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NERVOUS FLYERS LOOK AWAY: New study reveals when planes are most likely to crash

If you’re an uneasy flyer, brace yourself. New research has shown that almost half of all fatal air accidents occur as the plane gets ready to land.

If you’re an uneasy flyer, brace yourself. New research has shown that almost half of all fatal air accidents occur as the plane gets ready to land.

The study by aircraft manufacturer Boeing, published in The Sun, showed that 48% of all fatal accidents happen during the aircraft’s final descent and landing. That’s even though that portion of the journey accounts for only 4% of the total flight time.

Aircraft generic sunset Pixabay KarryOn

Second riskiest was take-off and first ascent which account for 13% of fatal accidents.

The majority of a flight is made up of cruising at altitude. According to the research, this is the safest part of the flight, with only 11% of fatal air incidents taking place during this time.

Slightly more reassuring, however, is the revelation that 2017 finished up as the safest year on record for air passengers.

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The Civil Aviation Safety Review for 2017 by Dutch aviation consultancy To70 reported only two fatal accidents but both involved small turbo-prop aircraft with a total of 13 deaths.

One of those was the Sydney seaplane that came down on the Hawkesbury River on New Year’s Eve killing six people.

There were no crashes involving passenger jets anywhere in the world, the report confirmed.

Are you a nervous flyer?