Despite reports indicating declining flight hours for 2008, the number of business aircraft accidents increased from 2007, according to year-end statistics compiled by Boca Raton, Fla.-based aviation safety analyst Robert E. Breiling Associates. The totals show a rise in the number of business aviation accidents from 55 in 2007 to 69 in 2008, while the number of fatal accidents rose correspondingly from 17 to 24. The private/business category saw the biggest safety deterioration, with an increase from 15 accidents in 2007 to 29 last year, including 14 fatal, accounting for 24 deaths. Fatal accidents in the turboprop segment of that category alone more than doubled from five in 2007 to 12 the following year. In the commercial/air-taxi category, the situation improved slightly. The overall number of turboprop accidents remained steady at 14, but the sector saw two fewer fatal accidents in 2008. While business jet accidents in the category declined from 16 in 2007 to eight last year, they claimed more lives, with fatal crashes increasing by one to four, and the number of fatalities rising from 10 in 2007 to 19 last year.