On April 10, a helicopter carrying six people, including a pilot, crashed into the Hudson River in New York City on a sightseeing tour, killing people on board. As reported by the Associated Press, the National Traffic Safety Commission is investigating the cause of the incident.
The crash is undoubtedly a tragedy. However, if helicopter rides are coming soon, there are some important information you should know about helicopter safety.
The answer to the question is “Is helicopters safe?” Slightly, the accident statistics seem to show that the industry has made considerable progress in reducing risk to passengers.
According to 2021 data from the US Helicopter Safety Team in 2013, there were 146 helicopter accidents in the US in 2020, with the number falling to 94, with accidents down 36%. In 2013, these accidents caused 61 deaths, while in 2020 there were 35.
“It's positive to keep these statistics moving forward in the better, and I praise my colleagues for everything they do every day to make our industry safer,” he shared in the report. “But we can do better. Zero deaths are still the target. Here at USHST, we continue to work on improving safety based on the accidents we analyzed, and we regularly develop safety materials to support this effort.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) explains that “helicopter accident rates were higher than fixed-wing aircraft accident rates, perhaps due to the unique ability of helicopters to fly and land in more diverse situations than fixed-wing aircraft.” He also said pilot errors can play a role as pilots “try to fly a helicopter beyond their own capabilities or beyond the helicopter's capabilities.”
The National Road Safety Commission statistics added that around 80% of all aviation accidents are caused by pilot errors, aka “human factors.”
Furthermore, FAA data shows helicopter safety has improved, but commercial airlines are statistically more risky, and commercial airlines often report fatal zero or zero accidents in most years. This could be due to these pilot errors, but it is likely due to the extremely strict regulations and multi-pilot crews on most civil aircraft, resulting in a much more controlled environment than flying a helicopter.
However, helicopters in particular are increasingly equipped with advanced avionics, terrain recognition systems and crash-resistant fuel systems, all of which have helped reduce accidents and deaths by removing human factors.
If you are still interested in flying by helicopter for a sightseeing tour, dig into each company's safety protocols and, if you're nervous, ask about pre-flight checks, weather ratings, and pilot experiences. It is also important that passengers take responsibility for enthusiastic listening to safety briefings before flights, like commercial planes.
