The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has added helicopter safety and General Aviation (GA) weather identification and communication to its "Top 10 Most Wanted List of Transportation Improvements for 2014."
According to NTSB, over the last decade, 1,470 helicopter accidents have occurred with 477 fatalities and 274 serious injuries. With growth in demand for U.S.-based civil helicopter services, such as air medical, law enforcement and offshore oil and gas missions, NTSB considers helicopter safety a top priority for the air transportation industry.
The agency also considers the ability of GA pilots to identify and communicate hazardous weather conditions as a leading cause of accidents. A frequent cause is a failure to recognize or take appropriate steps to avoid hazardous weather. In 2011, there were a total of 1,466 GA accidents resulting in 444 deaths.