🇺🇸Helicopter incidents in United States

This database records 2,564 helicopter incidents in United States, the earliest in 1968 and the most recent in 2026. 75 have been recorded so far in 2026. The worst single year was 2012, with 166 incidents.

1,050 deaths across 451 fatal accidents, which is 18% of all incidents recorded here. Every other accident in United States was survived by everyone on board. The deadliest was on 2025-01-29 at Washington D.C., which killed 67.

The most frequently recorded type is the Robinson R44 with 213 incidents, followed by the Robinson R44 II with 209. That reflects how many of each type fly in United States rather than how safe they are.

Where a cause has been established, the most common is pilot error, in 626 accidents, then mechanical failure in 498. Many records carry no established cause, either because the investigation is open or because none was published.