What are the different types of Accident Losses?

Loss Type - Total Loss

Includes Total Losses, Constructive Total Losses and Arranged Total Losses ? The aircraft was a total loss under the terms of the insurance policy or, in those cases where there was no hull insurance (self-insured), we believe it would have been a total loss had it been insured. Note that an aircraft can be a 'Total Loss' but later be repaired and returned to service. In classifying accidents, unless the aircraft is obviously a Total Loss (extensively damaged) or we know that it has been settled as a Total Loss, we err on the side of caution and classify the accident as a Major Partial Loss. We will review this if we later find out that the aircraft was not repaired but we will still not automatically decide that it was therefore a Total Loss.

Loss Type - Major Partial Loss

A Major Partial Loss is defined, in this context, as a loss where the actual or estimated gross cost of the hull claim was equal to or exceeded 10% of the aircraft's insurance value or US$1.0 million whichever is the lower but was not a total loss. Includes those cases where we believe there was no hull insurance or we have been unable to find out the details, but we believe that this definition would apply had it been insured. Note that in some instances aircraft may not be repaired following a Major Partial loss. In classifying accidents, unless the aircraft is obviously a Total Loss (extensively damaged) or we know that it has been settled as a Total Loss, we err on the side of caution and classify the accident as a Major Partial Loss. Similarly, if the aircraft seems to have suffered little damage, we will classify it as a 'Minor Loss' rather than a 'Major Partial Loss.' We will review this if we later find out that the aircraft was not repaired but we will still not automatically decide that it was therefore a Total Loss.

Loss Type - Minor Loss

Minor losses' are accidents where the aircraft sustains 'substantial' damage but the actual or expected cost of repairs does not reach the threshold of a 'Major Partial Loss' (US$1.0 million or 10% of the value of the aircraft whichever is the lower). Unlike Total Losses and Major Partial Losses, where we will try to get as close to 100% coverage as we can, we make no attempt to achieve comprehensive coverage for Minor Losses. There are probably thousands of them every year and most are not in the public domain.

Our coverage of Minor Losses is therefore far from complete (we currently capture less than 0.01% of these losses and this capture rate quickly declines to almost nothing for earlier years) and, in many ways, is virtually random.

Minor Losses should never be used in statistics. Minor Losses are added to the database for five main reasons: 1. In a 'single insurance event' e.g. a hail storm, where the damage to each individual aircraft may be minor but a large number of aircraft are involved so that the losses aggregate to a significant figure. 2. Where the aircraft remains out of service for a number of weeks after the event and we therefore need to account for it not operating. 3. Where the aircraft is damaged when it lands with one or more of its landing gear not extended or if they collapse during landing, taxi, while parked etc. These events are reasonably visible to us and many result in Major Partial Losses but some do fall below the MPL threshold. Note aircraft with multiple gear e.g. Boeing 747s that have a problem with one gear generally incur either no damage or minimal damage and are therefore normally not included. 4. Although it did not result in much damage, it was an interesting or unusual event or other data providers portray it as being worse than it actually was (in which case we add it to the database in order to avoid users thinking we've 'missed something'.) 5. Accidents where we initially thought they were worse than they turned out to be but, in the meantime, we have added them to the database and spent time finding out the details of them. "

Loss Type - No Damage

No damage' events are those where a passenger or crew member is killed or seriously injured but there is no or only very minimal damage (e.g. damage to an escape slide, cabin liner, door seal etc) to the aircraft. These events typically involve in-flight turbulence, emergency evacuations, slips and falls etc. The data set for these events is not complete and should not be used for statistical purposes.