarily be a perfect reflection of overall safety, a sustained downward trend is a significant development, and that’s precisely what the FAA is observing.
The number of fatal accidents, as stated by the EAA in a press release, dropped to 44, with 32 occurring in amateur-built aircraft. Sean Elliott, the EAA’s Vice President of Advocacy and Outreach, termed it “outstanding news,” but emphasized the need for continuous improvement, as the FAA continues to reduce what it refers to as the “not-to-exceed” numbers.
The EAA also pointed to the long-term improvement in the number of fatal Experimental accidents, highlighting that for the 2011 Fiscal Year, there were 73 fatalities, with 51 of those in E-AB. Elliott also noted that the decline in Experimental Category fatal accidents “mirrors and, in some cases, even exceeds the decrease in overall general aviation fatal accidents over the past decade.”
While the numbers seem encouraging, the 2020 Fiscal Year witnessed a substantial decrease in the number of hours flown in private aviation, of which the Experimental Category is a part. Some estimates suggest that flight hours have declined by around 30 percent since the pandemic restrictions came into effect in March 2020. Consequently, roughly half of the fiscal year saw accidents declining along with the decline in flight hours. Just how this impacts the validity of the numbers is difficult to ascertain – the FAA’s not-to-exceed numbers did not change in tandem with the reduction in flight hours.
And it’s hard to accurately determine what any single year’s accident figures truly represent, although longer-term trends seem more reliable. Regardless, the focus on safety must remain unwavering.
“Although we are seeing already quite low numbers, the continuous emphasis on safety for all of us cannot be overstated,” said Elliott. “This is a trend that must continue as we strive for ever-higher levels of safety. We must focus on training, safety enhancements, and excellent pilot skills to complement the ever-improving technology in today’s aircraft cockpits.”
