NTSB Calls for Cockpit Video Recorders in Helicopters, Faulting FAA

Federal air-accident investigators for the first time directly called on American and European helicopter makers to move toward putting cockpit video recorders on most models, bypassing U.S. aviation regulators and escalating a debate about privacy in the air.

The nonbinding recommendations released Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board amount to an unusual rebuke to the Federal Aviation Administration, which the board faulted for failing to mandate a series of similar safety recommendations stretching back more than a decade. The recommendations cover most existing and newly manufactured helicopter models.

The absence of such devices has impeded NTSB experts from determining the probable cause of multiple helicopter crashes over the years, including the fatal accident that killed National Basketball Association superstar Kobe Bryant, his teenage daughter and seven others in January near Los Angeles.

The NTSB’s move, which was in the works before Mr. Bryant died, also ratchets up a broader, long-running industry debate over the benefits of such equipment in pinpointing pilot actions in accidents. Many commercial helicopter and airline pilots have raised privacy and legal concerns against the installations, along with other critics of video recorders.

The NTSB has long promoted widespread use of video recorders—including on large passenger jetliners—but previously stopped short of calling for manufacturers to install them in the factory or enable operators to retrofit them on current fleets. Airline pilot unions have strongly objected to such devices on privacy grounds, and their opposition has carried significant weight within the FAA. Both pilot leaders and regulators, for example, have been worried about the premature release of images to the media that could improperly influence crash probes.

The NTSB recommendations to six major manufacturers also include devising ways to retrofit traditional cockpit-voice and flight-data recorders, commonly called black boxes, on most general purpose and passenger transport helicopters that aren’t now mandated to have such safety aids.

“The more information we have, the better we can understand not only the circumstances of a crash, but what can be done to prevent future accidents,” said Dana Schulze, director of the NTSB’s office of aviation safety.

The NTSB is an independent agency run by presidentially appointed members, who don’t have regulatory authority.

In a statement, the FAA said it requires flight-data recording systems for air-ambulance helicopters, and encourages other operators to also gather this data and analyze it for improving safety. The agency also said “certain large helicopter manufacturers have installed recording capability as standard equipment for about the last decade.”

According to the NTSB report released Tuesday, the FAA has rejected similar recommendations in the past. The FAA “repeatedly replied that it did not intend to take the recommended actions” partly because it wasn’t able to find reliable data demonstrating the likely safety benefits would exceed anticipated costs. Instead, the FAA has promoted voluntary installation of crash-resistant black boxes and emphasized that the industry already was embracing some of the equipment.

But as part of its latest recommendations, the NTSB said it concluded FAA efforts to encourage voluntary industry installations “have not been effective” and further action is required to “mitigate risks to public safety.”

On Tuesday the FAA said the helicopter industry is diverse, with operators flying anywhere from one aircraft to large fleets with many pilots. The agency added that over the past two decades, the rate of fatal U.S. chopper accidents has been cut in half, down to slightly more than one event in 200,000 flights.

The NTSB’s report said 86% of 185 turbine-powered helicopter accidents it investigated between 2005 and 2017 had no recording equipment of any kind on board.