Datanomics: Pilot error identified as top cause for air accidents

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has released its preliminary report on Saturday on the Air India 171 crash, stating that the engine fuel switches appeared to have been  “cut off” seconds after the flight took off.  However, it remains unclear whether the pilots themselves cut off the engine switches.  Hence, it is too early to conclude whether pilot error was responsible for the accident. However,  pilot error did emerge as a major cause of air crashes between 2014 and 2025, according to AAIB’s investigations.  

 

Another perspective comes from a 2024 survey by the Safety Matters Foundation, which found rising levels of fatigue among pilots. The survey, conducted among 530 pilots, cited roster instability and long flying hours as major contributors to this fatigue.

 

Between 2012 and 2025, the AAIB investigated 99 air accidents, 13 of which involved commercial airlines. Of these, pilot error was identified as the cause in 8 cases, mechanical failure in two accidents, wildlife intrusion in two crashes, and crew mismanagement in one incident.

 

In the eight cases attributed to pilot error, the average flying hours of the pilot in command (PIC) and the co-pilot were 8,861 and 2,121 hours, respectively. In the other cases, the averages were 8,285 hours for the PIC and 4,920 hours for the co-pilot. 

  Between 2014 and 2022, five accidents involved SpiceJet, three each involved Air India Express and Jet Airways, and two involved Air India. Notably, in the last five cases between 2017 and 2022, pilots were held responsible for the accidents in AAIB reports.