Statistics show 1996 was the worst year in more than a decade for passenger fatalities among large U.S. airlines. 380 people were killed in mishaps involving commercial planes with 30 or more seats. (Two accidents, the ValuJet crash and the mid-air explosion of TWA Flight 800 in July, account for 340 of the fatalities.)

However, 1996 does not rank as one of the worst year's for fatalities, based on the number of planes flying.

There were 0.037 fatal accidents per 100,000 departures in 1996, the 9th highest rate in 15 years, according to statistics from the National Transportation Safety Board. 1989 ranks as the deadliest year, with 0.11 deaths per 100,000 departures.

	The Accident	The Airline	The Investigation
	The Families	The FAA	data points

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