Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would require flight data and cockpit voice recorders in most helicopters.
Flight data recorders, also known as black boxes, track aircraft altitude and other instrumentation, while cockpit voice recorders record radio transmissions and sounds. Federal investigators use this technology to assess the factors that may have led to an accident and conduct safety probes.
The Federal Aviation Administration only requires large commercial planes and some private aircraft to have such recorders, but the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has urged the agency for nearly a decade to address these gaps in helicopter safety.
The NTSB estimates there were 159 crashes involving helicopters with no recording equipment from 2005 to 2017. The agency could not determine the probable cause for 18 of those crashes.
U.S. Reps. Anthony G. Brown (D-MD) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced the Helicopter Data and Voice Recorder Requirement Act.
“Unfortunately, there is always a chance of risk-factors and accidents outside of pilots’ control,” Brown said. “When tragedies occur, it is our responsibility to assess the causes and take meaningful steps to improve safety. Adding black boxes to helicopters raises accountability for pilots and allows investigators to give families closure in their time of need.”