Bush ops. ikke særlig helsebringende - Canada

Federal safety board to investigate causes of alarming number of fatal air-taxi crashes in Canada

The federal transportation safety board will conduct a safety issues investigation into the causes of a troubling number of fatal crashes in Canada involving air-taxi operations - commercial flights with fewer than 10 passengers.

The board noted that 175 people - 59 in B.C. - have died in the air-taxi sector during the past decade, representing 65 per cent of all commercial aviation fatalities.

Rather than investigate the cause of an isolated crash, as it usually does, the board will address a range of underlying issues that contribute to air-taxi accidents, including inadequate risk analysis, pilot decision making and weather.

While commercial air travel is widely recognized as the safest mode of travel, the risks do increase when flying with smaller operators.

Transport Canada reports that the air-taxi sector was responsible for 18 of 39 accidents involving commercial aircraft in 2013, and five of seven deaths.