Human Factors in Helicopter Air Ambulance Accidents, Incidents, and Safety Reports

Helicopter air ambulance (HAA) operations are subject to unique risks due to their time-sensitive and safety critical nature. The Civil Aerospace Medical Institute completed analyses of the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) Case Analysis and Reporting Online aviation accident and serious incident database and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Aviation Safety Reporting System data in a 10-year span. In total, 102 Aviation Safety Reporting System reports, 53 final NTSB accident reports, and 3 final NTSB incident reports involving HAA from 2013 to 2023 that occurred within the United States were coded for human factors and organizational risk factors. The analyses identified several human factor risks affecting HAA pilots related to situation awareness, judgment and decision making, adherence to procedures, and experience and training. Furthermore, organizational issues influencing HAA operations, such as communication, safety culture, and those involving operator policy and procedure, were identified. These human factors and organizational safety findings suggest potential areas for safety interventions or mitigations in HAA operations.