FAA Rotorcraft Monthly Accidents
U.S. Helicopter Safety Team,
Attached is the Rotorcraft Monthly Accident Briefing for July 2019.
Monthly Summary
July Totals: 13 accidents, 2 fatal accidents, 8 fatalities
-The 13 accidents tied with FY16 for the lowest July accident count in the last 10 years and was the second lowest for a July in the last 37 FYs (trailing only FY06, 11 accidents).
-Aerial application accidents accounted for 46% (6/13) of the July accident total.
-7 of the 8 fatalities in July were attributable to one fatal accident (AW139, Bahamas).
Cumulative FY19 Summary, Oct-Jul
FY19, Cumulative Totals: 99 accidents, 24 fatal accidents, 50 fatalities
Accidents:
-The estimated accident rate for Oct-Jul was 3.39 per 100K flight hours.
-The 6 aerial application accidents in July increased the Oct-Jul cumulative total for that industry enough to move into a tie with Personal/Private for the highest count (19 accidents each).
Fatal Accidents:
-The fatal accident rate for Oct-Jul decreased slightly to 0.82 per 100K flight hours but remains on pace to be the second highest rate for rotorcraft in the last 10 FYs.
Fatalities:
-The estimated fatality rate for Oct-Jul increased from 1.62 to 1.71 per 100K flight hours due to the 8 fatalities during July.
-The 8 fatalities in July moved FY19 into a tie with the full year fatality total from FY18. Even with 2 months in the FY remaining, the total is tied for the third highest in the last 10 FYs.
Lee Roskop
Safety Management Section, AIR-682 Rotorcraft Standards Branch, Policy & Innovation Division 817-222-5337 lee.roskop@faa.gov
