Which accident cause increased in both total and fatal numbers in 2021?

• A. Weather accidents
• B. Mechanical failures
• C. Pilot error
• D. Fuel mismanagement

Answer: (A)

When evaluating accident data by what caused them, weather-related issues are the most likely to push both the total number of accidents and the number of fatal accidents higher in a given year. In 2021, flight activity was rebounding, and with more flights in the air, the potential for encounters with severe weather increased. Thunderstorms, low visibility, icing, and wind shear can lead to a range of outcomes—from hard landings and loss of control to CFIT (controlled flight into terrain)—and these weather-related events are often high-severity when they do occur. That combination tends to raise both the overall count and the fatal outcomes, more so than other causes such as mechanical failures, pilot error, or fuel mismanagement, which did not show the same concurrent rise in both metrics for that year.