General Aviation Safety on NTSB Most Wanted List

Earl Weener, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board (“NTSB”), recently released a video concerning the need for improvement in safety of general aviation (”GA”). GA, in basic terms, is any flight that is not military, airlines or charter.

Mr. Weiner points out that in recent years safety has been on an upward trend in commercial flights. In contrast, GA safety has remained flat. Even worse, crashes involving personal flights are up 24%, largely due to inadequate training, inexperience and inadequate maintenance. Unfortunately, all too often, these failed flights take the lives, not just of the pilots, but also of the family members and friends aboard.

Each year, the NTSB publishes its most wanted list. Improved safety in GA has been on the list for two consecutive years – so far, to no avail. As Mr. Weener emphasizes, it will take the concerted effort of everyone involved in general aviation to bring these accident rates down. Please, be safe out there.