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chintonmd
08-31-2011, 05:49 AM
On page 9 of the July 2011 issue of Sport Aviation, Sean Elliot stated, "The experimental aircraft fatal accident rate has been tracking,on average, five to eight fewer accidents per month than in 2010."

Surely there must be an error. Would someone, perhaps Sean, care to address this?

Chuck Hinton

steveinindy
08-31-2011, 11:18 AM
It might be due to fewer people flying. Let me do some checking and I will report back.

Hal Bryan
09-01-2011, 04:16 PM
Good catch, Chuck. I just caught up with Sean, and it looks like you spotted an editorial miscue. It should have said, in effect, that the rate was on track for there to be five to eight fewer fatal accidents total for the year.

Here's the chart he was working from at the time:

416

rwanttaja
09-01-2011, 06:11 PM
Thanks, Hal... five to eight fewer per month definitely didn't sound right, considering that there are generally ~225 homebuilt accidents a year, and only 25% are fatal.

Interesting to see the breakout between Exp-AB and the OTHER experimental aircraft...which, too often, are counted as "homebuilts."

Stopped by your office yesterday but apparently missed you....

Ron Wanttaja

Hal Bryan
09-02-2011, 06:51 AM
Sorry I missed you, Ron - Hope to say hello next time!

chintonmd
09-02-2011, 10:04 AM
Thanks Hal. I'm sure there must be some stats on those accidents, i.e., initial flight testing, low level aerobatics, mechanical failure etc.