What percentage of aviation mishaps occur on the ground?

• A. 43%
• B. 25%
• C. 60%
• D. 15%

Answer: (A)

Many aviation mishaps are tied to activities that happen while the aircraft is on the ground—during taxi, engine start-up, fueling, towing, ground handling, and maintenance. The figure you’re expected to recall is about 43%, which sits close to half. This shows that ground operations contribute a substantial portion of mishaps, even though many people focus on in-flight events. The other options would over- or understate the ground share: 60% would imply a larger majority on the ground than the data typically show, while 25% or 15% would underrepresent the risk present during ground handling and related activities.