TSB # S01/2006
(Gatineau, Quebec, February 21, 2006) - The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released today its preliminary 2005 transportation occurrence statistics. The marine, pipeline and air modes of transportation show a decrease in reported accidents, compared to 2004, and the rail mode shows an increase. The number of marine fatalities decreased from last year, while rail and air fatalities showed an increase. Reportable incidents in all four modes decreased compared to last year. These statistics allow the Board to identify trends in each transportation mode.
Highlights for each mode are as follows:
Marine (Table)
There were 480 marine accidents reported to the TSB in 2005, a 2% decrease from the 2004 total of 492 and a 7% decrease from the 2000-2004 average of 514. Shipping accidents, which made up 91% of marine accidents, reached a 30-year low of 435 in 2005, down from 442 in 2004 and the five-year average of 456. Nearly half of all vessels involved in shipping accidents were fishing vessels. In 2005, marine fatalities totalled 19, down from both the 2004 total and the five-year average of 28. This decrease was mainly accounted for by a decrease in shipping accident fatalities, which totalled 12 in 2005, down from 22 in 2004 and from the five-year average of 17. Vessels lost totalled 22 in 2005, equal to the 2004 total but lower than the five-year average of 36. In 2005, 226 marine incidents were reported in accordance with TSB mandatory reporting requirements, down from 248 in 2004 but equal to the five-year average. Marine Definitions
Pipeline (Table)
Five pipeline accidents were reported to the TSB in 2005, down from seven in 2004 and the five-year average of 16. Pipeline activity is estimated to have decreased by 1% over last year. The accident rate decreased to 0.4 pipeline accidents per exajoule (a measure of the volume of oil or gas flowing through a pipeline) in 2005, down from 0.5 in 2004 and the 2000-2004 average rate of 1.48. The last fatal pipeline accident in the portion of the industry under federal jurisdiction occurred in 1988, and the last accident involving serious injury occurred in 2000. In 2005, 79 pipeline incidents were reported in accordance with TSB mandatory reporting requirements, up from 74 in 2004 and from the five-year average of 44. Over 90% of those incidents involved uncontained or uncontrolled release of small quantities of gas, oil, and high vapour-pressure products such as propane, butane or natural gas liquids.
Rail (Table)
A total of 1246 rail accidents were reported to the TSB in 2005, a 9% increase from the 2004 total of 1138 and an 18% increase from the 2000-2004 average of 1055. Rail activity is estimated to have increased by 3% over 2004 and by 6% over the five-year average. The accident rate increased to 13.0 accidents per million train-miles in 2005, from 12.3 in 2004 and from the five-year rate of 11.7. Rail-related fatalities totalled 103 in 2005, compared to 101 in 2004 and the five-year average of 93. In 2005, rail incidents reported in accordance with TSB mandatory reporting requirements reached a 23-year low of 244, down from 252 in 2004 and the five-year average of 300. Rail Definitions
Air (Table)
Canadian-registered aircraft, other than ultralights, were involved in 258 reported accidents in 2005, a 2% increase from the 2004 total of 252 but a 10% decrease from the 2000-2004 average of 287. The 2005 estimate of flying activity is 3 832 000 hours, yielding an accident rate of 6.7 accidents per 100 000 flying hours, up from the 2004 rate of 6.5 but down from the five-year rate of 7.3. Canadian-registered aircraft, other than ultralights, were involved in 34 fatal accidents with 51 fatalities in 2005, comparable to the five-year average of 32 fatal accidents with 54 fatalities. Twenty of the fatal occurrences involved privately operated aircraft (13 aeroplanes, 6 helicopters and 1 glider), and 12 of the remaining 14 fatal occurrences involved commercial operators (9 aeroplanes and 3 helicopters). The number of accidents involving ultralights decreased to 30 in 2005 from 36 in 2004, and the number of fatal accidents decreased slightly to 5 in 2005 from 6 in 2004. In 2005, a total of 823 incidents were reported in accordance with TSB mandatory reporting requirements. This represents a 9% decrease from the 2004 total of 909 and a 2% decrease from the 2000-2004 average of 837. Air Definitions
The complete TSB Statistics for each mode are included on this site. The TSB web site also provides completed investigation reports for each mode.
The TSB is an independent agency that investigates marine, pipeline, railway and aviation transportation occurrences. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.
- 30 -
This communiqué is available on the TSB Web site.
For more information, contact:
John Cottreau
Senior Media Relations Advisor
Telephone: (819) 994-8053
or
Christian Plouffe
Media Relations Advisor
Telephone: (819) 953-7812
