Crashes of Sightseeing Helicopter Tours in Hawaii

Haaland, Wren; Shanahan, Dennis F.; Baker, Susan Pardee

doi:10.3357/asem.2444.2009

Cited by 13 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…A study by Haaland and colleagues cited improper maintenance as the cause of malfunction in 32% of commercial helicopter air tour crashes in Hawaii occurring between 1984 and 2008 (24). Although no studies have reported the combined proportions of helicopter and fixed-wing air tour crashes due to improper maintenance, the NTSB has identified improper maintenance as a precipitating factor in many rotary- and fixed-wing air tour crashes (37).…”

Section: National Transportation Safety Board Recommended Interventionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Part 91 air tour crash rate of 3.5 per 100,000 h flown is similar to the reported crash rates in categories considered to be “high hazard” commercial aviation. Prior to 1994, the Hawaiian helicopter air tour crash rate of 3.4 per 100,000 flight hours was so alarming that it prompted the emergency implementation of Special Federal Avia tion Regulation 71 by the FAA (24). Similarly, the Helicopter Emergency Medical Services crash rate of 3.5 per 100,000 h flown between the years 1992 and 2001 prompted a special investigation by the NTSB in 2009 (2, 42).…”

Section: Summary Of Adequacy Of Responses and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To begin with, the publication of 14 CFR Part 136 provided much-needed clarification of many of the ambiguous terms in the regulations, allowing them to be interpreted more clearly (14, 20). The new requirements for passenger safety briefings, preflight center of gravity calculations, and personal flotation devices also appear to have improved air tour safety according to one study (24). Haaland and colleagues’comparison of helicopter air tour crashes before and after Special Federal Aviation Regulation 71 reported that the number of fatal crashes involving these three factors decreased in the post-regulation period (24).…”

Section: Summary Of Adequacy Of Responses and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The new requirements for passenger safety briefings, preflight center of gravity calculations, and personal flotation devices also appear to have improved air tour safety according to one study (24). Haaland and colleagues’comparison of helicopter air tour crashes before and after Special Federal Aviation Regulation 71 reported that the number of fatal crashes involving these three factors decreased in the post-regulation period (24). This is consistent with early emergency evacuation demonstration data that show preflight briefings improve passenger understanding and execution of aircraft egress procedures in the event of an emergency (1, 28).…”

Section: Summary Of Adequacy Of Responses and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The U.S. Commercial Air Tour Industry: A Review of Aviation Safety Concerns

Ballard

2014

aviat space environ med

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The U.S. Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations defines commercial air tours as “flight[s] conducted for compensation or hire in an airplane or helicopter where a purpose of the flight is sightseeing.” The incidence of air tour crashes in the United States is disproportionately high relative to similar commercial aviation operations, and air tours operating under Part 91 governance crash significantly more than those governed by Part 135. This paper reviews the government and industry response to four specific areas of air tour safety concern: surveillance of flight operations, pilot factors, regulatory standardization, and maintenance quality assurance. It concludes that the government and industry have successfully addressed many of these tenet issues, most notably by: advancing the operations surveillance infrastructure through implementation of en route, ground-based, and technological surveillance methods; developing Aeronautical Decision Making and cue-based training programs for air tour pilots; consolidating federal air tour regulations under Part 136; and developing public-private partnerships for raising maintenance operating standards and improving quality assurance programs. However, opportunities remain to improve air tour safety by: increasing the number and efficiency of flight surveillance programs; addressing pilot fatigue with more restrictive flight hour limitations for air tour pilots; ensuring widespread uptake of maintenance quality assurance programs, especially among high-risk operators not currently affiliated with private air tour safety programs; and eliminating the 25-mile exception allowing Part 91 operators to conduct commercial air tours without the safety oversight required of Part 135 operators.

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Section: National Transportation Safety Board Recommended Interventionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Summary Of Adequacy Of Responses and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Summary Of Adequacy Of Responses and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Summary Of Adequacy Of Responses and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

The U.S. Commercial Air Tour Industry: A Review of Aviation Safety Concerns

Ballard

2014

aviat space environ med

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show abstract

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] However, the helicopter's flying behavior may be affected by many potential obstacles in the low airspace (e.g. telephone pole, electric wire, etc.)…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%