16-Sep-2016 Source: USHST
The United States Helicopter Safety Team (www.ushst.org) has completed a comprehensive analysis of U.S. fatal accidents that occurred from 2009 to 2013. The data will be used to develop specific intervention recommendations to support further accident reductions.
Out of 104 fatal accidents that took place during the five-year span, 50 percent of them stemmed from three “occurrence” categories:
Ø Loss of Control while inflight 19 fatal accidents
Ø Unintended Flight into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) 18 fatal accidents
Ø Low Altitude operations 15 fatal accidents
Beginning this month, ad-hoc teams within the USHST will develop safety recommendations aimed at mitigating fatal accidents caused by Loss of Control, by Unintended IMC, and during Low Altitude operations. A recommendations list and action plan will be completed by early 2017.
The USHST also has begun to enhance its outreach to key helicopter industry areas where the largest number of fatal accidents occurs:
Ø Personal/Private sector
Ø Helicopter Air Ambulance
Ø Commercial Helicopter operations
Ø Aerial Application industry group
Ad-hoc outreach groups from the USHST will identify points of contact within these industry segments, involve key populations in seminars and industry meetings, and attend conventions and gatherings relevant to these identified sectors. Outreach will be a continuing process for the next 3½ years.
From 2016 through 2019, the United States Helicopter Safety Team (www.ushst.org) is focusing major attention on reducing fatal accidents within the U.S. civil helicopter community. The industry-government partnership is targeting a reduction by 2019 to 0.61 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours. The fatal accident rate goal for 2016 is 0.73 or lower.
For the first six months of 2016, the fatal accident rate is 0.54, a 47 percent decrease compared to 2013.
