Haaland Wren L, Shanahan Dennis F, Baker Susan P
Center for Injury Research and Policy, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Aviat Space Environ Med. 2009 Jul;80(7):637-42. doi: 10.3357/asem.2444.2009.
Crashes of sightseeing helicopter flights in Hawaii and the resulting tourist deaths prompted the FAA to issue regulations in 1994 specific to air tours in Hawaii. Research was undertaken to examine the effect of the 1994 Rule and to describe the circumstances of such crashes.
From National Transportation Safety Board data, 59 crashes of helicopter air tour flights in Hawaii during 1981-2008 were identified; crash investigation reports were read and coded. Crashes in 1995-2008 were compared with those in 1981-1994.
The 1994 Rule was followed by a 47% decrease in the crash rate, from 3.4 to 1.8/100,000 flight hours. The number of crashes into the ocean decreased from eight before the Rule to one afterwards. VFR-IMC crashes increased from 5 to 32% of crashes. There were 46 tourists and 9 pilots who died in 16 fatal crashes. Aircraft malfunctions, primarily due to poor maintenance, precipitated 34 (58%) of the crashes and persisted throughout the 28-yr period. Pilot errors were apparent in 23 crashes (39%). Flight from visual to instrument conditions occurred in two cases before the Rule and seven cases after. Terrain unsuitable for landing was cited in 37 crashes (63%).
Decreases occurred in the overall number and rate of crashes and in ocean crash landings. The increase in VFR-IMC crashes may be related to the requirement that tour helicopters fly at least 1500 ft. above terrain. Attention is still needed to maintenance, pilot training, and restricting flights to operating areas and conditions that enable safe emergency landings.
夏威夷观光直升机航班坠毁事件及由此导致的游客死亡促使美国联邦航空管理局（FAA）于1994年发布了针对夏威夷空中游览的规定。开展了研究以考察1994年规定的影响并描述此类坠毁事件的情况。
从美国国家运输安全委员会的数据中，识别出1981 - 2008年期间夏威夷直升机空中游览航班的59起坠毁事件；阅读并对坠毁事故调查报告进行编码。将1995 - 2008年的坠毁事件与1981 - 1994年的进行比较。
1994年规定实施后，坠毁率下降了47%，从每10万飞行小时3.4起降至1.8起。坠入海洋的坠毁事件数量从规定实施前的8起降至之后的1起。仪表气象条件下目视飞行（VFR - IMC）坠毁事件占坠毁事件的比例从5%增至32%。在16起致命坠毁事件中有46名游客和9名飞行员死亡。飞机故障，主要是由于维护不善，引发了34起（58%）坠毁事件，且在整个28年期间一直存在此类情况。23起坠毁事件（39%）中存在飞行员失误。规定实施前有2起、之后有7起事件发生了从目视飞行到仪表飞行状态的转变。37起坠毁事件（63%）中提到地形不适合降落。
坠毁事件的总数、坠毁率以及坠入海洋的坠毁着陆事件均有所减少。VFR - IMC坠毁事件的增加可能与观光直升机需在地形上方至少1500英尺飞行的要求有关。仍需关注维护、飞行员培训，并将飞行限制在能实现安全紧急着陆的作业区域和条件范围内。
