NTSB Helicopter Accident Study
Report Completion: April, 2002
NASDAC study identifying helicopter accidents occurring between 1990 and 2000 in the NTSB database. Accidents are identified by category of operation, engine type, and type of operation. The study also identifies the top 15 NTSB causal factors by year for helicopter accidents.
Click here to download Excel 5.0 spreadsheet.
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NTSB Helicopter Accidents by Category
of Operation and Engine Type |
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Category of Operation |
Engine Type |
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|
Year |
Total |
General Aviation (FAR Part 91/103/129) |
Air Taxi / Commercial (FAR Part 135) |
Rotorcraft External-Load (FAR Part 133) |
Agricultural (FAR Part 137) |
Unknown |
Reciprocating |
Turbo Shaft* |
Unknown |
|
1990 |
233 |
145 |
23 |
19 |
27 |
19 |
132 |
99 |
2 |
|
1991 |
198 |
126 |
20 |
9 |
32 |
11 |
122 |
67 |
9 |
|
1992 |
211 |
150 |
16 |
12 |
22 |
11 |
116 |
70 |
25 |
|
1993 |
183 |
121 |
15 |
17 |
25 |
5 |
94 |
76 |
13 |
|
1994 |
220 |
153 |
17 |
16 |
24 |
10 |
100 |
105 |
15 |
|
1995 |
164 |
116 |
10 |
11 |
24 |
3 |
84 |
76 |
4 |
|
1996 |
181 |
128 |
11 |
15 |
21 |
6 |
77 |
98 |
6 |
|
1997 |
174 |
131 |
10 |
15 |
15 |
3 |
82 |
80 |
12 |
|
1998 |
203 |
152 |
11 |
13 |
24 |
3 |
103 |
87 |
13 |
|
1999 |
213 |
159 |
15 |
12 |
25 |
2 |
80 |
106 |
27 |
|
2000 |
231 |
180 |
17 |
8 |
25 |
1 |
81 |
93 |
57 |
|
Total |
2211 |
1561 |
165 |
147 |
264 |
74 |
1071 |
957 |
183 |
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* Turbine helicopters are considered turbo shaft |
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Breakdown of NTSB Helicopter Accidents
by Type of Operation
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Top Fifteen NTSB Causal Factors for
Helicopter Accidents |
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Causal Factors - Subject/Modifier |
Year |
Total |
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|
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
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|
OBJECT,TREE(S) |
18 |
19 |
16 |
19 |
22 |
20 |
20 |
10 |
18 |
17 |
18 |
197 |
|
AUTOROTATION,PERFORMED |
15 |
17 |
14 |
11 |
13 |
12 |
27 |
17 |
21 |
18 |
11 |
176 |
|
REASON FOR OCCURRENCE UNDETERMINED,NO MODIFIER SPECIFIED |
15 |
17 |
16 |
17 |
25 |
7 |
11 |
18 |
18 |
16 |
13 |
173 |
|
ROTOR RPM,NOT MAINTAINED |
17 |
16 |
18 |
16 |
15 |
7 |
6 |
18 |
12 |
26 |
7 |
158 |
|
CLEARANCE, NOT MAINTAINED |
10 |
12 |
5 |
12 |
18 |
15 |
10 |
10 |
16 |
15 |
13 |
136 |
|
TERRAIN CONDITION,NONE SUITABLE |
6 |
15 |
10 |
10 |
18 |
12 |
15 |
12 |
20 |
7 |
8 |
133 |
|
AIRCRAFT CONTROL,NOT MAINTAINED |
10 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
8 |
13 |
12 |
12 |
15 |
19 |
21 |
132 |
|
OBJECT,WIRE, TRANSMISSION |
13 |
6 |
8 |
15 |
15 |
8 |
9 |
9 |
10 |
10 |
6 |
109 |
|
AUTOROTATION,INITIATED |
4 |
6 |
10 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
11 |
14 |
13 |
11 |
9 |
93 |
|
TERRAIN CONDITION,WATER |
7 |
11 |
12 |
8 |
14 |
10 |
4 |
6 |
7 |
7 |
4 |
90 |
|
SUPERVISION,INADEQUATE |
4 |
8 |
9 |
9 |
7 |
9 |
11 |
10 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
88 |
|
TERRAIN CONDITION, GROUND |
4 |
9 |
6 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
22 |
13 |
11 |
86 |
|
TERRAIN CONDITION, MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY |
3 |
6 |
10 |
7 |
14 |
7 |
9 |
8 |
8 |
6 |
5 |
83 |
|
VISUAL LOOKOUT,INADEQUATE |
11 |
8 |
10 |
11 |
7 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
81 |
|
TERRAIN CONDITION, ROUGH/UNEVEN |
10 |
7 |
7 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
3 |
12 |
7 |
10 |
78 |