FAA issues immediate order to all helicopter operators.

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Based on an initial investigation and the reliable and credible evidence presently available, the Acting Administrator finds that:

On March 11, 2018, civil aircraft N350LH, an Airbus Helicopters AS350B2 helicopter, was operated “doors off” on a flight in the vicinity of New York City, New York. All passengers on the flight wore harness systems that allowed the passengers to move securely within the helicopter and sit in the door sill while airborne. The harness systems were provided by the operator to ensure passengers did not fall out of the helicopter while moving around. Along with the supplemental passenger restraint systems, the operator provided knives to be used to cut through the restraints if necessary, and informed the passengers of the purpose of the knives. During the flight, the aircraft experienced a loss of power, resulting in the aircraft impacting the East River. The aircraft subsequently rolled over, and all of the passengers perished.

The supplemental passenger restraint systems worn by the passengers, while intended as a safety measure when the aircraft was in flight, may have prevented the passengers’ quick egress from the aircraft. While the fatalities on March 11, 2018, involved an aircraft impacting the water, passengers could face a similar hazard in other emergency situations, such as an aircraft fire on the ground.

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Under 49 U.S.C. 46105(c) the Acting Administrator has determined that an emergency exists related to safety in air commerce. This determination is based on the threat to passenger safety presented by the use of supplemental passenger restraint systems not approved by the FAA, which may prevent a passenger from exiting the aircraft quickly in an emergency. Accordingly, this Order is effective immediately.

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The Emergency Order prohibits the use of supplemental passenger restraint systems that cannot be released quickly in an emergency in doors off flight operations. It also prohibits passenger-carrying doors off flight operations unless the passengers are at all times properly secured using FAA-approved restraints.

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