Fatal Rotorcraft Accidents for a Ten-Year Period

The Federal Aviation Administration implemented regulations and guidance material to protect occupants in the event of a rotorcraft crash. These rules apply to all newly developed rotorcraft. There has been a recent push to develop similar standards for the existing fleet and for the newly constructed rotorcraft. Two major areas of concern are injuries and fatalities resulting from either blunt force trauma or post-crash fire. To understand the effects of these two factors on survivability outcomes, the National Transportation Safety Board accident database was queried for rotorcraft accidents from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2018. During this period, a total of 1489 accidents occurred, and after refinement, 187 listed fatal. Of the fatalities, blunt force trauma was by far the greatest cause. Though thermal injuries resulted in fewer fatalities, post-crash fires were still a frequent occurrence and protective measures should be put in place for both.