EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PREVENTION OF HELICOPTER EXTERNAL LOAD ACCIDENTS

From 1980 through 1995, there were 230 helicopter external load accide nts resulting in 57 fatalities and 74 serious nonfatal injuries in the United States investigated by the National Transportation Safety Boar d (NTSB). Helicopter external load operations, such as helicopter logg ing, place unique demands on the aircraft helicopters and the pilots w ho fly them. A descriptive analysis of NTSB ''accident briefs'' indica tes that mechanical failure, pilot error, and maintenance errors were cited as the most common probable causes of the accidents. Recent expe rience in Alaska has shown that by adhering to existing regulations an d manufacturer recommendations, and by implementing improved training and frequent maintenance, helicopter external load operations are safe r with fewer accidents, crashes, and injuries. Published by the Nation al Safety Council and Elsevier Science Ltd.