Independent inquiry launched into fatal Taipan army helicopter crash (2024)

FAQs

How rare is a helicopter crash? ›

The crash rate for helicopters is 9.84 per 100,000 hours, indicating a 35% higher risk of an accident compared to airplanes. For general aircraft — such as cargo planes and private jets — that number is 7.28 crashes per 100,000 hours of flight time.

Poor weather conditions are a leading cause of helicopter, or rotor aircraft, crashes. According to an analysis presented at a 2021 forum of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, in 28% of all fatal helicopter crashes, weather was a factor.

The United States Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) reports there were 96 helicopter accidents in the U.S., 17 of them fatal in 2021. There were a total of 122 helicopter accidents, 24 of them fatal, in 2019 according to AirMed&Rescue. Since 2004, there have been at least 9 helicopter crashes in New York City (NYC) alone.

Chopper Crash Injuries

Spinal cord injury: Spine injuries can result in partial or total paralysis. Burn injuries: These injuries can be extremely painful and even fatal, depending on the severity and extent to which the victim is burned.

The overall helicopter crash survival rate is 80%. Considering that helicopters have limited gliding capabilities and more or less can fall out of the sky when their engines cease working, a 4/5 crash survival rate is relatively good.

Common organ/visceral injuries included injury to the brain (61.9%), lung (60.7%), liver (47.6%), heart (41.7%), aorta (38.1/), and spleen (32.1%). Injury patterns did not appear to be related to the age of the pilot or the phase of flight.

The Bell helicopter family of turbine powered rotary wing aircraft is widely considered to be the safest, most reliable aircraft of any kind flying throughout the world.

When a helicopter engine fails, the most important thing is to get the collective down and to do so quickly. Rotor RPM is absolutely critical! Once the RPM has dropped below a certain level, it will be impossible to get it back, and the helicopter will indeed crash and burn.

The short answer is that riding in a helicopter is far less safe than flying on a commercial airline or taking an Amtrak train, but significantly safer than riding in a car or truck. Airlines famously are the safest way to travel.

Generally speaking, it is understood that helicopters are harder to operate as compared to standard light aircraft. While a pilot may be able to undertake long flights in a standard aeroplane and not be all too tired at the end of it, just a few hours of flying a helicopter may be exhausting for some.

Are helicopters faster than planes? ›

It depends on the context of the journey and the specific requirements of the task at hand. Helicopters offer speed and flexibility for short distances and lower altitudes, making them invaluable in specialized operations. Planes, on the other hand, are the undisputed choice for high-speed travel over long distances.

The crash rate for general aircraft is 7.28 crashes per 100,000 hours of flight time. For helicopters, that number is 9.84 per 100,000 hours. That means helicopters have a 35 percent higher risk of crashing compared to airplanes.

Helicopters have a higher crash rate as compared to planes for several reasons, such as the following: * Helicopters fly at lower altitudes and speeds than planes, which exposes them to more hazards and obstacles, such as power lines, buildings, trees, and birds.

The vast majority of helicopter accidents involve some form of pilot error. This can include loss of aircraft control, improper training, failure to recognize a potential crash situation, or flying while intoxicated, distracted, or overtired.

Whether the lifetime risk of fatal crash is 37% or 31%, it is frighteningly high. If these numbers are anywhere near true, the medical community needs to rethink the medical threshold for helicopter transport.