Via iStockphoto / @vtgenz TikTok
After a turbulent landing, an entrepreneur learned something unfortunate about the pilot of his plane. Is it unsafe to fly private?
If you’re looking for another reason to not fly private—apart from the incredible cost—you may have something to add to your list.
In a recent video with over 350,000 views, entrepreneur and host of the Valuetainment podcast “Patrick Bet-David” (@vtgenz) is asked, given the recent news of a private Learjet 60 plane crash, whether he gets nervous while flying in a private airplane.
“It’s a concern,” he starts.
He then tells his own story about a time when a private flight left him shaken.
‘Cowboy As A Pilot’ On Colorado Flight
According to Bet-David, he has had “a couple of rough flights” while traveling via private aircraft.
In one case, he says he was flying to Aspen. As the plane landed, Bet-David said he experienced “one of the worst turbulence ever.”
However, when he asked the pilot about it, they seemed unphased.
“We went to the pilot. We said, ‘What was that?’ ‘Oh, it’s very normal,’” Bet-David recounts. “Like, that was pretty bad.”
Later, Bet-David spoke with a worker on the ground. The worker seemed concerned.
“The guy that worked on the ground said, ‘Wow, you guys have a cowboy as a pilot,’” Bet-David shares. “I said, ‘Why is that?’ He says, ‘Nobody landed at this airport today because the winds. He’s the only one that landed.’”
Bet-David took this as a sign to “get a little bit more research on pilots, who’s flying you.”
Still, he reiterates that the recent Learjet accident was “a tragic, tragic story.”
Are Private Planes More Dangerous Than Commercial Flights?
It should be noted that, whether one is traveling private or commercial, flying is incredibly safe.
That said, there is data to suggest that safety-minded individuals may want to travel commercial rather than going private.
According to 2024 data from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), scheduled airlines had just 0.16 accidents per 100,000 hours in 2024, none of which were fatal.
In contrast, charter airplanes, a category that includes business jets, turboprops, piston aircraft, and more, had 0.65 accidents per 100,000 hours and a fatal accident rate of 0.06.
While this is low, it’s still substantially higher than scheduled airlines. In fact, the accident rate appears to be over four times higher for charter airplanes.
Why Does This Happen?
There are a few reasons for this.
In 2024, the NTSB noted that commercial airlines operate under “different, more stringent rules” than chartered craft.
Their report also highlighted ongoing issues with chartered craft. For example, they identified unsafe loading conditions in four single-engine airplane accidents.
They also claimed that there were 12 accidents linked to a lack of certified dispatchers for some operations. The report states that “flight dispatch and operational control were deficient” in these accidents “because the personnel responsible for those areas were not certificated flight dispatchers nor did FAA regulations require them to be.”
In response, the agency suggested expanded monitoring and periodic reviews of these flights in order to detect and correct “unsafe deviations from company standard operating procedures.”
Is It The Pilot?
Pilots of chartered aircraft do not inherently have less experience than pilots of commercial aircraft.
Regulations state that pilots of these crafts must hold an airline transport pilot certificate. This can only be obtained after having at least 500 hours of experience as a pilot. This must include at least 100 hours of cross-country flight time, at least 25 of which must be completed at night.
Still, some evidence suggests that, in the rare event of an accident, the pilot often plays a large role. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) states that, of the 929 non-commercial fixed-wing aircraft accidents it recorded for 2023, about 70% were pilot-related.
Viewers Share Their Thoughts
In the comments section, users offered their views on private aircraft, the people who fly private, and more.
“Lear Jets are dangerous,” declared a user.
“My husband is a pilot. He says ‘there is no such thing as an old AND bold pilot’ (because the bold ones die),” shared another.
That said, many claimed that a few accidents should not deter someone from flying.
“Still more dangerous to drive to the airport,” noted a user.
“Do you get nervous to drive a car after seeing a car accident?” asked a second.
BroBible reached out to Bet-David via Instagram direct message and website contact form.