Helicopter tourism, once known for offering breathtaking views and bucket-list experiences, is now facing heightened scrutiny as a rise in accidents has triggered a wave of lawsuits across the United States. From Hawaii to the Grand Canyon to New York City, recent crashes and hard landings have raised questions about safety regulations, pilot training, and maintenance standards within the booming aerial sightseeing industry.
Families of crash victims and injured passengers have begun filing lawsuits alleging negligence, mechanical failure, and inadequate safety briefings. Claims often point to lax oversight, risky weather conditions, or overbooked flight schedules that push tour operators to cut corners. While federal agencies like the FAA have attempted to implement tighter safety protocols, enforcement is uneven—especially in states where air tourism is a key part of the economy.
What states have the highest rates of helicopter tourism accidents?
New York, Arizona, and Hawaii report higher incidences of helicopter tourism accidents because they’re the most popular for aerial tours.
A recent tourism helicopter tour in New York resulted in a crash into the Hudson River, leaving six people dead. The helicopter was carrying five family members and a pilot when it broke apart in midair and plunged into the river.
New York helicopter tours are a popular attraction because they give tourists a bird’s eye view of sights like the Statue of Liberty, the World Trade Center, the Empire State Building, and other attractions. However, five tourism helicopter flights over the past 20 years have crashed, resulting in the deaths of 20 people. The crashes are attributed to mechanical failures, pilot errors or collisions.
In Arizona, the Grand Canyon is a popular helicopter tour destination. In 2018, a helicopter crash caused by a “violent gust of wind” killed five people. The Airbus EC130 B4 spun out of control, crashed, and burst into flames.
A Nevada court awarded a $100 million settlement to one victim’s family. They received $24.6 million from the operating company and $75 million from the aircraft manufacturer.
In 2024, a Kentucky couple was killed, along with their pilot, while riding in a “doors off” sightseeing helicopter in Hawaii. This was actually the second tourism helicopter crash in Kauai that year, following a non-fatal accident with a different operator in February. In the second incident, witnesses reported a sudden gust of wind and a loud “bang,” followed by the Robinson R44 helicopter breaking apart in mid-air and falling into the ocean. One passenger’s body was recovered from the ocean; the pilot and the other passenger were not found, despite a search that covered more than 830 square miles.
Wrongful death and product liability claims arise amid safety concerns for helicopter tourism
The recent uptick in helicopter tourism accidents has triggered a corresponding surge in legal actions, with wrongful death and product liability claims at the forefront. These lawsuits aim to hold responsible parties accountable for the devastating consequences of these incidents and seek compensation for victims and their families.
Many of the most serious incidents have tragically resulted in fatalities, leading grieving families to file wrongful death claims against tour operators and aircraft companies. These lawsuits often allege that the deaths were preventable and the result of negligent flight planning, inadequate maintenance, or failure to cancel flights in poor weather. Plaintiffs argue that tour companies prioritized profits over safety, with some operating in regions with a history of lax oversight or delayed enforcement by the FAA.
In addition to negligence claims, several lawsuits now include product liability allegations aimed at aircraft manufacturers and parts suppliers. Families and injured survivors claim that certain mechanical failures—such as rotor malfunctions, defective fuel systems, or flawed warning sensors—contributed to the crashes. Product liability cases can be especially complex, involving technical aviation experts and thorough investigations to determine whether design flaws, manufacturing defects, or failure to warn passengers about risks played a role.
There are also traditional personal injury lawsuits that arise when individuals survive a helicopter accident. These victims suffer physical harm that ranges from minor bruises and fractures to severe, life-altering injuries such as spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, and burns. These lawsuits typically allege negligence by the helicopter tour operator or other involved parties.
Common claims in helicopter tourism-related personal injury cases include:
- Negligent operation, or allegations that the pilot or operator acted carelessly, such as flying recklessly, violating regulations, or failing to properly assess weather conditions.
- Inadequate training, which includes claims that the pilot lacked the necessary training or experience to safely operate the aircraft under the given circumstances.
- Insufficient maintenance could be mechanical failures that caused or contributed to the accident.
- Failure to warn is a cause of action in which passengers were not adequately informed of the inherent risks associated with helicopter tours or provided with sufficient safety instructions.
Is helicopter tourism inherently unsafe?
Everyone has their own risk tolerance level. What one person thinks is safe would be terrifying in another person’s eyes—this is human nature.
But it’s undisputed that certain activities are deemed inherently unsafe. “Inherently unsafe” refers to something, like an activity, object, or product, that poses a risk of harm or danger simply because of its nature, even when precautions are taken or when used correctly. It’s not about a defect or failure, but rather a characteristic of the thing itself.
Examples of inherently unsafe activities include skydiving, bungee jumping, rock climbing, and white water rafting. These activities often involve exposure to dangerous elements like heights, speed, or unpredictable terrain, which cannot be completely eliminated. A person who chooses to engage in these activities assumes the risk; they know what they’re getting into and accept a certain level of risk.
Still, lots of people—tourists and aviation enthusiasts—believe that helicopter tourism continues to be safe. Experts say that there are tens of thousands of helicopter tourism trips each year that land safely. One helicopter industry professional says he takes his own children, ages 13, 11 and 10, on helicopter rides all the time and is not afraid for their safety. But the former managing director for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) disagrees. He won’t allow his family to take helicopter tours because he doesn’t think there’s robust safety oversight.
Can we make helicopter tourism safer?
Notably, tourism helicopters typically don’t have flight data recorders (commonly referred to as a “black box” on an aircraft). A plane’s flight data recorder tracks about 10,000 data points; they reveal critical information to investigators after a crash that often determines exactly how the crash happened by showing the pilot’s actions and possible mechanical disruptions.
The NTSB has no authority to force helicopter manufacturers or operators to install black boxes, but it has issued strong recommendations. However, the FAA takes NTSB recommendations seriously and is considering a move to require black boxes on helicopters. However, the agency is concerned about the cost for the industry to comply with this type of regulation—meeting these requirements could cost $20,000 per helicopter, or $180 million industry-wide.
Still, a black box doesn’t prevent a crash. However, it provides valuable information that can be used to prevent future crashes.
Another consideration by the NTSB is changing how pilots manage tour-guiding tasks. Many helicopter tourism pilots will narrate the sights as they fly—multitasking, so to speak. The NTSB recommends either a separate tour guide on board to point out the attractions or a pre-recorded audio or video guide for passengers. That way, a pilot who needs to pay attention to other air traffic, weather, and safety concerns isn’t also trying to be a good host and make sure the passengers don’t miss a noteworthy sight along the way.
If you’re considering a helicopter tourism flight, check the FAA’s website before you go to see if the helicopter company has a track record of accidents. Make sure they have a good safety record and that their pilots are properly trained.
If you or a loved one has been in a helicopter tourism accident, you can consult a personal injury attorney in your state to learn your legal options for compensation.
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