Characteristics of Helicopter Accidents Involving Male and Female Pilots

Abstract

Studies examining aviation accidents have not found differences in accident rates by gender, though there may be gender differences in the types of accident. Baker, Lamb, Grabowski, and Rebok (2001) examined fixed-wing aviation accident rates of male and female private pilots and found that males were more likely to have accidents related to inattention or poor planning while female pilots were more likely to have accidents due to mishandling the aircraft. This research analyzed the National Transportation Safety Board’s aviation accident database system to examine the severity of injury and aircraft damage in rotary-wing (helicopter) accidents by gender. The data indicated that female helicopter pilots have slightly higher accident rates with higher aircraft damage and personnel injury rates at lower levels of training and experience, but have superior records as compared to male pilots at higher levels of experience. Overall, minimal differences in accident rates for helicopter pilots can be tied to gender differences.