NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A3920 Revised 2/15/2023
SPONSOR: Paulin TITLE OF BILL:
An act to authorize the study of general aviation flight operations by
the department of transportation
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To direct the department of transportation to conduct a study of
Aviation flight operations by residents of the state
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 authorizes and directs the department of transportation to
conduct a study of general aviation flight operations. Such study will
be carried out with the purpose of identifying the trends in flight
operations in the state. The study will be contained in a report submit-
ted to the governor and the legislature no later than two years after
the effective date of this act.
Section 2 provides that the act will take effect immediately.
JUSTIFICATION:
In recent years, there have been increasing incidents of small planes
crashing down from the sky, causing damage to lives and homes. For exam-
ple, in August 2019, a small plane crashed-into a home in Dutchess coun-
ty, killing one of the occupants, injuring others and causing the house
to burn (1). In January of 2022, a small plane owned by a company that
has been linked to at least six fatalities since 2014 crashed in West-
chester.
Safety guidelines-and guidance are fundamental to avoid this type of
fateful accident. However, they are exclusively within the power of the
Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA") to regulate and, oversee. Addi-
tionally, New York does not require owners of general aviation aircrafts
to register with the Department of Transportation. Consequently, there
is a lack of state-level information regarding crashes and the number of
general aviation aircrafts in circulation. The absence of this data
makes it difficult to address shortfalls in current flight operations
and improve the safety of pilots, passengers, and persons and property
on the ground in New York.
This bill would direct the Department of Transportation to study
aviation flight operations. Specifically, the department would be
required to compile accident and crash statistics, as well as assess the
relative safety of flight operations in New York and in other states.
By providing this information to the Legislature, policymakers will have
the necessary information to understand best practices and make
evidence-based policy decisions that will promote the safety of New
Yorkers.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.9106 of 2022, referred to transportation.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
(1)Corderl k & Martello A.(2019). 2 dead, 1 unaccounted for after plane
crashes into house in New York. Poughkeepsie Journal
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news /nation/2019/08/17/new- orkplane-
crash-airplane-crashes- into-house-faa-says/2042757001/. "Fowler, D.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3920
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 8, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Transportation
AN ACT to authorize the study of general aviation flight operations by
the department of transportation
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. 1. The department of transportation is hereby authorized
2 and directed to study and review general aviation flight operations
3 within the state of New York ("the state"). Such study and review
4 shall:
5 (a) identify trends in general aviation aircraft in the state, includ-
6 ing but not limited to the number of general aviation aircraft regis-
7 tered in the state and the total number of general aviation flight oper-
8 ations undertaken within the state;
9 (b) compile information and statistics on:
10 i. the number and causes of general aviation aircraft crashes, and the
11 number of fatalities and personal injuries arising therefrom, occurring
12 within the state on an annual basis since 2018;
13 ii. the estimated associated direct and indirect costs of such general
14 aviation aircraft crashes;
15 iii. the relative safety of general aviation flight operations in this
16 state and in other states; and
17 (c) identify measures that could be taken to improve the safety of
18 general aviation flight operations within this state.
19 2. No later than two years after the effective date of this act, the
20 department of transportation shall submit to the governor, the temporary
21 president of the senate, and the speaker of the assembly a report on the
22 study and review of flight operations of general aviation aircraft as
23 described in subdivision 1 of this section.
24 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05350-02-3
