My philsophy is to not fly on anything smaller than a 737. A business partner of mine was killed last week, along with one other person when the pilot failed to pull the wheels in to the pontoons to make a water landing in an amphibious aircraft. The plane immediately flipped over when it attempted to land on the water. This was not some rookie pilot. It was a small charter airplane service and the pilot just forgot to pull the wheels up.
Whether it's mechanical problems or it's pilot error, the chances of dying are very high in an avation accident. In a car, if you're properly restrained, and you are not driving wrecklessly, your chances of surving are pretty high
Fixed wing AC are safer than cars or bicycles, statistically speaking. Last time I was in a helo, a psycho Major was insisting that I lean out to get him some good video. No freaking thanks. And the pilot told me... "if you fall out, try to avoid the tail rotor...." with a smirk.
I hate helicopters.
/johnny