“The FAA in recent years has studied accidents and taken steps to lower the leading causes, which include pilots losing control, engine failures and flying into bad weather.”
The FAA has taken zero steps to lower the causes of engine failure…
I think light aircraft is becoming more and more a recreational thing rather than a utility, so people are less likely to push the limits. The same has happened to private boats. In Norway there are about 800k private boats today, 1 boat per 6 person. Yet, the accident rate is minuscule compared to the times when people were dependent on the boats to make a living, and there where much fewer boats around.
I also think people are much more risk averse in general. Accidents aren’t tolerated as easily as before.
…I need to spend more time on studying the Poissonic distribution, that might let me understand the probability that the latest rate is robust and significantly better. At least the magenta line seems to be more benign in aviation.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jun/25/gps-horror-stories-driving-satnav-greg-milner