Airplane Crashes

The horror of a sudden airplane crash can change lives forever. In 2004, the National Transportation Safety Board reported 3464 accidents and 1285 fatalities, a 37% fatality rate.

Although statistics claim that it is fout times safer to fly in a plane than to drive a car, when an airplane does crash, the consequences are usually horrific. Plane crashes can be attributed to mechanical failure, defective parts, design flaws, pilot error, weather influence, air traffic controller error, bird strike, onboard fire, lack of fuel, terrorism, sabotage and other causes. No matter what the cause, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Personal planes and charter plane operations are becoming more popular as the price of planes becomes more economical and travelers seek convenient alternatives to large commercial flights. However, the safety risks have yet to be measured. Charter plane operations typically hire young, inexperienced pilots and with small operations and personnel constraints, these "air taxis" may not be as diligent with maintenance and safety checks.

With limited insurance, charter plane operations may not be covered to pay damages incurred in an airplane crash, such as loss of life, loss of income, crippling injuries or traumatic stress.