A federal agency says the rate of fatal airplane crashes in Alaska is higher than the national average.
The Juneau Empire reported Sunday that the National Transportation Safety Board has preliminary reports for 10 fatal plane wrecks in Alaska for the 2019 calendar year.
The figure does not include an Oct. 17 crash in Unalaska, which does not yet have a federal report.
The state had nine fatal accidents last year, eight in 2017, 12 in 2016, and 11 in 2015.
The agency’s website indicates 5.4% of the 221 fatal crashes in the U.S. in 2016 occurred in Alaska, which has about 2% of the national population.
An aviation advocacy organization says conditions that explain the statistics include more landings and takeoffs in harbors or rugged terrain.
They also have so many more planes. There are places in Alaska whare it is more valuable to have a plane than a car, then you account for the fact that a lot of those flights are bush flying which is generally more risky, and I’m not surprised in the slightest…
Over half of our state is not accessible except by plane. Alaska Airlines operates a lot of 737-700s to connect everyone to Anchorage, then to wherever they need to go. The majority of their -700s are based in AK.
We have so many private pilots that it’s almost unbelievable.
We also have a lot (and I mean A LOT) of little airlines and air services and things like ACE (Alaska Central Express), NAC (Northern Air Cargo), Rust’s Flying Service, and Ravn. That’s only a few.
