Pilot reveals why we are seeing more light airplane crashes

It’s been a grim year for flying in the UK after several fatal light aeroplane crashes.

Fatal crashes have shocked the aviation industry after tragic light aircraft incidents.

Just days ago, a pilot died after his aircraft crashed into an industrial estate near Chesterfield, Derbyshire. In July, two men in their 20s died after their plane crashed into a North Yorkshire field.

But why does it feel like we are seeing more of them in recent months?

Dr Guy Gratton, a pilot and instructor, told Metro.co.uk the biggest reason is good weather – the number of pilots taking to the skies tends to peak in the summer.

Dr Gratton, an associate professor of aviation and environment, pilot and author, said: ‘We generally do see a peak of accidents around June, July and August.

‘The reason is when the weather’s the best people fly more.

‘In terms of a very short-term peak, that’s the cause.’

However, things are not looking ‘brilliant’ for the long-term trend either as the number of accidents has remained stubborn.

He explained: ‘The total flying hours flown by light aircraft has about halved over the last 20 years, but the number of fatal accidents has remained the same.

‘So that basically means accidents are happening about twice as often in terms of the amount of flying being done.’

The Air Accidents Investigation Bureau told Metro.co.uk it is currently investigating nine fatal accidents which have happened this year.

What causes crashes?

Other tragedies saw a pilot being killed in a horror crash in August after a plane got into ‘difficulties’ when it tried to take off at Defford Croft Farm airfield near Worcester.

Dr Gratton said the industry is debating why the number of accidents is not going down.

Unfortunately, there is no ‘clear answer’ or ‘hard proof,’ he said.

‘But I think the most common opinion is that it’s because flying has been getting steadily more expensive and regulations seem to be getting more complex. Because of that pilots are flying less and less and they are not as competent if they were flying more.’

The top cause ‘for many years’ has been loss of control whereby the pilot ‘for whatever reason fails to maintain control’, he explained.

Over the past 20 years, that has been the cause of around 20% of accidents, Dr Gratton said citing AAIB figures.

He said: ‘We have newer aeroplanes, more safety systems, whole aircraft parachutes, but despite all of that the pattern of accidents has remained very consistent, and that’s disappointing.

‘We ought to be doing more to bring the accident rate down, and particularly loss of control, where that very much is well understood. We understand in terms of pilot training and aircraft design, yet it still is happening. It frustrates everybody in this space who is working on this.’

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