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Accident History of Intrastate Airlines
On January 18, 1972, the National Transportation Safety Board, Washington, D.C., released a report concerning 1,520 accidents, 249 of which were fatal crashes, suffered in the United States by intrastate air taxi airlines from 1964 through 1971 in which 726 persons died. A total of 14.86 billion hours were flown by all intrastate airlines.
Following is a chart of those accidents:
Accidents Fatalities
Year Total Fatal Passengers Crew Others Total
1964 169 23 39 23 0 62
1965 192 25 32 19 2 53
1966 217 25 35 25 2 62
1967 237 33 60 31 3 94
1968 179 46 59 48 4 111
1969 207 29 105 36 1 142
1970 187 37 50 41 5 96
1971 132 31 72 32 2 106
Totals 1,520 249 452 255 19 726
On January 27, 1972, the National Transportation Safety Board announced the initiation of a special safety investigation and accident prevention study of United States air taxi operations starting December 17, 1971. The purpose of the investigation, according to safety board chairman John H. Reed, was "to determine the level of safety existing in air taxi operations and to identify the safety factors involved and to publish a special report including any necessary safety recommendations."
The safety board declared that the actual size of the burgeoning air taxi segment of general aviation has never been clearly defined. Preliminary information available to the board indicated that there are some 3,200 air taxi companies of which 161 engage in scheduled, commuter-type service. This latter group, in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1971, operated nearly 700 aircraft, served 478 airports and carried more than four and one-half million passengers.
The board's preliminary schedule envisioned that the project would cover a period of six months with ". . . final report and recommendations completed by June 30, 1972."
The safety board will retrieve and analyze air taxi accident data covering a five-year period from 1966 through 1970, utilizing computer technology, with the objective of identifying poten-
tial problem areas. It will review the predominant causes of air taxi accidents, examine air taxi regulations and requirements and evaluate air taxi operations.
Growth Patterns
Only about two per cent of all the commercial air traffic in the United States is on intrastate airlines, specifically the third level aircraft. This industry's growth and financial mortality rates in the past five years far surpass those of any other carrier type. Third level operators range in fleet size from one single-engine aircraft of only two to four passenger capacity all the way up to fleets of 40 aircraft, many of which have seating capacities in the 15 to 20 passenger range. This is presently the technological limit caused by the 12,500 pound gross weight limitation applied to third level carriers.
Commuter air carriers generally operate over low traffic density routes which are not served by CAB-certified carriers. The degree of financial success enjoyed by the majority of these carriers is at best marginal. Numerous bankruptcies and mergers in the industry attest to the difficulties encountered in attempting to operate profitably.
The high failure rate in the air taxi industry is attributable to many factors. Primary among them are:
(1) A lack of managerial competence demonstrated by many air taxi operators, whose founding individuals were often men who were more influenced by the romanticism of aviation than by the hard facts of economics and management skills;
(2) The unavailability of aircraft which are capable of operating economically in the markets served by third level carriers;
(3) Inadequate capital resources to cover initial operating losses and overzealous new aircraft commitments, which in part reflect the "flying" orientation of the mangements;
(4) Over-optimism in estimates of traffic volume due to inadequate market research and lack of objectivity;
(5) Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity offer no assurance of monopoly con-
23
Object Description
| Title | Intrastate air operations in Illinois |
| Creator |
Illinois. General Assembly. Legislative Investigating Commission |
| Subject [LCSH] |
Aeronautics, Commercial--Illinois Local service airlines--Illinois |
| Date Original | 1972 |
| Language | eng |
| Geographic Coverage | United States--Illinois |
| Contributing Institution | Illinois State Library |
| Rights | Materials in this collection are made available by the Illinois State Library. To request reproductions or inquire about permissions, contact: islimg@ilsos.net. Please cite the item title and collection name. |
| Identifier | 0653360 |
| Type | Text |
| Format | Book |
| Digital Format | JPEG |
| Collection Name | Illinois State Library - General Collection |
Description
| Title | Page 23 |
| Contributing Institution | Illinois State Library |
| Rights | Materials in this collection are made available by the Illinois State Library. To request reproductions or inquire about permissions, contact: islimg@ilsos.net. Please cite the item title and collection name. |
| Transcript | Accident History of Intrastate Airlines On January 18, 1972, the National Transportation Safety Board, Washington, D.C., released a report concerning 1,520 accidents, 249 of which were fatal crashes, suffered in the United States by intrastate air taxi airlines from 1964 through 1971 in which 726 persons died. A total of 14.86 billion hours were flown by all intrastate airlines. Following is a chart of those accidents: Accidents Fatalities Year Total Fatal Passengers Crew Others Total 1964 169 23 39 23 0 62 1965 192 25 32 19 2 53 1966 217 25 35 25 2 62 1967 237 33 60 31 3 94 1968 179 46 59 48 4 111 1969 207 29 105 36 1 142 1970 187 37 50 41 5 96 1971 132 31 72 32 2 106 Totals 1,520 249 452 255 19 726 On January 27, 1972, the National Transportation Safety Board announced the initiation of a special safety investigation and accident prevention study of United States air taxi operations starting December 17, 1971. The purpose of the investigation, according to safety board chairman John H. Reed, was "to determine the level of safety existing in air taxi operations and to identify the safety factors involved and to publish a special report including any necessary safety recommendations." The safety board declared that the actual size of the burgeoning air taxi segment of general aviation has never been clearly defined. Preliminary information available to the board indicated that there are some 3,200 air taxi companies of which 161 engage in scheduled, commuter-type service. This latter group, in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1971, operated nearly 700 aircraft, served 478 airports and carried more than four and one-half million passengers. The board's preliminary schedule envisioned that the project would cover a period of six months with ". . . final report and recommendations completed by June 30, 1972." The safety board will retrieve and analyze air taxi accident data covering a five-year period from 1966 through 1970, utilizing computer technology, with the objective of identifying poten- tial problem areas. It will review the predominant causes of air taxi accidents, examine air taxi regulations and requirements and evaluate air taxi operations. Growth Patterns Only about two per cent of all the commercial air traffic in the United States is on intrastate airlines, specifically the third level aircraft. This industry's growth and financial mortality rates in the past five years far surpass those of any other carrier type. Third level operators range in fleet size from one single-engine aircraft of only two to four passenger capacity all the way up to fleets of 40 aircraft, many of which have seating capacities in the 15 to 20 passenger range. This is presently the technological limit caused by the 12,500 pound gross weight limitation applied to third level carriers. Commuter air carriers generally operate over low traffic density routes which are not served by CAB-certified carriers. The degree of financial success enjoyed by the majority of these carriers is at best marginal. Numerous bankruptcies and mergers in the industry attest to the difficulties encountered in attempting to operate profitably. The high failure rate in the air taxi industry is attributable to many factors. Primary among them are: (1) A lack of managerial competence demonstrated by many air taxi operators, whose founding individuals were often men who were more influenced by the romanticism of aviation than by the hard facts of economics and management skills; (2) The unavailability of aircraft which are capable of operating economically in the markets served by third level carriers; (3) Inadequate capital resources to cover initial operating losses and overzealous new aircraft commitments, which in part reflect the "flying" orientation of the mangements; (4) Over-optimism in estimates of traffic volume due to inadequate market research and lack of objectivity; (5) Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity offer no assurance of monopoly con- 23 |
| Collection Name | Illinois State Library - General Collection |
