Question

Among fatal plane crashes that occurred during the past 55 years, 105 were due to pilot error, 89 were due to other human error, 404 were due to weather,236 were due to mechanical problems, and 354 were due to sabotage.

Construct the relative frequency distribution. What is the most serious threat to aviation safety, and can anything be done about it?

Answer 1

To construct the relative frequency distribution, we need to divide each frequency by the total number of fatal plane crashes:

| Cause of Fatal Plane Crash | Frequency | Relative Frequency |
|:--------------------------|:---------:|:------------------:|
| Pilot Error | 105 | 0.103 |
| Other Human Error | 89 | 0.087 |
| Weather | 404 | 0.396 |
| Mechanical Problems | 236 | 0.231 |
| Sabotage | 354 | 0.346 |
| Total | 1028 | 1.000 |

From the relative frequency distribution, we can see that weather is the most common cause of fatal plane crashes, accounting for 39.6% of all fatal plane crashes during the past 55 years. Sabotage is the second most common cause, accounting for 34.6% of all fatal plane crashes.

While weather-related crashes may be more difficult to prevent, measures can be taken to improve the safety of planes during extreme weather conditions, such as implementing better weather forecasting systems and providing pilots with better training and equipment to handle adverse weather conditions. For sabotage-related crashes, security measures can be improved to prevent unauthorized access to planes and airports. Additionally, better screening and background checks for airport personnel can be implemented to reduce the risk of sabotage.