Helicopter Flight:

The Basics of Preventing

Inadvertent IMC and CFIT

Above photo © Rômulo Zanini. All other photos courtesy of Dan Bitton. by Dan Bitton

M any of the recent, mostly fatal

accidents in the EMS, ENG,
Corporate, and private helicopter
remember to follow basic disciplines
and use good
accidents. As
judgment
these
to prevent
preventable
remains Controlled Flight Into
Terrain (CFIT) and inadvertent flight
into clouds or diminishing visibility,
arenas could have been averted with accidents continue to happen, I urge with the results of loss of situational
some basic disciplines. After flying all helicopter pilots to review their awareness. When I discuss CFIT with
helicopters for nearly new helicopter and
38 years, I can share fixed-wing pilots, I
with you what has am surprised by many
worked well for me who consider this to
and for those I lead mean predominately a
in police aviation that helicopter or airplane
in many instances led flying into a mountain.
to an accident being Nothing could be
averted. further from the truth.
I have the pleasure New and experienced
of flying with high- pilots must remember
time pilots, mostly in that CFIT occurs with
helicopters such as flight into rising or flat
the Bell 430, EC-135 terrain, where the pilot
and several OH-58C is unaware of a descent
helicopters, and with and contacts the
low-time, recently Use good judgment not to continue a flight in deteriorating weather. ground, resulting in a
licensed pilots. crash. I am also going to
However, regardless of whether flying basic disciplines and imbed them into pair CFIT with obstructions — while
in an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) their minds, giving thought to these in controlled flight the pilot being
Bell 430, or in a helicopter such as a issues before and during every flight. unaware of the height of obstructions,
Robinson R22/R44, the pilot needs to The primary cause of accidents typically caused by flying too low.
34
New and experienced pilots must and fly home. It is that easy. It takes Michigan, with its “Lake Effect,”
understand that hours do not make good judgment and discipline to make makes for unpredictable weather and
good or safe pilots — good judgment that landing rather than to continue on can turn into a foggy environment in
makes for a safe pilot. a minute. I once landed
Judgment in preflight, in a school parking lot
judgment in knowing and, after the weather
your limitations and cleared and after having
not flying outside of called the airport just
them, judgment to 10 miles away to verify
know the height of they were also VFR, I
obstacles in your flight had to make another
path, judgment to not off-airport landing
continue a flight in as the weather once
deteriorating weather, again fogged in all
judgment to trust your around me. It is better
instincts and warning to land than to chance
signs are just some of inadvertent Instrument
the judgment issues that Meteorological
make for a truly safe Conditions (IMC).
pilot. Should you be in a
Mindset is the core position where an off-
of implementing good airport landing, such
judgment. As helicopter as I just recommended,
pilots we have an is required, extreme
New and experienced pilots must understand that hours do not
advantage that fixed- make good or safe pilots — good judgment makes for a safe pilot. caution must be
winged pilots do not undertaken to make
have, the ability to land certain no obstacles
vertically and almost anywhere. Using to the closest airport or your intended are in your landing path. These can
that advantage properly can prevent destination. Continuing flight with include poles, wires, trees, low-level
an accident and save your life. First, if diminishing ceiling and visibility causes brush, and buildings etc. The best
you are a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) so many fatal accidents. I have made way to handle these obstacles is to
pilot, do not depart in marginal VFR these precautionary landings many remember, slow is good and slower is
weather, as marginal better. An EMS type
VFR weather can of approach, steep and
become IFR very The primary cause of accidents remains Controlled slow, is my first choice,
quickly. Remember, and when I say slowly
the weather you receive Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) and inadvertent I mean real slow. Not
from ATIS or ASOS is flight into clouds or diminishing visibility, with everyone will agree
only for a very specific with this as you may
point on the airport — the results of loss of situational awareness. find yourself within the
100 feet or two miles height velocity curve,
away it may be worse. yet my personal feelings
Departing in marginal conditions times in the past. Flying police and are that the chances of striking an
begins a common error chain that commercial helicopters near Lake obstacle are greater than the chances
often leads to accidents. Never have
the mindset of committing to a
planned flight; as weather changes,
your plans must also change.
If you encounter diminishing
weather conditions, land immediately,
or as soon as possible. A park, parking
lot, golf course, or open fields are
useful. When the Fire Department
and police come, tell them you
conducted a precautionary landing due
to weather. You will call the local FAA
office and they will say, “Good job, no
one injured, no damage, no issues.”
Wait for the weather to become VFR

Winter 2008-2009 35
of an engine failure during off-airport is not at all the same as flying in real
landings, and going slow gives me the clouds solely on instruments. I see
ability to see what I am flying into and this firsthand during training when I
abort or alter the landing if necessary. take a pilot flying with a hood over
When flying in reduced visibility, we Lake Michigan and things go bad
are often told to do a 180 degree turn really quickly due to not having any
and return to better weather. This is a ground reference around the hood,
double-edged sword that I consider to through the windows, or through
be an especially dangerous situation. the chin bubble. However, these are
Radar tracks from many accidents trained techniques that IFR pilots
clearly show the last radar return should have, and I believe VFR pilots
before the crash was during a turn. should receive some basic training in
In a turn the physiological aspects of inadvertent flight into IFR conditions.
spatial disorientation occur and the Loss of situational awareness occurs
result is loss of situational awareness. to the most experienced pilots too,
I would rather a pilot land as soon and I urge those of you who fit this
as possible, from a straight flight category to also keep good judgment
path than prevalent
attempt a turn during flights
in reduced Slow is good and slower is better. into marginal Never have the mindset of committing
visibility. I for weather. Any to a planned flight; as weather changes,
one choose pilot, young your plans must also change.
to learn from those killer accidents! or old, will at some point encounter descending, and help you get back to
Accidents from a turn can happen to some spatial disorientation. My VFR weather, or vector you towards
new pilots and to pilots with thousands recommendation is to pull pitch and a runway. Declaring an emergency
of hours of experience and are IFR fly straight — again no turns unless is dreaded by pilots who fear losing
rated and current in VFR and IFR obstacles or raising terrain require a their license or being disciplined by
helicopters. turn — trust your instruments, declare the Federal Aviation Administration
As for newer IFR pilots, do not an emergency, and ask Air Traffic (FAA), yet the term was created as a
let that rating give you a false sense Control (ATC) for help. During years method for you, the pilot, to obtain
of security. I fly “hard” or solid IFR gone by ATC offered no-gyro and preferential treatment. You are
all the time, and it is a handful, but Radar Surveillance Approaches that required to submit a letter explaining
then again I tend not to fly outside of are not as common these days, but by why you declared an emergency,
my abilities. Having the IFR rating, declaring an emergency ATC can tell but that does not mean you will be
flying with goggles or under the hood you if you are turning, climbing, or disciplined or expected to take the
dreaded re-check or proficiency ride.
If you encounter diminishing weather conditions, If the weather ahead had diminished,
land immediately, or as soon as possible. and the weather behind appears bad,
that is beyond your control. From my
discussions with many FAA Inspectors,
these instances do not lead to
disciplinary actions. On the contrary,
pilots are typically commended for
using the system and averting an
accident.
As for obstacles, know the height
of the highest obstacle in the area
you will be flying in, and keep a
respectable distance (500 feet) above
and away from it. Day and night are
very different environments, and I fly
higher at night than during the day
(typically 1,200–1,500 feet above the
ground at night). Helicopter pilots
tend to fly lower; if I was forced to give
an average altitude, I would say that
most fly at 500 feet above the ground.
You should remember that altitude
(Continued on page 38)

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Winter 2008-2009 37
(Continued from page 36) Ground checking a Bell 430 with us today.
offers safety on several levels, Helicopter flight is a terrific
obstacle (including terrain) experience, especially safe and
clearance and engine failure rewarding if conducted within
being the two most important. the capabilities of the helicopter
In real world flying, if you have and the pilot. Use these
an engine failure, the time disciplines I have suggested
from failure to contact with and hopefully you too will have
the ground at 200 feet is 3–5 30+ years of helicopters flights,
seconds, from 500 feet 15–20 wonderful memories, and great
seconds, and from 1,000 feet experiences. Fly safe.
above the ground about 35–40
seconds. Several real-time Dan Bitton is Unit Commander
engine failure accidents are for the multijurisdictional
recorded on video that attest to Law Enforcement Aviation
these times. Coalition. He is an ATP
In summary, do not depart helicopter instrument pilot
with over 17,000 hours of flight
into marginal weather; if you
time, and also holds 9 FAA
find yourself in deteriorating “this weather is getting bad” or you
Type-Ratings. Bitton is an aviation
visibility or ceiling, land immediately find yourself flying at 40 knots at 200 accident investigator and conducts
— preferably straight ahead into the feet above a road, you should have safety seminars on rotary and fixed
first open area you see, with caution as already landed so don’t delay! winged operations. Bitton was awarded
described above. Know the obstacles None of the pilots or passengers the HAI Salute to Excellence Igor
in your flight path and fly higher rather killed during CFIT or inadvertent IMC I. Sikorsky Award for Humanitarian
than lower. At the very least, fly higher departed thinking they were going to Service for his efforts during the
at night. Remind yourself that good die; and remember, in almost every Hurricane Katrina relief operation.
judgment will keep you alive, and trust case had they not continued flight and Bitton can be reached at 847-872-2131
your instincts. When you are thinking, landed immediately they would still be or at [email protected]

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Winter 2008-2009 39