Deadly year, decade for flying, but safer than before

With the disappearance of Air Asia flight QZ8501, feared lost, 2014 has been a terrible year for commercial aviation with 1,183 deaths and high-profile crashes.

However, the deadliest year for flying this century was 2001 with 7,057 deaths, primarily due to the infamous 9/11 attacks when airliners were used as missiles by Islamist jihadists against the US.
 
That was an exceptionally deadly year, but 2005 was also deadlier than 2014, with 1,361 people perishing in airliner and other flying mishaps.

The world waits for news from QZ8501, but it is now almost certain the airliner has crashed, although what happened is a mystery and there is, as yet, no word on the wreckage. The toll of 1,183 for 2014 includes the passengers on board the Air Asia flight.

Yet, flying is generally safer than it’s ever been.


Source: PlaneCrashInfo.com

 

 

Source: PlaneCrashInfo.com

Overall, the decade from 1995 to 2004 saw more crashes and deaths than the period between 2005 and 2014.

The last decade, 2005-2014, witnessed 9,208 deaths in commercial airliner mishaps, while the previous decade saw 20,688 deaths.
 

Planes crash due to a variety of reasons, such as pilot error, although it is harder than ever in a modern jetliner with weather, mechanical issues, etc.

The following table shows the main reasons for airliner crashes.
 

Source: PlaneCrashInfo.com

 

 
Source: PlaneCrashInfo.com

The data reveal that the leading reasons for accidents are bad weather, pilot error and mechanical failure.

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