The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released its 2024 Annual Safety Report, highlighting the progress and challenges in aviation safety. While the industry continues to demonstrate strong overall safety performance, certain metrics indicate areas requiring attention.
Key Findings
- All-Accident Rate: The global all-accident rate stood at 1.13 per million flights in 2024, equating to one accident per 880,000 flights. This highlights an improvement over the five-year average of 1.25 but represents a slight increase from the 1.09 recorded in 2023.
- Fatal Accidents: Seven fatal accidents in 2024 resulted in 244 on-board fatalities. This marks an increase from the single fatal accident and 72 fatalities reported in 2023. Despite this uptick, the fatality risk remains low at 0.06, below the five-year average of 0.10.
- Regional Variations: Safety performance varied across regions. Africa recorded the highest accident rate at 10.59 per million sectors, while North America maintained a strong safety record with a fatality risk of zero since 2020.
IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, emphasized the importance of continuous improvement in aviation safety, stating, “Even with recent high-profile aviation accidents, it is important to remember that accidents are extremely rare.”
Moreover, he highlighted the industry’s commitment to reducing fatalities, noting that a decade ago, the five-year average was one accident for every 456,000 flights, compared to one accident for every 810,000 flights today.
There were 40.6 million flights in 2024 and seven fatal accidents. Moreover, the long-term story of aviation safety is one of continuous improvement. That improvement is because we know that every fatality is one too many. We honor the memory of every life lost in an aviation accident with our deepest sympathies and ever-greater resolve to make flying even safer. And for that, the accumulation of safety data, including the 2024 safety report, is our most powerful tool.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
Emerging Concerns in 2024
- Conflict Zones: The downing of aircraft in conflict zones, such as the incidents in Kazakhstan and Sudan, underscores the critical need for initiatives like Safer Skies to enhance safety in high-risk airspace.
- GNSS Interference: A significant rise in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference incidents has been noted, with interference rates increasing by 175% and GPS spoofing incidents spiking by 500% between 2023 and 2024. This trend poses a growing risk to aviation safety, necessitating immediate action from governments and air navigation service providers.
“No civil aircraft should ever be a target – deliberate or accidental – of military operations. Governments must step up, enhance intelligence-sharing, and establish clearer global protocols to prevent such tragedies and safeguard civilian aviation,” said Walsh.
2024 Aviation Industry Safety Performance Metrics
| Accident type | 2023 | 2024 | 5-Year Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| All accident rate (accidents per one million flights) | 1.09 (1 accident every 0.92 million flights) | 1.13 (1 accident every 0.88 million flights) | 1.25 (1 accident every 0.81 million flights) |
| All accident rate for IATA member airlines | 0.97 (1 accident every 1.03 million flights) | 0.90 (1 accident every 1.11 million flights) | 0.79 (1 accident every 1.24 million flights) |
| Total accidents | 42 | 46 | 39 |
| Fatal accidents | 1 (0 jet and 1 turboprop) | 7 (5 jet and 2 turboprop) | 5 |
| On-board Fatalities | 72 | 244 | 144 |
| Fatality risk | 0.03 | 0.06 | 0.10 |
| IATA member airlines’ fatality risk | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.03 |
| Jet hull losses (per one million flights) | 0.06 (1 major accident every 17.50 million flights) | 0.14 (1 major accident every 7.40 million flights) | 0.15 (1 major accident every 7.12 million flights) |
| Turboprop hull losses (per one million flights) | 0.83 (1 hull loss every 1.20 million flights) | 1.12 (1 hull loss every 0.89 million flights) | 1.37 (1 hull loss every 0.74 million flights) |
| Total flights (million) | 38.6 | 40.6 | 31.8 |
Regional Safety Performance in 2024
- Africa had the highest accident rate, while North America, CIS, and North Asia recorded no fatalities.
- Tail strikes and runway excursions were the most common accident types across all regions.
- GNSS interference and conflict zone risks emerged as major safety concerns.
- IATA’s regional safety initiatives, such as Focus Africa and Safer Skies, remain critical in addressing key safety challenges.
North America
- Accident Rate: Improved from 1.53 per million sectors in 2023 to 1.20 in 2024, outperforming the five-year average of 1.26.
- Fatality Risk: 0.00 (remained at zero since 2020).
- Most Common Accidents: Tail strikes, runway damage, and runway excursions.
- Emerging Concern: Increasing space activities, with more rocket launches presenting challenges for air traffic management.
Asia-Pacific
- Accident Rate: Increased slightly from 0.92 in 2023 to 1.04 in 2024, but still below the five-year average of 1.10.
- Fatality Risk: 0.15 (unchanged from 2023).
- Most Common Accidents: Tail strikes, runway damage, and turbulence-related incidents.
Africa
- Accident Rate: 10.59 per million sectors, a rise from 8.36 in 2023, exceeding the five-year average of 8.46 (the highest accident rate globally).
- Fatality Risk: 0.00 (remained at zero for the second year in a row).
- Most Common Accidents: Runway excursions and landing gear-related incidents.
- Aircraft Type Concern: 40% of accidents involved turboprop aircraft.
- Safety Initiatives: IATA’s Focus Africa and Collaborative Aviation Safety Improvement Program (CASIP) continue efforts to improve safety.
Middle East & North Africa (MENA)
- Accident Rate: Improved slightly from 1.12 per million sectors in 2023 to 1.08 in 2024, performing better than the five-year average of 1.09.
- Fatality Risk: 0.00 (remained at zero since 2019).
- Emerging Concern: Increasing GNSS interference, which poses navigation risks.
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
- Accident Rate: 0.00 in 2024 (improved from 1.05 in 2023), significantly better than the five-year average of 2.49.
- Fatality Risk: 0.00 (remained at zero since 2022).
- Key Concerns: GNSS interference and security risks from regional conflicts.
*Note: The Azerbaijan Airlines crash in December 2024 is excluded from accident classification as it was caused by a conflict zone incident.
Europe
- Accident Rate: Increased slightly from 0.95 per million sectors in 2023 to 1.02 in 2024, aligning with the five-year average of 1.02.
- Fatality Risk: 0.03, an increase from 0.00 in 2023.
- Most Common Accidents: Tail strikes and runway excursions.
North Asia
- Accident Rate: 0.13 per million sectors, a slight increase from 0.00 in 2023, but still better than the five-year average of 0.16.
- Fatality Risk: 0.00 (remained at zero since 2022).
- Most Common Accidents: Tail strikes.
- Accident Count: Only one accident was recorded in the region for 2024.
Latin America & the Caribbean
- Accident Rate: Increased from 0.73 per million sectors in 2023 to 1.77 in 2024, but still better than the five-year average of 2.00.
- Fatality Risk: Increased from 0.00 in 2023 to 0.35 in 2024.
- Most Common Accidents: Tail strikes.
Jet Loss Rates by Region (per 1 million flights)
| Region | Jet Hull Loss 2023 | Jet hull loss 2024 | Jet hull loss 5-yr AVG |
| Africa | 0 | 1.78 | 0.36 |
| Asia-Pacific | 0 | 0.36 | 0.26 |
| CIS | 1.13 | 0 | 0.46 |
| Europe | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.21 |
| Latin Am and Caribbean | 0 | 0.4 | 0.36 |
| Middle East and N Africa | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| North America | 0 | 0 | 0.03 |
| North Asia | 0 | 0 | 0.09 |
| Global | 0.06 | 0.14 | 0.15 |
Turboprop Loss Rates by Region (per 1 million flights)
| Region | Turboprop Hull Loss 2023 | Turboprop Hull Loss 2024 | Turboprop Hull Loss 5-YR AVG |
| Africa | 2.38 | 5.24 | 5.78 |
| Asia-Pacific | 0.85 | 0.86 | 0.34 |
| CIS | 0 | 0 | 8.67 |
| Europe | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Latin Am and Caribbean | 0 | 2.97 | 2.22 |
| Middle East and N Africa | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| North America | 1.48 | 0 | 0.64 |
| North Asia | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Global | 0.83 | 1.12 | 1.37 |
Fatality Risk Rates by Region (per 1 million flights)
| Region | Fatality Risk 2023 | Fatality Risk 2024 | Fatality Risk 5-YR AVG |
| Africa | 0 | 0 | 1.6 |
| Asia-Pacific | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.16 |
| CIS | 0 | 0 | 0.47 |
| Europe | 0 | 0.03 | 0.01 |
| Latin Am and Caribbean | 0 | 0.35 | 0.08 |
| Middle East and N Africa | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| North America | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| North Asia | 0 | 0 | 0.05 |
| Global | 0.03 | 0.06 | 0.1 |
In summary, while the aviation industry has made significant strides in safety over the past decade, the 2024 report indicates areas that require ongoing attention, particularly concerning conflict zones and GNSS interference. The commitment to continuous improvement remains a central focus for the industry.
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The post “Seven Fatal Accidents in 2024” by Sharad Ranabhat was published on 02/27/2025 by samchui.com