Examining the most accident-prone sector within commercial aviation: Why do accidents with light inland helicopters occur, and how can we improve safety?

Tor-Olav Nævestad,Rolf Johan Bye,Stian Antonsen,Siri H Berge,Ingeborg Storesund Hesjevoll,Beate Elvebakk

doi:10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105235

Tor-Olav Nævestad, Rolf Johan Bye + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105235

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Abstract

Light inland helicopter has for several years been the most accident-prone sector within commercial aviation, with a more than 10 times higher accident risk than offshore helicopters. The main aims of this article are to: 1) Examine why accidents with light inland helicopters occur, focusing especially on the situation in Norway, but also internationally and 2) discuss how these accidents can be prevented. These questions are examined based on three data sources: 1) Analysis of reports from the Accident Investigation Board Norway (AIBN), 2) Qualitative expert interviews, and 3) Systematic literature review. Most of the reviewed studies point to combinations of human errors and technical failures as the major risk factors contributing to helicopter accidents. Our analysis contributes to existing research by also indicating the critical importance of work-related factors like inadequate safety management systems, poor safety culture and challenging framework conditions for pilot behaviour and safety. The literature review indicates a lack of robustly evaluated helicopter safety interventions to address the identified risk factors. Our analysis of the AIBN reports and the interviews indicates a need for measures aiming to improve the safety culture in a sector with challenging framework conditions. Measures focusing on the development of self-imposed and commonly accepted operational limits and guidelines in the sector are discussed.

Highlights

IntroductionSubagia et al (2020) notes that the fatal accident rate of civilian helicopters in the U.S is about 17 times higher than the fatal accident rates of passenger cars, and that it has shown little or no progress from 2010 to 2020
The situation was con trasted with offshore helicopters, which are subject to stricter regulation when it comes to motors, equipment and pilot training
Instead they are often mentioned in the final assessment section, when the AIBN points to measures that potentially could have prevented the accident, or which helicopter operators could implement to avoid similar acci dents in the future

Summary

Introduction

Subagia et al (2020) notes that the fatal accident rate of civilian helicopters in the U.S is about 17 times higher than the fatal accident rates of passenger cars, and that it has shown little or no progress from 2010 to 2020. They conclude that helicopter accidents have not received the same level of attention, or thoroughness in the safety literature as accidents in other high-risk sectors, such as chemical plants, the oil and gas sector, or airline industries

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