Runway Collision Risk Remains High
As a Florida aviation accident lawyer, I've read the statistics on airplane accidents. One fact I've learned that might surprise you is that collisions on the ground are a top cause of aviation accidents, second only to accidents caused by weather. So I was interested to see a recent report from the Associated Press saying the risk of a collision on the ground has actually gone up in the last fiscal year, according to an investigator for the federal General Accountability Office. That office's aviation expert made a report to Congress recently saying that even though runway safety is a top priority for the Federal Aviation Administration, the risk of a collision is still very high.
That number is actually a bit misleading. The actual number of runway incidents involving aircraft is exactly the same as last year's, according to the article -- but because the number of flights has dropped, the rate of incidents is up by 5%. In fact, both years represent a substantial drop from the highest rate, in 2001.
If you're not a fan of heights, it can be easy to discount the risk of a ground collision compared to the much scarier thought of an accident at 4,000 feet. But a ground collision is much more likely to be deadly. Runway collisions are not unlike car crashes, except that airplanes travel at hundreds of miles an hour before takeoff, aren't engineered to protect occupants in a crash and lack basic automotive safety measures like airbags. In fact, the article points out, the most deadly aviation disaster of all time was a ground collision in Spain in 1977, when two 747s crashed, killing 582 people.
The article also notes that human error -- mistakes by pilots and air traffic controllers -- rather than technical problems are blamed for the majority of crashes. This fits the statistics I myself have seen from the National Transportation Safety Board, which say human error is a cause in 55% of commercial aircraft crashes and a disturbing 91% of noncommercial flights (such as private planes or traffic helicopters). This is unacceptable. When someone makes a bad decision that costs you your life or health, you have a legal right to hold them responsible for the results -- financial and personal. If you or someone you love is a victim in a Florida aviation accident, you should contact Cohn, Smith & Cohn as soon as possible to discuss a legal claim.
