Factors associated with pilot fatalities in work-related aircraft crashes — Alaska, 1990-1999

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, April 26, 2002

The findings in this report are subject to at least one limitation. Information about use of shoulder harnesses was missing for a substantial proportion of fatal crashes, which might have resulted in bias for this variable. Crashes for which information on shoulder-harness use is missing might have been more severe. In very severe crashes, especially those with an ensuing fire, evidence of harness use might have been destroyed.

On a trial basis, FAA is installing improved avionics in commercial aircraft and providing weather observation, data link communications, surveillance, and flight information services to equipped aircraft through the Capstone program (9). More detailed analyses of crash data to determine other potential risk factors, collaborations with aircraft operators to aid in the implementation of interventions, and evaluation of new technologies such as ground-proximity warning systems also will be conducted.

TABLE 1.

Number * of work-related aircraft crash injuries and fatalities, by risk
factors -- Alaska 1990-1999

Risk Factor                          Fatal    Nonfatal ss   OR n

Fire

 Yes                                   28          15      13.8   
 No                                    77         552       1.0
 Unknown                                3           0

Shoulder restraint

 Yes                                   52         468       0.5   
 No                                    19          77       1.0
 Unknown                               36          22

Weather

 IMC ss ss                             37          45       6.5   
 VMC n n                               66         522       1.0
 Unknown                                5           0

Light conditions

 Daylight                              84         490       1.8   
 Darkness                              23          77       1.0
 Unknown                                1           0

Off airport

 Yes                                   27         218       1.9   
 No                                    81         349       1.0

State

 Non-Alaska                            20          67       1.7
 Alaska                                88         495       1.0
 Unknown                                0           5

Flight experience

 <4,350 hours                          47         284       0.8
 [less than or equal to]4,350 hours    60         277       1.0
 Unknown                                1           6

Aircraft type

 Helicopter                             9          60       0.8
 Plane                                 99         507       1.0

Risk Factor                          95% CI **

Fire

 Yes                                 (6.8-26.2)
 No
 Unknown

Shoulder restraint

 Yes                                 (0.2- 0.8)
 No
 Unknown

Weather

 IMC ss ss                           (3.9-10.8)
 VMC n n
 Unknown

Light conditions

 Daylight                            (1.0- 2.9)
 Darkness
 Unknown

Off airport

 Yes                                 (1.2- 3.0)
 No

State

 Non-Alaska                          (1.0- 3.1)
 Alaska
 Unknown

Flight experience

 <4,350 hours                        (0.5- 1.2)
 [less than or equal to]4,350 hours
 Unknown

Aircraft type

 Helicopter                          (0.4- 1.7)
 Plane

* Numbers vary because of missing data.

  Number=108.

ss Number=567.

n Odds ratio.

** Confidence interval.

   p <0.05.

ss ss Instrument meteorological conditions.

n n Visual meteorological conditions.