Cites 2004 CFIT Accident On Kauai

Expanding on its factual report on a September 2004 accident involving a Bell 206B helicopter flying tours on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, this week the National Transportation Safety Board issued a new set of safety recommendations the Board states could prevent a similar accident in the future.

According to the NTSB, the pilot and four passengers onboard the Bali Hai Helicopter Tours helo (file photo of similar type, above) were killed when their aircraft impacted mountainous terrain in Kalaheo. The board states turbulent instrument meteorological conditions were present at the time of the accident... and those conditions likely led to spacial disorientation. The flight was conducted under VFR flight rules.

The NTSB recommends the Federal Aviation Administration:

• In cooperation with Hawaii commercial air tour operators, aviation psychologists, and meteorologists, among others, develop a cue-based training program for commercial air tour pilots in Hawaii that specifically addresses hazardous aspects of local weather phenomena and in-flight decision-making. (A-07-18)
• Once a cue-based training program that specifically addresses hazardous aspects of local weather phenomena and weather-related, decision-making issues is developed (as requested in Safety Recommendation A-07-18), require all commercial air tour operators in Hawaii to provide this training to newly hired pilots. (A-07-19)
• Establish operational practices for commercial air tour helicopter pilots that include rest breaks and that will ensure acceptable pilot performance and safety and require commercial air tour helicopter operators to adhere to these practices. (A-07-20)
• Develop a permanent mechanism to provide direct surveillance of commercial air tour operations in the State of Hawaii and to enforce commercial air tour regulations. (A-07-21)
• Direct the Honolulu Flight Standards District Office to ensure that the annual safety meetings, as required under approved certificates of waiver or authorization, focus on pertinent and timely commercial air tour safety issues, including, but not limited to, reviews of Hawaii air tour accidents, local weather phenomena, and Special Federal Aviation Regulation 71 procedures. (A-07-22)
• Reevaluate the altitude restrictions in the State of Hawaii to determine if they may have resulted in any unintended degradation of safety with regard to weather-related accidents and fatalities. (A-07-23)
• Develop and enforce safety standards for all commercial air tour operations that include, at a minimum, initial and recurrent pilot training programs that address local geography and meteorological hazards and special airspace restrictions; maintenance policies and procedures; flight scheduling that fosters adequate breaks and flight periods (as established by the implementation of Safety Recommendation A-07-20); and operations specifications that address management, procedures, route specifications, and altitude restrictions, as necessary. (A-07-24)
• Accelerate the implementation of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) infrastructure in the State of Hawaii to include high-quality ADS-B services to low-flying aircraft along heavily traveled commercial air tour routes. (A-07-25)
• Require that Hawaii air tour operators equip tour aircraft with compatible automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) technology within 1 year of the installation of a functional National ADS-B Program infrastructure in Hawaii. (A-07-26)

FMI: Read The Complete NTSB Factual Report