Crashes have killed 28 U.S. National Guard helicopter crew members outside of combat over a decade because of operator errors — from overconfidence to not following standards — according to a review by Congress’s oversight agency.
The deaths of Army and Air Force guard members from 2012 through 2021 were the most serious toll from 298 helicopter accidents during noncombat flight operations in those years, according to the Government Accountability Office.
About 15% of the crashes resulted in death, permanent disability, extensive hospitalization, property damages of $500,000 or more or a destroyed helicopter, the GAO said in the report obtained by Bloomberg News before it was released later Wednesday.
