Most U.S. helicopter accident indicators pointed in right direction during 2020 USHST Press Release | January 22, 2021 Estimated reading time 6 minutes, 32 seconds. The helicopter industry recorded another year of decreasing accidents, with the number of fatal accidents dropping by more than 20 percent, and a 2.6 percent reduction in the total accident rate (per 100,000 flight hours). Nick Mayhew, industry co-chair of the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team, urges the industry to stay vigilant and work hard to improve the numbers. “Our numbers are improving, but we’re not where we want to be yet. We know our aircraft are sound and safe, thanks to efforts by manufacturers. The vast majority of accidents result from human error. Therefore, pilots and operators must continue to strengthen our safety programs holistically, improving training programs, safety culture and effective use of technology.”