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Aviation Safety ReportsCompiled by Air Safety OnlineA report by Air Safety Online looked into the largest U.S. commercial airlines, charter airlines, and commuter and metro feeder carriers in order to provide airline passengers with a better understanding of air safety, including FAA regulatory violations and fines and the number of FAA and NTSB incidents and accidents. Following is a brief description of the safety records. AirTran Airways received an F rating for safety. Once under ValuJet the airlines was rated by the FAA for being 13 times less safe than other lower cost U.S. airplanes. A high number of AirTran’s DC-9 jetliners have been involved in a large amount of serious aircraft accidents, leading their day to day safety operations to be in question. Since 1985 AirTran Airways has had 110 fatalities, 21 FAA incidents, 7 NTSB incidents, and 39 FAA violations/fines in 1997-2000. After the plane crash of one of their airplanes Alaska Airlines was involved in a special FAA audit and had been presented with a criminal indictment. An Alaska Airline mechanic went public, claiming the airline management had covered up safety issues at maintenance facilities. Sixty-five Alaska Airline mechanics signed a letter directed to the FAA that accused San Francisco maintenance facility official of signing off on incomplete and improper repairs. Since 1985 Alaska Airlines has had 88 fatalities, 79 FAA incidents, 9 NTSB incidents, and 84 FAA violations/fines in 1997-2000. The reviews on Aloha Airlines concluded that there were no negative associations or tied to the airline. Since 1985 Aloha Airlines has had 1 fatality, 18 FAA incidents, 1 NTSB incident, and 15 FAA violations/fines in 1997-2000. According to a recent article in U.S. News & World Report America West Airlines has been under the close watch of the FAA for questionable maintenance practices for months and it is speculated that an FAA shutdown may be in the future. Since 1985 America West Airlines has had no fatalities, 119 FAA incidents, 25 NTSB incidents, and 68 FAA violations/fines in 1997-2000. American Airlines’ pilot training program is under watch due to the number of plane crashes that have been attributed to pilot errors over the last 15 years. Since 1985 American Airlines has had 270 fatalities, 741 FAA incidents, 158 NTSB incidents, and 505 FAA violations/fines in 1997-2000, making it the U.S. leader in FAA violations and fines. The safety analysis of American Trans Air is a positive one. The airline has recently ordered new jetliners, which has been shown to marginally reduce and airline’s accident rate when new aircrafts replace older models. American Trans Air has never had a fatal accident in their 28 years of operation, and since 1985 had 73 FAA incidents, 13 NTSB incidents, and 39 FAA violations/fines in 1997-2000.
Atlantic Southeast Airlines is a subsidiary of Delta Airlines, an above average safety analysis airlines. Atlantic Southeast Airlines has had engine maintenance problems in the past. Since 1985 Atlantic Southeast Airlines has had 33 fatalities, 58 FAA incidents, 20 NTSB incidents, and 24 FAA violations/fines in 1997-2000. Casino Express is not associated to any negative safety analysis ratings, though the airlines have not had an extensive flight record. Since 1985 there have been no fatal accidents, 1 FAA incident, and 1 NTSB incident. After Continental Airlines bankruptcy in the mid- 1990’s they have gotten better in terms of their safety measures. Since 1985 Continental Airlines has had 50 fatalities, 725 FAA incidents, 95 NTSB incidents, and 145 FAA violations/fines in 1997-2000. Delta’s subsidiaries Comair and Atlantic Southeast Airlines have been the most involved in the major accidents. Since 1985 Delta Airlines has had 213 fatalities, 951 FAA incidents, 269 NTSB incidents, and 430 FAA violations and/or fines in the years of 1997-2000, a higher FAA violation/fine rate that American Airlines, who has the highest number of FAA violations and fines. Although there is not much information on Executive Airlines’ safety record, Air Safety Online found it is speculated that their 2000 crash was due to pilot fatigue, which points to their Executive’s pilot training program. At the date of the safety analysis there had not yet been a final report released on the plane crash from the NTSB. Since 1985 Executive Airlines has had 19 fatalities, 31 FAA incidents, 13 NTSB incidents, and 21 FAA violations/fines in 1997-2000. Frontier Airlines received a positive safety analysis based on their past records. Since 1985 Frontier Airlines has not had any fatalities, 23 FAA incidents, 4 NTSB incidents, and 22 FAA violations/fines in 1997-2000. Hawaiian Airlines has not had any fatal accidents and only 47 FAA incidents since 1985, 41 NTSB incidents, and 31 FAA violations/fines in 1997-2000.
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Propeller Blade January 12, 2002, a Hamilton Sundstrand 568E propeller blade separated adjacent to the propeller hub on the right engine of an Anions de Transport Regional airplane. Shortly after takeoff the pilots felt high vibrations in the airplane as the right engine’s low oil pressure warning light illuminated. The fuel lever jammed when the pilots tried to show down the engine and they had to emergency land, leaving minor damage to the airplane. In-Flight Fires November 29, 2000, an American Airlines operated DC-9-82 was struck by lightning and had an in-flight fire that forced an emergency landing and evacuation, leaving minor damages Omission in Pilot Training November 12, 2001, an American Airlines flight was destroyed after crashing into a residential area following takeoff. Prior to the impact, the vertical stabilizer and rudder separated from the fuselage, leaving the 2 pilots, 7 flight attendants, 251 passengers, and 5 people on the ground dead. |
