Rotorcraft Monthly Accident Briefing for December 2019
U.S. Helicopter Safety Team,
Attached is the Rotorcraft Monthly Accident Briefing for December 2019.
Monthly Summary
Totals: 7 accidents, 3 fatal accidents, 10 fatalities
-December had gone without a fatal accident for 3 consecutive FYs (FY17-19) prior to the 3 fatal events in FY20.
-The 3 fatal accidents during the month were all Part 135 operations (1 each from Offshore, Helicopter Air Ambulance, Air Tour).
-The 10 fatalities were the highest total for a December since FY88, the 4th highest for a December in the last 38 FYs, and the highest monthly fatality total since Nov 2018.
Cumulative FY20 Summary, Oct-Dec
FY20, Cumulative Totals: 23 accidents, 7 fatal accidents, 16 fatalities
Accidents:
-The estimated accident rate for Oct-Dec was 2.77-3.14 accidents per 100K flight hours.
-The count of accidents (23) lags the same time period in FY19 (19), and slightly lags the same time period in FY18 (22).
-Over one third of accidents so far in the FY were Personal/Private operations (35%, 8 of 23). This is twice as high as the next highest operation (Instructional/Training, 17%, 4 of 23).
Fatal Accidents:
-The estimated fatal accident rate for Oct-Dec was 0.84-0.96 fatal accidents per 100K flight hours.
-The count of fatal accidents (7) is identical to the same time period in FY19.
-30% of the accidents that have occurred so far in the FY were fatal.
Fatalities:
-The estimated fatality rate for Oct-Dec was 1.92-2.18 per 100K flight hours.
-The 16 fatalities so far in the FY were the highest total for Oct-Dec since FY13.
Lee Roskop
Safety Management Section, AIR-682 Rotorcraft Standards Branch, Policy & Innovation Division 817-222-5337 lee.roskop@faa.gov
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