Ultralight accidents in the US, UK, and Portugal

Abstract

Ultralight accidents are reported to be more severe compared to those in other categories of sports aviation. In the absence of denominator data in the United States (US) but addressing a continuing concern in general aviation safety, this study gives a comparison between ultralight accidents in the US, the United Kingdom (UK) and Portugal. For the period 2000–2010, 35 accidents occurred in Portugal, 252 in the UK and 20 in the US. They were compared for their proportionate number of fatal accidents, their main causes, and the characteristics of the pilots. The UK showed a significantly smaller proportionate number of fatal accidents compared to that of the US and Portugal. The proportionate number of destroyed aircraft was significantly higher in Portugal than in the US, with the UK showing an even smaller percentage. The general profile of the pilots did not differ notably, but the types of causes were more often attributed to pilot error or piloting technique in Portugal compared to the other two countries. While the proportionate number of fatalities is a strong indicator of the differences between the three countries, the varying reporting traditions and regulations preclude a direct comparison. Nevertheless, based on these data, the concern for ultralight safety in the US has not diminished since previous studies. Although the concerns are similar to those raised for Portugal, US ultralight safety may benefit from practices in the UK.