Helicopter Accidents

What Is a Helicopter Accident?

Helicopter accidents are common. The United States Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) reports there were 78 helicopter accidents in the U.S., 11of them fatal, in 2024. A total of 26 deaths resulted from those accidents. ⁽¹⁾

Since 2004, there have been at least 9 helicopter crashes in New York City (NYC) alone. According to the Associated Press, “At least 32 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977.” ⁽²⁾

Helicopters are aircraft. “A helicopter is a type of aircraft that uses rotating, or spinning, wings called blades to fly… A helicopter’s rotating blades, or a rotor, allow it to do things an airplane cannot.” ⁽³⁾ For example, helicopters “can take off and land vertically, hover in place, and move in all directions – forward, backward, and sideways.” ⁽⁴⁾

Any accident involving an aircraft is “an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and all such persons have disembarked, and in which any person suffers death or serious injury, or in which the aircraft receives substantial damage.” ⁽⁵⁾

Causes of Helicopter Accidents

Knowing what constitutes a helicopter accident also raises the question of what causes these accidents in the first place.

Helicopter accidents may be caused by a number of things. Here are some of the most common:

Operational Pilot Error

The most frequent factor in helicopter accidents is pilot error, says aviation training provider Pilot Institute. Pilots may be fatigued, under extreme pressure, or dealing with complicated equipment. Their work is intensive, requiring tremendous amounts of information processing. ⁽⁶⁾

“There are reasons why the pilot error is even more likely in a helicopter than in an airplane. Firstly, most helicopters require more hands-on flying than fixed-wing aircraft,” points out Pilot Institute. ⁽⁷⁾

Mechanical Malfunction

Most helicopter crews fear mechanical failure, “because of its potential severity…the failure of a key helicopter component such as the rotor and rotor shaft, main gearbox, or tail rotor often proves fatal. In no other type of flying machine is so much stress placed on single components.” ⁽⁸⁾

Electrical Malfunction

Crashes can happen if an electrical malfunction occurs while in the air. “More and more operations in today’s flight environment are dependent on the aircraft’s electrical system,” indicates an aviation education handbook. “On small, piston powered helicopters, electrical energy is supplied by an engine-driven alternator by means of a belt and pulley system similar to that of an automobile.” ⁽⁹⁾

Environmental Factors

Another common reason why helicopters crash is environmental factors. “Flying in snow, rain, sleet, fog, or any other scenario where visibility is impaired” can cause accidents. “Other environmental factors include bird strikes, which are more likely to happen in a helicopter than in an airplane due to the fact that helicopters are so often flying at lower altitudes.” ⁽¹⁰⁾

Injuries and Deceleration

Helicopter crashes can result in severe, life-threatening injuries. Injuries sustained during a crash depend upon the deceleration you are subjected to during the crash. ⁽¹¹⁾

Deceleration forces vary and are measured as g-force. G-force is a measure of acceleration on your body due to gravity. ⁽¹²⁾

“Factors that influence the effects of deceleration are the initial rate of speed, the distance covered and time consumed in deceleration, the direction of forces, and the area of distribution.” ⁽¹³⁾

High levels of G forces for short periods of time are survivable. “The amount of G forces that are tolerable differs by individual. But for all of us it depends on three factors: the direction in which the G forces are felt, the amount of G’s involved, and how long those G’s last,” explains NOVA. ⁽¹⁴⁾

Examples of deceleration injuries:

• Loss of consciousness — From G forces of 4 or 5, felt from head-to-toe. However, well trained pilots can handle 4 or 5G. 
• Loss of consciousness — Negative G forces, those felt from toe-to-head, even in well trained pilots.
• Fractures — Begin occurring at 35G.
• Pulmonary artery tear — Feeling 70G on the chest, even for short periods of time, is a lethal injury.
• Fluid displacement or tissue deformation — From exposure to G forces of longer than 0.2 seconds. ⁽¹⁵⁾
• Pulse rate increase, drop in blood pressure, weakness, and pallor of the skin —happens with exposure to 30G. ⁽¹⁶⁾

Injuries also can result from coming into contact with the aircraft structure or equipment.

Specific Injuries from Aircraft Accidents

The long list of specific injuries you can get in an aircraft accident includes:

• Death — In 2024 there were 44 helicopter accidents, 7 of them fatal accidents in which 16 people died. ⁽¹⁷⁾
• Bone fractures — Limb fractures, including parts of the legs and arms, are common. So are fractures of the spine. “Orthopaedic injuries secondary to helicopter crashes often present as polytraumas with poor prognoses. ⁽¹⁸⁾ 
• Burns — These are caused by the crash itself. “Post-impact fire (PIF) contributes significantly to injuries and fatalities in accidents that are otherwise potentially survivable.” The fuel is highly volatile with a low flashpoint. Victims are very close to the fuel tanks and there is only about 20 seconds of escape time. ⁽¹⁹⁾
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis — According to one study, “Spinal injuries accounted for 10%” of the total injuries… accounting for 14% of total injuries in MEDEVAC accidents, 8% of total injuries in MEDEVAC CRIs, and 11% of total injuries in HEMS accidents.” ⁽²⁰⁾ Spinal cord damage can result in paralysis. When the injury occurs higher up on the spine, more of the body is affected. ⁽²¹⁾
• Traumatic brain injuries — These are brain injuries from sudden trauma, such as a blow to the head in a crash. A head injury “is a broad term that describes a vast array of injuries that occur to the scalp, skull, brain and underlying tissue and blood vessels in the head.” ⁽²²⁾ Skull fractures are often a cause of death. 
• Internal brain injuries — Common types of internal brain injury include concussions and intracranial hematomas (blood clots in or around the brain). Bruising and internal damage to the brain can also occur. ⁽²³⁾
• Blunt force trauma — This is sustained on impact by accident victims. It can also occur when items not adequately secured break free. One report noted, “Serious or worse injuries were most prevalent in the thorax (53.6%), spine (50.0%), head (41.7%), and external/other regions (75.0%). The most frequent injuries by detailed body regions were thoracic organ (23.0%), thoracic skeletal (13.3%), abdominal organ (9.6%), and leg injuries (7.4%).” ⁽²⁴⁾
• Lacerations and scarring — Collapse of a helicopter’s structure can result in lacerations. These tears in the skin can occur whenever an individual comes into contact with objects during a crash. Deep lacerations can result in scarring; likewise, burns may leave scars.

Who Is Responsible for a Helicopter Accident?

A lawsuit can help you get compensation from the people and companies responsible for the helicopter accident. The owners of the helicopter, the manufacturer of the helicopter or any of its components, and the operator of the aircraft may all be held accountable.

In such cases, you must show the court why the crash happened. You need to prove it was the result of a defect in the aircraft design or in one of its components. Or it was due to a mechanical failure, or pilot error was involved.

Crash Examples

For example, you were injured in a crash because the pilot failed to complete all required safety checks before takeoff. If you can show the court documentation — or have witness testimony to support your claim — you could prove negligence.

Another example might be to show the court the crash was caused by a malfunction in the electrical system of the helicopter. Or the rotor blades of the helicopter failed to rotate at the proper speed.

If you can prove this claim to the court, the manufacturers involved can be held liable for damages. Also, if a manufacturer knew about — but failed to correct — a defect in the design of the aircraft, the manufacturer may be held liable.

Filing a Helicopter Accident Lawsuit

Helicopter accident cases can be very complicated. Relying on the knowledge of an attorney who has handled many personal injury cases can help deliver a successful outcome in court. 

An attorney helps you hold all responsible parties accountable by filing a lawsuit. In your NYC lawsuit, you are bringing the suit and are referred to as the “plaintiff,” while the party being sued is called the “defendant.” Your attorney files the requisite “summons and complaint” with the proper court.

Any required fees must be paid at the time of filing the lawsuit. One of the responsibilities of an experienced attorney is ensuring the rules regarding where to file your lawsuit have been met. ⁽²⁵⁾

After filing the summons and complaint, it must be “served” on the defendants. The defendants then have 30 days to “answer” the summons. When the defendants have answered the summons, a court date is set. ⁽²⁶⁾

Possible Settlements

In the meantime, both parties investigate the case and gather evidence. Each side in your lawsuit does the research necessary to present the case in a courtroom.

Instead of going to trial, many lawsuits end up settling out of court. So, experience with negotiating settlements becomes a key consideration in hiring an attorney. An attorney who has done this many times before can usually obtain a more favorable settlement for you.

How W&L Can Help

Weitz & Luxenberg has built a solid reputation for representing our client interests — both in court and at settlement. Here are some of our successes:

• Six-figure settlement in airline luggage case. W&L negotiated the settlement after a woman passenger was struck by luggage falling out of an overhead bin while on an international flight.
• $10 million in compensation obtained for a teen victim blinded in one eye in a bungee cord accident. The bungee cord brake system was negligently designed and too short.
• $20.5 million verdict plus $3 million in past and future medical expenses was awarded. The case was for a man left paralyzed for life from a hit-and-run car accident.