NEWS | USHST US US Helicopter Safety Team District of Columbia

US Helicopter Accident Rate Cut by Half

During 2014 US civil helicopters experienced 3.64 accidents per 100,000 flight hours, a 26 percent reduction compared to 2013 and a 54 percent reduction compared to the 2001-05 baseline accident rate





US Helicopter Accident Rate Cut by Half
USHST, February 03, 2015 - FORT WORTH, TX – On the heels of the news announced last month that the total number of U.S. civil helicopter accidents had been reduced to the lowest level since the early 1980s, new accident rate data is highlighting an even stronger improvement.

During 2014, the U.S. civil helicopter industry experienced 3.64 accidents per 100,000 flight hours. This is a 26 percent reduction compared to 2013 and a 54 percent reduction compared to the 2001-05 baseline accident rate.

Safety experts at the United States Helicopter Safety Team (www.USHST.org) also saw improvement in the fatal accident rate. During 2014, there were 0.59 fatal helicopter accidents per 100,000 flight hours compared to 1.02 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours in 2013 (a 42 percent decrease). Data in 2014 also shows a 55 percent reduction compared to the 2001-05 baseline fatal accident rate of 1.31. (See attached charts for complete figures.)

The accident rates, which offer a more complete picture regarding the safety of helicopter operations, show good safety progress in the industry and encouraging results in IHST (International Helicopter Safety Team) and USHST safety education and communication efforts.

According to preliminary data, the dip in the accident rate during 2014 came after two consecutive years of increases.

The 2014 rate is the lowest among the past 15 years of collected data. In addition, the fatal accident rate has been below 0.70 in four out of the past six years.

U.S. Civil Helicopter Accident Rates

2001-05 baseline 7.97 accidents per 100,000 flight hours

2013 4.95 accidents per 100,000 flight hours
2014 3.64 accidents per 100,000 flight hours

2001-05 baseline 1.31 Fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours

2013 1.02 Fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours
2014 0.59 Fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours

The 2001-05 time period was chosen by the International Helicopter Safety Team (www.IHST.org) as a baseline to compare data prior to the creation of the IHST and its safety education efforts.

The USHST and IHST promote safety and work to reduce civil helicopter accidents. The IHST organization was formed in 2006 to lead a government and industry cooperative effort to address factors that were affecting an unacceptable helicopter accident rate.


  See also


USHST US US Helicopter Safety Team District of Columbia
helicopter Helicopters Accident Reports
Downward Trend for U.S. Helicopter Accident Rate





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