And it's important to know the definition of "GA" and "accident" and "incident" in the different countries over the period covered by the statistics.
Folks,
Lead Balloon has nailed it.
My "claims" are based on a study for AOPA/AU, conducted by a professional researcher, with the results peer reviewed by a rather well qualified chap in the NSW Public Service, who was head statistician (with two PhD in the subject, no less) of a major department.
The then Minister, John Anderson was so upset at the figures, because they were so at variance with his "official" advice, that he sent them off to NTSB/USA for review and confirmation or damnation, preferably the latter.
The NTSB report in reply, in short summary said: " Of course they are correct, they are just a list of accidents from publicly available sources, using ICAO definitions, assembled as a comparison of national air safety outcomes.
Although I have not updated the detailed comparison recently, the raw data suggests that little or no real improvement has been made in Australia, some apparent improvements have come about through other reasons (downturn in air ag. hours, and improved ag. aircraft --- all nothing to do with CASA, or Australia "envy of the rest of the world" regulation), or the severe downturn of some sectors of GA aviation activity in Australia.
Empty skies are safe skies.
You can believe the above or not, depending on your prejudice or predilection, as many of you clearly find the facts most inconvenient, when they clash with your long held "rose tinted glasses" view of Australian aviation.
There has been no improvement in the Australian airline accident record, vs-a-vie USA, either --- once again, using ICAO definitions, not Australia's self-serving definitions of choice.
Tootle pip!!
PS1: Not forgetting 100% of aviation accidents are investigated in the US, unlike here, very little "slips through the gaps". The AOPA/AU study did not include a number of aviation accidents in Australia, known to AOPA, that never made it into "official" (BASI/ATSB/CAA/CASA/whatever) figures.
PS2: I don't have a selective memory, I didn't say there were zero in service, but the record is clear. I have personally been present in the immediate aftermath of five twin training accidents, four of which were in Australia, one which killed a very close friend, not a nice memory, it fell to me to tell his mother he was dead. I had a very acrimonious discussion with Morris on the subject, about two weeks before the Camden crash, sadly he proved me right. And in that case, the other pilot was highly experienced, and it still went all horribly wrong.
PS: I was in Tamworth the day after the Metro went in on training, and that was even an aircraft certified to the "Commuter" amendments to FAr 23.