Small plane crashes make up majority of aviation fatalities

Posted: Sep 23, 2019 / 03:55 PM EDT

Updated: Sep 23, 2019 / 05:13 PM EDT

TAMPA (WFLA)- A small plane carrying two people crashed in a wooded area in Mulberry on Monday, according to the Polk County Fire Rescue. 8 On Your Side is looking into just how common single-engine aircraft are involved in crashes.

Numbers from the National Transportation Safety Board show that 97 percent of aviation fatalities occur in general aviation, instead of commercial flights.

Data from the NTSB shows that general aviation airplanes have nearly seven accidents per 100,000 flight hours— that’s compared to commercial airlines, which have an average of 0.16 accidents per 100,000 hours.

There were 7,502 general aviation accidents across the country between 2008 and 2012.

In 2009, the FAA announced a goal to reduce the general aviation fatal accident rate among the more than 220,000 active aircraft in the country by 10 percent over a 10-year period.

While the fatal accident rate is declining, in 2017 alone, 347 people still died in 209 general aviation fatal accidents.

In-flight loss of control – including stalls – accounts for the largest number of general aviation fatal accidents.