Although aviation accidents in the United States are uncommon, they can still have disastrous outcomes. It is essential to comprehend the many reasons behind these mishaps in order to enhance safety protocols and avert similar ones in the future. However, the process of compensation and holding the at-fault parties accountable can be complex in an aviation accident since multiple parties are involved. This is why getting the help of experienced aviation accident lawyers who can guide you seamlessly through your legal rights and get you the financial compensation that you deserve is crucial.
In this article, we shall look briefly into the contributing factors behind aviation accidents and try to understand the risks involved in getting into an aircraft.
What Are Aviation Accidents?
Let’s first define certain terms before delving too deeply into the reasons behind aviation injuries. Plane crashes are not the only “aviation accidents” that occur. Other aircraft, such gliders, ultralights, and helicopters, are included in this category. Accidents involving aircraft are not always related to aircraft crashes. Sometimes travelers encounter health problems while in flight, fall when boarding an aircraft, or get injured during turbulence.
Aviation Crash Statistics
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the United States keeps tabs on aircraft accident data and looks into aviation mishaps. Commercial scheduled airlines flew 42% fewer miles in 2020 than they did in 2019, due to the advent of covid 19. Although miles flown in 2022 rose 56% from 2020 lows, they were still less than in 2019. Preliminary estimates of the total number of accidents involving a civilian aircraft registered in the United States increased from 1,220 in 2021 to 1,277 in 2022, reflecting this rise in kilometers flown. There were 358 fatalities in civil aviation in 2022 compared to 373 in 2021.
How Do Plane Crashes Occur?
Accidents in aviation can have a variety of causes. It frequently requires extensive study and analysis to determine the reason of an aircraft crash in order to comprehend what transpired. Transcripts of air traffic control can be collected, flight track data can be recovered, and occasionally aircraft record data during flight that can be recovered following an accident. Some of the most common type of errors that can cause plane crashes and alleviate the risks of flying are listed below.
Human Mistakes
Pilot error is the number one reason behind aviation accidents. Pilots need to have incredible hand-eye coordination skills, technical knowledge of the aircraft, and the ability to make decisions on their feet. If the pilot poorly plans the flight path, runs into extreme weather, or does not expect trouble, plane crashes can happen. Also, disorientation of the pilot, mainly when flying in clouds, can cause stalling or spinning, leading to a crash.
Negligence of Air Traffic Controllers
The air traffic controllers’ direct flights through crowded airspace and assist in maintaining aircraft separation. Pilots and controllers communicate by means of flight headings and altitude requirements for aircraft. Collisions may happen if a controller provides erroneous information to a pilot or neglects to maintain flying separation.
Inappropriate Aircraft Maintenance
There are several rules and regulations, checklists, standard operating procedures, and inspection guidelines to be followed strictly. Failure to do so can result in aircraft accidents.
Landing Indicators
When the runway isn’t visible to the pilots due to heavy cloud cover, the Instrument Landing System (ILS) or GPS approach provides a glide slope path for safe landing. In case, this instrument gets defective, it can cause collisions with ground obstacles or terrain.
Why To Hire Aviation Accident Lawyers
From aiding in crash investigations to holding the concerned parties liable and helping you get just compensation by filing a lawsuit, aviation accident lawyers make your life easy by taking on all the burden to look after the investigation and hopefully obtain a financial recovery.
