Study shows private airplane accidents result in most fatalities

May 02, 2013 (Press-News.org) Study shows private airplane accidents result in most fatalities

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Recently the Federal Aviation Administration decided to eliminate funding for 149 air traffic control towers. Given this decision's tremendous safety impact, airport operators have brought suit in a federal court to prevent the FAA's plan from being implement.

According to ABC News, safety is still one of the FAA's main concerns, and that the closing of the air traffic controllers is necessary in order to eliminate $637 million for the remaining fiscal year ending September 30th. Critics of the FAA's decision state the removal of these towers will undoubtedly decrease safety, which will inevitably increase risk.

The most common aviation accidents

Although most people are informed of plane crashes involving large, multi-passenger commercial flights, the majority of aviation accidents do not occur in commercial flights. Rather, figures from the National Transportation Safety Board indicate that a staggering 97 percent of aviation fatalities occur in general aviation, not in commercial flights.

According to ABC News, there is an average of five small plane crashes each day, resulting in approximately 500 deaths annually. Understandably, the NTSAB placed the concern of general aviation on its list of "most wanted" safety improvements. In fact, the NTSB believes that such crashes could actually be avoided with proper training.

The damage caused by aviation accidents is unfathomable. When someone has fallen victim to such tragedies, it is imperative that the responsible parties be held accountable. Often times, aviation accidents are the result of several different causes. In addition to the several contributing factors, receiving compensation for plane crashes becomes even more difficult due to federal guidelines.

For instance, the General Aviation Revitalization Act grants immunity to aircraft manufacturers regarding products liability claims when the plane is more than 18 years old. However, just because immunity provisions exist, it doesn't mean that injured parties or family members should not be properly compensated.

Recovering damages in an intricate field of law

Of course, careful attention must be paid at all stages of litigation involving aviation law. Private plane crashes, in particular, demand that even more detail be used in determining the cause of the crash

Any individual who is considering a suit related to flight or aviation should contact an experienced aircraft accident attorney. Any experienced attorney's knowledge will be invaluable throughout the litigation process.