A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) study found that in 2011 ten of 102 experimental amateur-built (E-AB) aircraft built by their owner crashed on their first flight. And 14 of 125 aircraft that had been bought used crashed on the new owner’s first flight.

The study, which was launched last year, evaluated all E-AB accidents that occurred in 2011. The data show that powerplant failures and loss of control in flight are the most common accident occurrences by a large margin, highlighting the importance of pilots having the information and training necessary to safely operate their aircraft.