Richard McSpadden

Former Senior Vice President, AOPA Air Safety Institute

Appears in 1 story

Born: 1960, Panama City

Died: October 1, 2023

Education: University of Georgia, Troy University, Air War College

Last updated Nov 2, 2026

Stories

General aviation reaches lowest fatal accident rate on record

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As of May 2026: Killed in a Cessna 177RG accident on October 1, 2023

In 1994, small planes in the United States killed people at a rate of 1.81 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours. Three decades later, the rate has fallen by more than half.

Updated May 22