A significant number of ATSB investigations involving helicopters and small aeroplanes have identified safety factors associated with accident survivability. Such a finding indicates a fatal or serious injury would probably have been avoided, or the risk of such an injury would have been decreased, if the availability of safety equipment or compliance with relevant procedures or good practice was followed.
Survivability concepts addressed in ATSB investigations include:
Helicopter underwater escape training (HUET) and currency
Survivability research reports have consistently found drowning to be the leading cause of fatalities in helicopter water impact and ditching accidents, and multiple ATSB investigations have discussed the importance of regular helicopter underwater escape training (HUET) for helicopter pilots and crew regularly operating overwater. In January 2020, a UH-1H helicopter had an engine failure over Ben Boyd Reservoir, NSW, leading to a collision with water. The pilot was not equipped with emergency breathing system, nor were they required to be. Fortunately, in this case, the pilot was able to escape, and credited HUET for their survival.
In 2018, during an investigation into a fatal collision with water involving an EC135 helicopter off Port Hedland, the ATSB released a Safety Advisory Notice, advising helicopter operators involved in overwater operations of the importance of undertaking regular HUET for all crew and regular passengers to increase their survivability in the event of an in-water accident or ditching.
Emergency egress and design considerations
A pair of survivability issues were highlighted when a Cessna 206 ditched off Fraser Island, Queensland. First, the aircraft’s rear cargo door was blocked by the extended wing flap. Second, the cargo door was found to not meet aircraft certification basis for the design of cabin exits, due to the complexity associated with opening it if blocked by flaps.
Use and fitment of helmets during low-level operations
An R44 helicopter pilot was fatally injured in a wirestrike and collision with terrain accident near Hay, NSW. The pilot’s injuries were consistent with flailing, and the pilot’s helmet did not attenuate the impact to survivable levels. At the conclusion of its investigation, the ATSB issued a Safety Advisory Notice, strongly encouraging pilots conducting low-level operations to wear a flight helmet, and to ensure it is fit for purpose, custom fitted to the pilot's head, properly secured with a chin strap, and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
Seatbelts
In several of its investigations, the ATSB has found injuries to aircraft occupants may have been avoided, or made less severe, through the appropriate use of multi-point harnesses.
In one example, the ATSB issued a Safety Advisory Notice as a result of a collision with terrain involving a Cessna 172M, which encountered an engine failure while flying about 60 ft over a beach. The aircraft was not fitted with, nor was it required to be fitted with, upper torso restraints, and , the ATSB concluded this very likely increased the severity of injury to the four occupants - one of whom was fatally injured. The ATSB's subsequent safety advisory notice strongly encourages operators and owners of small aeroplanes manufactured before December 1986, and helicopters manufactured before September 1992, to fit upper torso restraints to all seats in their aircraft (if they are not already fitted).
More recently, the ATSB has issued a Safety Advisory Notice as part of its investigation into the mid-air collision between two Eurocopter EC130 helicopters on the Gold Coast, Queensland. That notice specifically concerns the fitment of constant wear lifejackets, and ensuring they do not interfere with the proper fitment of aircraft seatbelts.
