Gatineau, Quebec, 20 February 2024 — Today, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released its summary of preliminary transportation occurrence statistics from 2023, which show accidents are below the five-year average across all modes
* Does not include incidents reported to the TSB.Data table: Transportation accidents reported to the TSB in 2023
Air transportation
In 2023, a total of 1014 air transportation occurrences (accidents and incidents) were reported to the TSB, an increase of 14% over the previous year (893).
Of these occurrences, a total of 181 were aviation accidents, an increase from the 166 accidents reported in 2022, but 5% lower than the five-year average of 191. Nineteen of these were fatal, resulting in 33 fatalities compared to 24 fatal accidents and 34 fatalities in 2022.
Accidents involving commercial operators increased from 56 in 2022 to 78 in 2023, while those involving private operations (by recreational operators, holders of a private operator registration document, or others) decreased from 108 to 100.
Of the total occurrences, 833 were aviation incidents, which is an increase from the previous year (727) and above the five-year average (685).
See the data on air transportation occurrences in December 2023.
The statistics presented above reflect the information contained in TSB modal occurrence databases on 15 January 2024. Since the occurrence data are constantly being updated in the live database, the statistics may change slightly over time. The TSB will release its complete and final statistical reports for 2023 in late spring; these will include accident rates and a more thorough analysis of the updated data (which may vary slightly from this preliminary data).
The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail 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.