Rate of Fatal Plane Crashes in Alaska Tops National Average

The rate of fatal airplane crashes in Alaska is higher than the national average, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

The NTSB has preliminary reports for 10 fatal plane wrecks in Alaska for the 2019 calendar year.

The figure does not include an Oct. 17 crash in Unalaska, which does not yet have a federal report.

Alaska had nine fatal plane accidents last year, eight in 2017, 12 in 2016, and 11 in 2015.

The NTSB website indicates 5.4% of the 221 fatal crashes in the U.S. in 2016 — the most recent year listed — occurred in Alaska, which has about 2% of the national population.

Alaska’s accident rate is higher than the rest of the country, said Tom George, Alaska regional manager for Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

Conditions that explain the statistics include a lack of ground-based radio receivers to help pilots keep track of other aircraft, and a technology that helps prevent midair collisions, George said.

Other contributing conditions include weather, the enormous size of the state and more landings and takeoffs in harbors or rugged terrain, George said.

Weather was likely a factor in some of this year’s fatal events including the, the NTSB said.