In 2024, the US helicopter industry posted its lowest number of fatal accidents and its lowest rate of fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours in 25 years.

The data was presented as part of the US Helicopter Safety Team’s (USHST’s) all-hands meeting Monday at VERTICON 2025. The data, compiled by FAA aviation safety coordinator Lee Roskop, found that the fatal accident rate of 0.44% per 100,000 flight hours was 14% less than the lowest rate recorded since 0.51%, in 2016, and 24% lower year over year from 2023’s rate of 0.58%.

Vertical Aviation International (VAI) Senior Director of Safety Chris Hill applauded the good news while emphasizing the work the USHST, VAI, and other aviation industry organizations continue to do to further improve vertical flight safety.

“VAI works tirelessly with global industry and safety stakeholders like the USHST and the Vertical Aviation Safety Team to actively develop and deliver safety enhancements that target known issues affecting vertical aviation. It is so rewarding to learn this positive news regarding reductions in fatal accident rates,” Hill said. “However, each new accident reminds us that there remains much work to be done. We will continue in our relentless pursuit of zero fatal helicopter accidents.”

The fatal accident rate has been steadily declining since 2020, when it was 0.79%. The 13 fatal accidents during 2024 was 19% lower than the previous low of 16 in 2016 and 24% lower than 2023’s count of 17.

Broken down by industry sector, the distribution of the fatal accidents was as follows:

• Personal/private 3 (23%)
• Aerial application 3 (23%)
• Commercial 2 (15%)
• Air tour/sightseeing 2 (15%)
• Helicopter air ambulance 2 (15%)
• Law enforcement 1 (8%).

There were only 4 fatal accidents in the first six months of the year and 10 months when there were either zero or only 1 fatal accident. Between Feb. 9 and Apr. 26, there were no fatal accidents. The 77-day streak was the longest since 70 in 2020. July and October 2024 accounted for 5 of the 13 fatal accidents, 3 in July and 2 in October. Roskop called the results “pretty amazing numbers.”

The fatality rate of 1.02 per 100,000 flight hours was 24% lower than the previous five-year average and 17% lower than the previous 10-year average. The overall fatality count of 30 people was comparable to the best years on record, 2015 and 2016, when 28 fatalities were recorded in each year.

Roskop noted that 20% (six) of 2024’s fatalities occurred in just 1 accident and that 6 of the 13 fatal accidents had at least three fatalities.

The overall accident rate of 2.99 per 100,000 flight hours was also the lowest in 25 years and only the third time over the period when the rate dipped below 3.5. The overall number of accidents, 88, was the second-lowest on record in 25 years and 13% lower than the 101 accidents recorded in 2023.

Loss of control in flight, striking objects during low altitude operations, and unintended flight into instrument conditions continue to be the leading causes of accidents, cumulatively accounting for 47% of all fatal accidents between 2019 and 2024. However, that number is down from the 56% they constituted during the period 2009 to 2018. Fully 30% of all Part 135 helicopter fatal accidents were attributable to flight into instrument conditions between 2019 and 2024.

Perhaps most interesting, Roskop noted, was that the fatal accident rate for Part 135 commercial operators, 0.46%, actually exceeded the rate for Part 91 private/personal operators, at 0.34%. Roskop called that, “pretty remarkable.”