Fatality and Operational Specificity of Helicopter Accidents on the Ground

2021 ◽  
Vol 92 (7) ◽  
pp. 593-596
Author(s):  
Alexander J. de Voogt ◽  
Caio Hummel Hohl ◽  
Hilary Kalagher
Keyword(s):  
Meteorological Conditions ◽  
Rotor System ◽  
Online Database ◽  
Main Rotor ◽  
Fatal Accidents ◽  
Wind Gusts ◽  
Instrument Meteorological Conditions ◽  
The Common ◽  
Serious Injuries ◽  
High Winds

INTRODUCTION: Accidents with aircraft standing are more likely with helicopters than fixed-wing aircraft due to the common presence of off-airport landings and the possibility of the rotor system to strike objects in its immediate surroundings.METHODS: A total of 115 accidents involving helicopters characterized as standing as a broad phase of flight were selected from the NTSB online database for the period 1998 until 2018.RESULTS: Accidents reporting fatal (8.7) or serious injuries (7.8) were significantly less likely to occur when the aircraft was substantially damaged (84.3) or destroyed (5.2). The majority of the cases occurred after off-airport landings (57.4), which were reported significantly more often in Alaska (N= 15). A main rotor strike with an individual was at the basis of each of the 10 fatal accidents in the dataset and in 8 of these cases the cause of the accident was attributed to the victim. None of the accidents occurred in instrument meteorological conditions, but, in particular, high winds and gusts proved a main cause of accident (18.3).CONCLUSION: Pilot, passengers, and crew endangered themselves when they were outside the aircraft while the rotors were still turning. Helicopter operating manuals should highlight the limitations and dangers for wind and wind gusts not only during takeoff and flight, but specifically when standing.de Voogt AJ, Hummel C, Kalagher H. Fatality and operational specificity of helicopter accidents on the ground. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2021; 92(7):593596.

scholarly journals Helicopter Pilots Encountering Fog: An Analysis of 109 Accidents from 1992 to 2016

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 994
Author(s):  
Alex de Voogt ◽  
Hilary Kalagher ◽  
Andrew Diamond
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
The United States ◽  
Meteorological Conditions ◽  
Transportation Safety ◽  
Online Database ◽  
Fatal Accident ◽  
Instrument Meteorological Conditions ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Helicopter Pilots

Helicopters have the ability to make maneuvers or precautionary off-airport landings to avoid flights into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) such as fog. Flight accidents in which fog was encountered as well as inadvertent and intentional flights into fog were examined to understand their occurrence. A 25-year period in the United States using the National Transportation Safety Board online database was used to collect 109 accident reports of which 73 (67%) were fatal. Pilots flying intentionally into IMC were more likely to be a part of a fatal accident than those who did so inadvertently. Those pilots who were reported as being under pressure when encountering fog conditions were also more likely to be in an accident. The findings confirm a high prevalence and an added danger to intentional flights into IMC. In addition, decision-making under pressure when encountering IMC conditions is now linked to a higher proportion of fatalities, emphasizing that helicopter pilots should be made aware of these specific decision-making circumstances in their operations.

Situational Awareness and General Aviation Accidents

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary Kalagher ◽  
Alex de Voogt ◽  
Colin Boulter
Keyword(s):  
Situational Awareness ◽  
Meteorological Conditions ◽  
General Aviation ◽  
Transportation Safety ◽  
Accident Investigation ◽  
Fatal Accidents ◽  
Aviation Accidents ◽  
Instrument Meteorological Conditions ◽  
Low Visibility ◽  
Aircraft Accident

Abstract. Situational awareness is a concept increasingly used in aircraft accident investigation reports. We analyzed 94 general aviation accidents in which situational awareness was mentioned by the National Transportation Safety Board investigator to determine factors that are significantly more often associated with fatality. We found a consistent use of the situational awareness concept, mainly applied to situations in which aircraft inadvertently collided with each other, with other man-made objects, and with various kinds of terrain. A significantly higher proportion of fatal accidents occurred during nighttime, in instrument meteorological conditions, or low visibility conditions. In addition, flights occurring during the cruise phase or in combination with spatial or geographical disorientation proved most often fatal.

Characteristics of pilots who report deliberate versus inadvertent visual flight into Instrument Meteorological Conditions

2012 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 472-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark W. Wiggins ◽  
David R. Hunter ◽  
David O’Hare ◽  
Monica Martinussen
Keyword(s):  
Meteorological Conditions ◽  
Instrument Meteorological Conditions

scholarly journals Adapted Wavelet Transform for Twisted Blade Diagnosis in Multi Stage Rotor

2019 ◽  
Vol 255 ◽  
pp. 02011
Author(s):  
Ahmed M. Abdelrhman ◽  
M. Salman Leong ◽  
Y.H. Ali ◽  
Iftikhar Ahmad ◽  
Christina G. Georgantopoulou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wavelet Transform ◽  
Wavelet Analysis ◽  
Rotor System ◽  
Fault Detection And Diagnosis ◽  
Frequency Resolution ◽  
Time Frequency ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
The Common ◽  
Detection And Diagnosis ◽  
Twisted Blade

This paper studies the diagnosis of twisted blade in a multi stages rotor system using adapted wavelet transform and casing vibration. The common detection method (FFT) is effective only if sever blade faults occurred while the minor faults usually remain undetected. Wavelet analysis as alternative technique is still unable to fulfill the fault detection and diagnosis accurately due to its inadequate time-frequency resolution. In this paper, wavelet is adapted and its time-frequency is improved. Experimental study was undertaken to simulate multi stages rotor system. Results showed that the adapted wavelet analysis is effective in twisted blade diagnosis compared to the conventional one.

scholarly journals Aerodynamic Characteristics of Helicopter with Ducted Fan Tail Rotor in Hover under Low-Speed Crosswind

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Nahyeon Roh ◽  
Sejong Oh ◽  
Donghun Park
Keyword(s):  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Aerodynamic Characteristics ◽  
Rotor System ◽  
Main Rotor ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Open Type ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
Ducted Fan ◽  
Wake Interaction ◽  
Fixed Part

The tail rotor of a helicopter operating under low-speed crosswind undergoes highly complex flow due to the interaction between the main rotor, fuselage, and tail rotor system. In this study, numerical simulations have been conducted on the complete configuration of a helicopter with a ducted fan tail rotor system (comprising a main rotor, ducted fan tail rotor, fuselage, and empennage) to analyze the wake interaction in hovering flight under various crosswind directions. The flow characteristics around the tail rotor, the tail rotor thrust, and the yawing moment of the helicopter are investigated and evaluated. The aerodynamic forces are compared with those of a helicopter with an open-type tail rotor. The results indicate that the aerodynamic performance of the ducted fan tail rotor is highly affected by the wakes of both the main rotor and port wing. Nevertheless, the helicopter with a ducted fan tail rotor is observed to be much more directionally stable under various crosswind directions, than that with an open-type tail rotor. This is because the rotor is protected by the fixed part of the tail rotor system in the former case.

Challenges Contributing to the General Aviation Weather Problem & Decision Support Systems Technology Recommendations

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 1771-1775 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayde King ◽  
Yolanda Ortiz ◽  
Beth Blickensderfer ◽  
Emalee Christy
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Decision Support Tool ◽  
Meteorological Conditions ◽  
General Aviation ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Instrument Meteorological Conditions ◽  
Decision Making Biases ◽  
Aviation Weather

General Aviation (GA) weather related accidents have steadily remained the most fatal accidents and incidents in the GA flight community. The majority of these accidents involve low-experienced Visual Flight Rule (VFR) pilots, inadvertently encountering Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). Previous research indicates, poor inflight weather avoidance could stem from insufficient preflight weather planning. Further investigation reveals, pilots’ face many challenges during the preflight planning process, including: poor weather product interpretation/ usability, decision making biases and errors, and inadequate aviation weather experience. However, with new technology on the rise, a preflight decision support tool may help guide novice pilots through the preflight process successfully. This paper will discuss the challenges novice pilots encounter during the preflight process and offer recommendations for applying a preflight decision support tool as a solution.

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