Abstract
Accidents within offshore helicopter transportation on the Norwegian continental shelf has
decreased since the 1990s. The number of fatal accidents per million flight hours were 2.8 for the period
1990–1998, and zero for the period 1999 to 2012. When looking at the onshore (inland) helicopter transportation
in Norway, the fatal accident rate was as high as 13.8 in the period 2000-2012. As many as 23 onshore
helicopters crashed to the ground, of which 7 were fatal, killing 16 people. An obvious question to ask is; why
is there such a big difference in accident rates between offshore and inland helicopters? Our analysis shows
that there are major differences between offshore and inland helicopter transportation, both in the “sharp” and
the “blunt” end of operations. This includes differences in the operations, composition and qualifications of the
crews, technology in use, work organization, extent of training, employment conditions, market conditions and
regulators. This paper presents a systematic comparison of the different segments of Norwegian helicopter transportation,
followed by a discussion regarding possible safety implications.A central argument in our discussion
is that differences in market conditions and the actual requirements set by the users of the helicopter services,
may explain some of these differences.
decreased since the 1990s. The number of fatal accidents per million flight hours were 2.8 for the period
1990–1998, and zero for the period 1999 to 2012. When looking at the onshore (inland) helicopter transportation
in Norway, the fatal accident rate was as high as 13.8 in the period 2000-2012. As many as 23 onshore
helicopters crashed to the ground, of which 7 were fatal, killing 16 people. An obvious question to ask is; why
is there such a big difference in accident rates between offshore and inland helicopters? Our analysis shows
that there are major differences between offshore and inland helicopter transportation, both in the “sharp” and
the “blunt” end of operations. This includes differences in the operations, composition and qualifications of the
crews, technology in use, work organization, extent of training, employment conditions, market conditions and
regulators. This paper presents a systematic comparison of the different segments of Norwegian helicopter transportation,
followed by a discussion regarding possible safety implications.A central argument in our discussion
is that differences in market conditions and the actual requirements set by the users of the helicopter services,
may explain some of these differences.
