RotorAlert
Incidents→Pilot error
Probable cause

Pilot error helicopter accidents

Incidents where the investigation found pilot decision-making, technique, or situational awareness to be the primary contributing factor.

Total incidents
917
Confirmed fatalities
461
Fatal incidents
145
Fatal rate
15.8%
Most affected countries
Most affected aircraft
Robinson30 incidents
Bell20 incidents
Eurocopter14 incidents
Leonardo6 incidents
Hughes5 incidents

How many helicopter crashes are caused by pilot error?

917 incidents in this database are attributed to pilot error, causing 461 deathsacross 145 fatal accidents, between 1954 and 2026.

Where does this happen most?

Most often in United States, with 626 records, then United Kingdom with 75.

DateLocationAircraftFatalitiesSeveritySource
2026-09-03🇺🇸Warren County Memorial Airport, McMinnville, United StatesRobinson R22 Beta—minorWSMV ↗
2026-08-30🇺🇸Long Island MacArthur Airport, Ronkonkoma, United StatesAutoGyro Cavalon—minorFAA ASIAS ↗
2026-08-29🇺🇸Olive Branch Airport, United StatesRobinson R22 Beta—minorFAA ASIAS ↗
2026-08-27🇺🇸Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport, United StatesAutoGyro Cavalon—minorFAA ASIAS ↗
2026-08-24🇺🇸Milton, United StatesRobinson R22 Beta II—minorFAA ASIAS ↗
2026-08-09🇺🇸Macedonia, United StatesRobinson R44—minorNTSB ↗
2026-08-05🇬🇧Bembridge, United KingdomMagni M24C Orion—minorDaily Echo ↗
2026-07-21🇬🇧Sarratt, United KingdomRobinson R44 Cadet—minorGreatest Hit ↗
2026-07-05🇪🇸Montearagón Reservoir, Loporzano, Huesca, SpainBell 407—seriousCIAIAC ↗
2026-06-25🇬🇷Metsovo, GreeceBell 214B—minorProtothema.g ↗
2026-05-08🇧🇷FPSO P-57, BrazilLeonardo AW139—seriousAviation Saf ↗
2026-04-24🇬🇧Turweston, United KingdomWestland Scout AH.1—minorAAIB ↗
2026-03-27🇨🇦Dog Lake, CanadaBell 206L—minorTSB ↗
2026-03-27🇿🇦near Groenfontein Farm, South AfricaRobinson R44 Raven II—minorSACAA
2026-03-19🇨🇦Snowy Lake, CanadaBell 206L—minorTSB ↗
2026-03-18🇳🇵Khotang, NepalEurocopter AS350BA—seriousKhabar Hub ↗
2026-02-21🇺🇸Gettysburg, United StatesSchweizer 269A—seriousNTSB ↗
2026-02-03🇿🇦near Kromvlei, south of Alberton, South AfricaBell 230—minorSACAA
2025-12-12🇿🇦Bapsfontein Aerodrome, South AfricaMagni M24C Orion—minorSACAA
2025-11-27🇸🇪Gothenburg, SwedenRobinson R22—minorSHK ↗
2025-08-24🇫🇷Rosporden, FranceAerospatiale SA 330 Puma—seriousBBC News ↗
2025-06-11🇬🇧Chalfont St Peter, United KingdomRobinson R66—minorAAIB ↗
2025-05-06🇦🇹Bad Voslau, AustriaEurocopter AS350B1—seriousORF ↗
2025-03-08🇬🇹Finca La Pastoría, Barberena, GuatemalaBell OH-58A+ Kiowa—seriousUIA Guatemal ↗
2024-11-18🇸🇪Langtora, SwedenHughes 500E—seriousSHK ↗
2024-10-12🇦🇪Al Jazirah Airport, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab EmiratesAutoGyro MTOsport—seriousGCAA
2024-09-27🇬🇧Leicester Airport, United KingdomGuimbal Cabri G2—minorAAIB ↗
2024-09-08🇸🇻Pasaquina, El SalvadorBell UH-1H Iroquois9fatalWikipedia ↗
2024-09-02🇵🇹Mondim de Basto, PortugalLeonardo AW139—minorGPIAAF ↗
2024-08-29🇬🇹Chiantla, GuatemalaBell 206L-4—seriousUIA Guatemal ↗
2024-08-12🇦🇺Cairns, AustraliaRobinson R44 II1fatalCNN ↗
2024-07-31🇬🇹El Níspero, GuatemalaBell 206B III2fatalUIA Guatemal ↗
2024-07-30🇮🇪Killucan, IrelandBell 5052fatalAAIU ↗
2024-04-23🇲🇾Lumut, MalaysiaLeonardo AW13910fatalWikipedia ↗
2024-04-11🇬🇹Hotel Atitlán Heliport, Panajachel, GuatemalaEurocopter AS 350B3 Ecureuil—minorUIA Guatemala
2024-04-06🇪🇸La Maliciosa, Sierra de Guadarrama, SpainEurocopter AS 355NP Ecureuil 2—seriousCIAIAC ↗
2024-03-20🇦🇹Scharding, AustriaRobinson R44 Cadet—seriousORF ↗
2024-03-09🇰🇪Mwachon, KenyaBell 407—minorNTSB ↗
2024-03-04🇦🇶Esperanza Base, AntarcticaSikorsky SH-3H Sea King—minorFull Aviació ↗
2024-02-09🇺🇸Halloran Springs, United StatesEurocopter EC130 B46fatalNTSB ↗
2024-02-01🇬🇹Finca La Pastoría, Barberena, GuatemalaSchweizer 269C—seriousUIA Guatemala
2024-01-07🇦🇪Al Zorah, Ajman, United Arab EmiratesLeonardo AW109SP—seriousGCAA ↗
2023-12-26🇺🇸Palmer, United StatesEurocopter AS350B3—minorNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-12-19🇺🇸Hammonton, United StatesEurocopter AS350B22fatalNTSB ↗
2023-12-16🇺🇸Tuscumbia, United StatesRotorWay Exec 162F—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-11-21🇰🇪Masalani, KenyaEurocopter AS350B31fatalThe Star ↗
2023-11-18🇺🇸Ogdensburg, United StatesRobinson R44 II—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-11-15🇺🇸Estacada, United StatesBell OH-58A—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-11-13🇬🇧Norwich Airport, United KingdomLeonardo AW139—minorAAIB ↗
2023-11-08🇺🇸Claremore, United StatesGuimbal Cabri G2—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-11-06🇺🇸Mesa, United StatesHughes 369FF—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-10-28🇺🇸Ronkonkoma, United StatesRobinson R22 Beta—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-10-14🇳🇵Lobuche, NepalAirbus Helicopters H1251fatalKathmandu Po ↗
2023-10-11🇬🇧Bearsted Common, Maidstone, Kent, United KingdomLeonardo AW169—minorAAIB ↗
2023-10-09🇺🇸Caldwell, United StatesRobinson R22 Beta—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-10-04🇬🇧Gunnersbury Park, London, United KingdomEurocopter AS355F1—minorAAIB ↗
2023-10-02🇺🇸Cahokia Heights, United StatesGuimbal Cabri G2—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-10-01🇺🇸Hochatown, United StatesRobinson R44—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-09-16🇺🇸Johnson River, United StatesEurocopter AS350B3—seriousNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-09-10🇺🇸Balch Camp, United StatesBell 212—seriousNTSB ↗
2023-09-10🇬🇧In flight over Hampshire, United KingdomRotorWay Executive 162F Modified—minorAAIB ↗
2023-09-08🇺🇸Silverton, United StatesEurocopter AS350B2—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-09-07🇺🇸Arcola, United StatesHughes 369E—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-09-01🇬🇧Welshpool Airport, Powys, United KingdomRobinson R22 Beta—unknownAAIB ↗
2023-08-31🇺🇸Liberty Hill, United StatesHughes 530FF—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-08-27🇦🇺Melville Island, AustraliaBell-Boeing MV-22B Osprey3fatalI MEF ↗
2023-08-27🇺🇸Mosby, United StatesHiller UH-12A—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-08-20🇺🇸Granbury, United StatesSilverLight Aviation AR-1—seriousNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-08-11🇪🇸La Mojonera, Almería, SpainEurocopter AS 355NP Ecureuil 2—seriousCIAIAC ↗
2023-08-09🇺🇸Sevierville, United StatesRobinson R22 Beta—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-08-06🇺🇸Carthage, United StatesBell 206—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-08-05🇺🇸Elberon, United StatesHughes 369—seriousNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-07-31🇺🇸Arthur, United StatesRobinson R44 II—seriousNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-07-26🇺🇸Hanlontown, United StatesRobinson R44—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-07-26🇺🇸Charles City, United StatesRobinson R44 II—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-07-10🇺🇸Titusville, United StatesSchweizer 269C-1—minorNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-07-08🇺🇸Emmett, United StatesRobinson R22 Beta—minorNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-07-04🇺🇸Myrtle Beach, United StatesRobinson R44—minorNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-07-01🇸🇪Adolfstrom, SwedenBell 206B—minorSHK ↗
2023-06-27🇺🇸Anderson, United StatesSchweizer 269A—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-06-25🇺🇸Sandersville, United StatesBell 206B—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-06-19🇺🇸Cedar Lake, United StatesRobinson R22 Beta—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-06-18🇺🇸Louise, United StatesRobinson R22 Beta—minorNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-06-11🇺🇸Pratt, United StatesBell 206B—minorNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-06-05🇺🇸Orlando, United StatesBell 206B—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-06-03🇺🇸Filer, United StatesBell 206B—minorNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-05-23🇺🇸Abbeville, United StatesBell 407—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-05-23🇺🇸San Diego, United StatesEurocopter AS350B3—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-05-21🇺🇸Honolulu, United StatesEurocopter AS350B2—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-05-15🇺🇸Spanish Fork, United StatesRobinson R22—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-05-14🇺🇸Brady, United StatesRobinson R22 Beta1fatalNTSB ↗
2023-05-11🇺🇸Bradenton, United StatesRobinson R44 II—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-05-10🇺🇸Akron, United StatesRotorWay EXEC—minorNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-05-09🇺🇸Skwentna, United StatesRobinson R44 II—minorNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-04-28🇺🇸Van Nuys, United StatesRobinson R44 II—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-04-09🇺🇸Cahokia, United StatesGuimbal Cabri G2—minorNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-04-08🇺🇸Midway, United StatesRobinson R22 Beta—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-04-01🇺🇸Elko, United StatesRobinson R44 II—unknownNTSB CAROL ↗
2023-03-29🇺🇸Trigg County, United StatesSikorsky HH-604fatalWikipedia ↗
2023-03-29🇺🇸Clarksville, United StatesGuimbal Cabri G2—minorNTSB CAROL ↗

Showing 100 most recent of 917 total incidents.

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