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Is it safe to fly a private flight from Chicago?

On Behalf of | Nov 2, 2022 | Accidents & Incidents

Flying in a private plane can be a quick and convenient way to travel, but you may wonder if it is safe. A few facts can help ease your consciousness, like the difference between a private plane and a commercial, the frequency of personal and commercial plane crashes and the most common cause of plane crashes. Also, see which type of plane is safer to travel from Chicago.

Difference between private flights and commercial flights

A private flight is a plane that a private owner or company registers rather than a commercial airline. Commercial airlines are typically larger. However, they have smaller planes to accommodate short trips. Private aircraft can be any size and piloted by the owner or a hired pilot. For statistical reasons only, the National Transportation Safety Board combines chartered flights and owner or self-fights under a general aviation flight category.

Saftey of private flights

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, in 2020, general aviation accidents occurred at the rate of 1.049 flight crashes per 100,000 flight hours. Out of all the private sector flight accidents, 81% did not involve fatalities.

Are commercial flights safer?

There were 0.49 accidents per 100,000 flight hours for commercial flights. Compared to the private sector’s fatalities, six fatalities occurred in commercial plane crashes in 2020. However, the ratios become unclear because of the sheer amount of commercial flights and passengers. Commercial airlines also developed and used safety features to render them safer than private planes because of the number of passengers depending on their services.

What causes general aviation plane crashes?

About 75% of all general aviation plane crashes occur because of pilot error. Other times, planes crash because of mechanical failure. At other times, planes crash because of birds or other natural disasters. Other times, errors on the part of the ground crew cause general aviation accidents.

It is about 200% safer to fly on a commercial airline than a general aviation one, but both are extremely safe ways to get to your destination. In comparison, you are 19x safer flying in a plane, private or commercial, than in the vehicle you use daily.