There were marginally fewer fatal airline accidents last year than in 1998, and far fewer fatalities, according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) analysis of preliminary information.
Among aircraft over 2,250kg (5,000lb) maximum take-off weight, ICAO recorded 20 scheduled air carrier fatal accidents in 1999 compared with the same number the previous year, but there were only 492 passenger fatalities (905 in 1998). The number of passenger fatalities per 100 million passenger km decreased from 0.035 in 1998 to 0.02 in 1999.
The figures for non-scheduled services flown by the same aircraft show 24 fatal accidents for passenger carrying aircraft, six of which involved cargo services carrying passengers as well. There was a 1999 total of 142 passenger fatalities on non-scheduled flights compared with 210 in 1998.
ICAO says six incidents of unlawful interference with flights were reported, in which two people were killed and two injured. In 1998 there were nine such incidents involving one injury.
Source: Flight International
