US Helicopter Safety Team (USHST)
Monthly Safety Report
January 2022
Fatal Accident Rate: 0.75 (+.20) above goal of 0.55 fatal accidents per 100K hrs by 2025
USHST Vision: A Civil Helicopter Community with Zero Fatal Accidents
“Safety by the Numbers” (Monthly Metrics):
Days since last Fatal helicopter accident: 11 Days : 03 Hours : 42 Minutes : 56 Seconds
Fatal Accident Rate (5yr avg)(CY2017-21) 0.75 Fatal Accidents per 100K Flight Hours
Fatal Accident Rate (CY2021) 22 Fatal Accidents per 100K Flight Hours
Loss of Control-Inflight (LOC-I), Unintended Flight into IMC (UIMC), Low Altitude Operations (LALT).
USHST continues to work on the implementation of 16 Helicopter - Safety Enhancements (H-SE) developed through data-driven analysis of 104 fatal accidents. The H-SE’s use Outreach, Policy, Technology/Equipment, and Training to reduce fatal accidents in these categories.
H-SE 127a: Recognition & Recovery of Spatial Disorientation
To help prevent fatal helicopter accidents resulting from spatial disorientation (SD), the helicopter community should promote the wider use of available SD simulation technology and training scenarios to create further awareness of impairment from SD and how to recover from such an event. Within the UIMC dataset, there were five accidents where a pilot’s incapacitation by spatial disorientation was either the cause or a contributing factor to the accident.
This H-SE proposes education initiatives and use of SD simulation as part of the helicopter simulator training sessions. Intervention Strategy (IS) 132 was merged into H-SE 127A. IS 32 recommended training by industry to emphasize the use of all available resources installed on the aircraft (to include automation, such as increased use of autopilot).
1. Review existing SD training products for inclusion in helicopter specific SD training.
2. Create helicopter unique SD training products to include simulation technology. 05/22/2019 Rev 2 Page 2
3. Distribute SD training products to flight training providers and owners/operators and track use of SD training products.
Spatial Disorientation Induced by a Degraded Visual Environment
US Helicopter Safety Team Press Release (December 2021):
“56 Seconds to Live” Safety Course Wins AIN 2021 Top Flight Award
Helicopter Safety OUTREACH events:
· USHST All Hands Webinar – 1-3pm EDT, 23 February 2022 Register Here!
Previous All Hands - Winter is Coming! (December 2021)
· HAI Upcoming Events
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To view all USHST Monthly Safety Reports, click on the link below:
https://ushst.org/reports/
For any questions regarding the information within this notice please contact Clarke Pleasants, Program Chair-Rotor, ERAU, at 928-7774730 or email at william.pleasants@erau.edu
