No deaths on scheduled U.S. airlines in 2007

WASHINGTON -- No one died during 2007 in accidents among larger scheduled U.S. airlines and smaller commuter aircraft, and deaths in private plane accidents dropped to 491, their lowest total in more than 40 years, the government reported Wednesday.

But on-demand aircraft -- charters, air taxis and tours, and medical flights with a patient aboard -- saw accident deaths jump from 16 in 2006 to 43 in 2007, according to preliminary annual figures from the National Transportation Safety Board.

"The U.S. aviation industry has produced an admirable safety record in recent years," said NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker. "However, we must not become complacent. We must continue to take the lessons learned from our investigations and use them to create even safer skies for all aircraft operators and their passengers."

The government figures showed that scheduled U.S. airlines flew 18.7 million hours in 2007 with 24 accidents, but no deaths. There was one fatality among nonscheduled U.S. carriers: A mechanic was fatally injured while working on a Sky King Inc. Boeing 737 in Tunica, Miss., on July 10, 2007.

Commuter airlines had 3 accidents in 302,000 hours of flight, but no fatalities.

On-demand carriers 43 deaths in 62 accidents over 3.7 million flight hours.

General aviation saw its accident fatalities plummet from 703 in 2006 to 491 in 2007. But during 23.8 million hours of private flights in 2007 the number of accidents rose to 1,631, from 1,518 in 2006.

Foreign registered aircraft accounted for 11 accidents in the U.S. in 2007 with three deaths in a single accident. Unregistered aircraft had 14 accidents which claimed 7 lives.