Russia will need to amend its statistical base to bring it into line with international norms. Traditionally, with no private or business aviation in Soviet times, the accident statistics included all civil aviation aero clubs; aircraft carrying personnel or cargo for industry and operated by that industry, helicopters and aircraft of Antonov An-2 category, undertaking crop spraying and other aerial work assignments or on Arctic duties - work, which would not be included in statistics on airline safety in other countries.
All is not a picture of gloom. Overall, Russian aircraft have had reasonable safety records, considering the conditions of Russian airports and their weather. Of 108 Ilyushin Il-86s built, only one has been lost - it was parked at Delhi Airport when it was hit by a landing Boeing 737 in 1994. An accident in December at Khabarovsk, when a Khabarovsk Air Tupolev Tu-154B disappeared, was the 21st fatal accident suffered by the type, of which over 900 have been built. An Azerbaijan Airways Tupolev Tu-134B, which crashed shortly after take-off from Nahicevan, Azerbaijan, was the 23rd of the type to be lost of the 852 built since 1963. Of just over 275 Ilyushin Il-62s built, 14 have been lost in fatal accidents. Bearing in mind their years of service and the number of flight hours, these figures compare reasonably well with aircraft of a similar age and category in the West.
Source: Flight International