Presenter Email
km@flightresearch.eu; waltonr@erau.edu
Location
Jim W. Henderson Administration & Welcome Center (Bldg. #602)
Start Date
8-14-2017 1:15 PM
End Date
8-14-2017 2:45 PM
Submission Type
Presentation
Keywords
aviation; safety; age; NTSB
Abstract
This research utilized the NTSB aviation accident and incident database system from 1982 to 2014 to examine differences in the severity of accidents by age for aviation accidents. Accidents were separated by commercial and general aviation (GA). There were 74,686 entries, after excluding home built aircraft, helicopters, and gliders, consisting of 7,203 commercial and 61,363 GA accidents. For commercial, male pilots made up 97.4%, (mean age = 41.75, (SD=10.88). Female pilots (2.6%), had a mean age of 43.51 (SD=9.71). Ages were significantly different, t(7009)=8.76, pSD=14.63).
Damage to the aircraft and injury of crew/passengers as a function of pilot age was examined separately using ANOVA for commercial and GA. For commercial operation, damage levels of none, minor, substantial, and destroyed produced a significant difference by age, F(3, 7197)=40.558, pF(3,60302)=4.06, p=.007. There were significant differences between no damage and substantial (p=.001) and destroyed (p=.005) but no other levels.
This study indicated that there are differences in the degree of damage related to aviation accidents based on age. Additional examination of the causes of accidents, and at what age the increase is observed, is needed to ensure aviation safety for aging pilots.
Presenter Biography
Original PowerPoint, Full-res
Differences in the Severity of General Aviation Accidents by Age: A Preliminary Examination
Jim W. Henderson Administration & Welcome Center (Bldg. #602)
This research utilized the NTSB aviation accident and incident database system from 1982 to 2014 to examine differences in the severity of accidents by age for aviation accidents. Accidents were separated by commercial and general aviation (GA). There were 74,686 entries, after excluding home built aircraft, helicopters, and gliders, consisting of 7,203 commercial and 61,363 GA accidents. For commercial, male pilots made up 97.4%, (mean age = 41.75, (SD=10.88). Female pilots (2.6%), had a mean age of 43.51 (SD=9.71). Ages were significantly different, t(7009)=8.76, pSD=14.63).
Damage to the aircraft and injury of crew/passengers as a function of pilot age was examined separately using ANOVA for commercial and GA. For commercial operation, damage levels of none, minor, substantial, and destroyed produced a significant difference by age, F(3, 7197)=40.558, pF(3,60302)=4.06, p=.007. There were significant differences between no damage and substantial (p=.001) and destroyed (p=.005) but no other levels.
This study indicated that there are differences in the degree of damage related to aviation accidents based on age. Additional examination of the causes of accidents, and at what age the increase is observed, is needed to ensure aviation safety for aging pilots.
Comments
Presented during Session 2: Human Factors & Flight Operations