FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-04/8

Title and Subtitle: Methodological Issues in the Study of Airplane Accident Rates by Pilot Age: Effects of Accident and Pilot Inclusion Criteria and Analytic Strategy

Report Date: May 2004

Authors: Broach D

Abstract: At the direction of the U.S. Senate, Broach, Schroeder, and Joseph (2000a, b) examined accident rates by age for professional air transport and commercial pilots using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) approach. As an extension of that work, this report focuses on methodological issues requiring careful consideration and definition in any analysis of aviation accident rates by pilot age. Three methodological issues are considered: (a) accident inclusion criteria; (b) pilot inclusion criteria; and (c) analytic strategy. Previous studies are interpreted with respect to these issues, and an additional analysis is presented to illustrate the impact of methodological choices on study outcomes.

Overall, the comparisons and additional analysis indicate that accident and pilot inclusion criteria and analytic strategy have substantial impact on study outcomes. Recommendations are presented for future studies of the relationship of pilot age to aviation accidents.

Key Words: Pilot Age, Aviation Accidents, Accident Rates, Age 60 Rule, Mandatory Pilot Retirement

No. of Pages: 26