Grim Record

While jet-powered 1959 ranked as U.S. commercial aviation's best year in terms of technological advance, it went down as the worst in terms of safety. A record 294 passengers and crew members were killed in nine fatal crashes of scheduled U.S. passenger planes last year. Counting cargo, nonscheduled and training flights, there were 18 fatal accidents, with 329 deaths. On scheduled flights, the fatality rate jumped from .38 per 100 million passenger miles in 1958 to .73 in 1959, highest since 1952. The only bright note was that scheduled pure jets had no fatal mishaps (but there were two fatal crashes of turboprop Electras, and another of a turboprop Viscount).

Even so, it is still much safer to travel in planes than in autos (1958 fatality rate per 100 million passenger miles: 2.3), but more dangerous than by trains (1958 rate: .27 per 100 million passenger miles) or city and intercity buses (rate: .24). The Federal Aviation Agency, plainly worried by the recent rise in accidents, is tightening safety regulations all around. The Senate Aviation Subcommittee is also concerned, next week will open an investigation into recent crashes.

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