A Conceptual Framework for A National Safety Grid and Database

Lessons from Aviation Safety

Abstract

Aviation accidents have always evoked concern and attention from safety professionals, officials, policymakers, regulators, aircraft manufacturers, aircraft operators, and the traveling public alike. It is, therefore, no surprise that multi-pronged approaches and measures have been instituted to prevent aircraft accidents and improve safety statistics. From 1918 through 2022, there were a total of 28,442 commercial aviation accidents (civil aircraft), resulting in 158,798 fatalities, with a peak during the 1940s and a gradual decrease since 1978. Safety professionals working on civil aviation safety data indicate the theoretical possibility of aircraft accidents trending toward near zero by the mid-2040s. Huge strides in safety have been achieved with technological advancements and innovations over the past several decades, so much so that safety professionals believe it is safer to fly in a commercial aircraft than to drive a car or even walk across a street in busy New York City. Unfortunately, at the other end of the spectrum of advancements in safety lies the fact that between 70-80 percent of aviation accidents can be attributed, at least in part, to human error. This high proportion could also reflect the widening gap in causal factors in aircraft accidents.