THE DIRECT ANSWER

A reported accident count is not a risk rate. A useful comparison needs a defined event, a matching operating exposure measure, a time period and an understanding of how complete the records are.

Identify what the report actually says

The NTSB distinguishes preliminary information, factual reports and final reports containing probable cause. Preliminary accounts can change. Record the report status and investigation identifier alongside any summary, and return to the official record for updates.

The denominator matters

As a basic statistical principle, one event over a small number of flight hours and one event over a much larger number describe different exposure. Raw counts cannot settle the comparison. Flight hours, departures and distance also answer different questions; do not mix them in one ranking.

We do not have a validated exposure dataset for a comparable fleet of personal flying cars. We therefore publish no accident-rate estimate for that market.

An empty search is not proof

A search may miss relevant events because of its date range, aircraft identifiers, geography or database scope. The NTSB help page describes how search criteria affect results and notes limitations in report availability. “No records found in this search” is narrower than “this aircraft has never had an incident.”

A useful research log

  1. Save the search date and the exact scope.
  2. Record the aircraft configuration and type of operation.
  3. Separate test operations from the intended consumer use.
  4. Keep the investigation status and source link.
  5. Mark missing exposure data explicitly.

These are editorial research suggestions. They do not replace an investigation or establish the safety of an individual flight.

Sources & context

Reviewed September 23, 2026. These sources support the distinctions explained above; they do not endorse this publication. Our research questions are editorial suggestions.