Sources of Accident Data?

Philip Greenspun's Homepage : Philip Greenspun's Homepage Discussion Forums : Aviation : One Thread

Phil, I am researching what model of plane I'd like to buy and would like to compare real-
world accident stats for different models. Where can I find these stats for different models
of airplanes on the web? For me the most useful statistic would be fatal accidents per
hours flown. Diamond says the da40 is the safest piston single, OK then, where is the
data? How can I easily compare the da40 to the Cessna 206 or 210? Thanks - Eric

-- Eric Whiteman, July 8, 2008

Answers

AOPA's Air Safety Foundation is a decent place to start looking for some data. Also consider the NTSB's own website.
Considering the safety issue, the DA40 hasn't been around nearly as long as the 206 or 210. Also, the DA40 is probably not as likely to be operated in a harsh environment (i.e. Alaska) as the 206 or 210, possibly skewing accident statistics against the Cessna models.

-- Jason Hackney, July 8, 2008