Report: 2006 A Safe Year For Aviation
Around the world, 1,292 people died in plane crashes in 2006, according to the Geneva-based Aircraft Crashes Record Office (ACRO). That was the lowest total since 1963, and a drop of 11 percent from the year before. The group keeps track of crashes involving commercial airplanes that seat at least six people, plus the crew. About one-third of the accidents occurred in North America, with 45 accidents in the U.S., according to ACRO, and about three-quarters of the crashes involved piston-powered aircraft. Among airliners, two Airbus jets crashed, five built by Boeing and 16 Antonovs built in the Ukraine.
Around the world, 1,292 people died in plane crashes in 2006, according to the Geneva-based Aircraft Crashes Record Office (ACRO). That was the lowest total since 1963, and a drop of 11 percent from the year before. The group keeps track of crashes involving commercial airplanes that seat at least six people, plus the crew. About one-third of the accidents occurred in North America, with 45 accidents in the U.S., according to ACRO, and about three-quarters of the crashes involved piston-powered aircraft. Among airliners, two Airbus jets crashed, five built by Boeing and 16 Antonovs built in the Ukraine. More than 2 billion passengers flew during the year worldwide, according to the Associated Press. And if over a thousand people sounds like a big loss, note that on average about 1.2 million people die every year in car crashes and another 50 million are hurt.
