What are the odds?

We often hear about fatal plane crashes and many of us have developed a fear of ying, thinking we may be one of the unlucky who boards a plane destined for doom. But, realistically, your odds of dying in a plane crash are very low.

IN MINUTES

News and events visually

34% 35%

Causes of fatal accidents, by decade (%)

Odds of being involved in a fatal accident

Pilot error 41 34 24 26 27 30 29

Cause

1950s 60s 70s 80s 90s

2000s

ALL

24%

21% 20% 24% 19% 25%

Odds of being on an airline ight which results in at least one fatality Top 30 airlines with the best accident rates

Pilot error (weather) Pilot error (mechanical) Pilot error TOTAL Other human error Weather related Mechanical failure Sabotage

10 17 14 18 19 19 16 6 5 5 2 5 5 5

57 56 43 46 51 54 50 2 16 9 9 6 9 5 7

1 in 11.4M
1990s 2000s

9 14 14 10 8 12

Bottom 25 with the worst accident rates

21 19 20 20 18 24 22 5 0 5 13 13 11 2 1 1 1 9 0 9 1

Odds of being killed on a single airline ight Top 30 airlines with the best accident rates

1930s

1940s

1950s

1 in 1.3M

1960s

1970s

1980s

Other cause

Accidents and fatalities, by phase of ight

Survival rate of passengers on aircraft involved in fatal accidents carrying 10+ passengers
In cl tia im l b Cl ( im ap b su p)
Cruise

1 in 29.4M
Bottom 25 with the worst accident rates

Fatal accidents 12% 12% 8% 10% Onboard 0% 16% 14% 13% fatalities
(% of ight time estimated for a 1.5hr. ight)

8% 16%

4% 10% 11% 25% 4% 12% 13% 12%

1 in 1.7M

Exposure

30%
1%

1%

14%

57%

11% 12% 3%

SUSAN BATSFORD, GRAPHICS EDITOR, TWITTER @SBATS1; INFOGRAPHIC BY LINDSAY OUELLETTE/QMI AGENCY

nt tia ap pr l oa ch Fi na ap l pr oa La ch nd in g In

De sc e

Taxi load/ unload

Ta ke o

25%
1%