Tags

Type your tag names separated by a space and hit enter

Kinematics of U.S. Army helicopter crashes: 1979-85.
Aviat Space Environ Med. 1989 Feb; 60(2):112-21.AS

Abstract

All records of U.S. Army Class A and B mishaps of four types of helicopters occurring from Oct. 1, 1979, through Sept. 30, 1985, were reviewed for terrain impact kinematic parameters. During this 6-year period, there were 298 mishaps involving 303 aircraft. Approximately 88% of these crashes were considered survivable. Mean and 95th percentile vertical velocity changes at the most severe terrain impact were similar for all aircraft types except the UH-60, which experienced significantly higher impact velocities (p less than 0.001). Overall 95th percentile vertical and horizontal velocity changes at the most severe terrain impact were 11.2 m.s-1 and 25.5 m.s-1, respectively. Both these values are substantially different from values cited in current design standards. Roll, pitch, and yaw attitudes at impact were similar for all aircraft and agreed with the values in current design standards, except that the distribution of roll angles was considerably wider. The importance of using current kinematic parameters for crashworthiness design standards and crash injury prevention is stressed. Recommendations are made to improve crashworthiness design standards.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Shanahan DF
Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC 20306-6000.
Shanahan MO
No affiliation info available

MeSH

Accidents, AviationAircraftEquipment DesignHumansMaleMilitary PersonnelMotionOrientationSurvivalUnited States

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

2930421

Citation

Shanahan, D F., and M O. Shanahan. "Kinematics of U.S. Army Helicopter Crashes: 1979-85." Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, vol. 60, no. 2, 1989, pp. 112-21.
Shanahan DF, Shanahan MO. Kinematics of U.S. Army helicopter crashes: 1979-85. Aviat Space Environ Med. 1989;60(2):112-21.
Shanahan, D. F., & Shanahan, M. O. (1989). Kinematics of U.S. Army helicopter crashes: 1979-85. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 60(2), 112-21.
Shanahan DF, Shanahan MO. Kinematics of U.S. Army Helicopter Crashes: 1979-85. Aviat Space Environ Med. 1989;60(2):112-21. PubMed PMID: 2930421.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Kinematics of U.S. Army helicopter crashes: 1979-85. AU - Shanahan,D F, AU - Shanahan,M O, PY - 1989/2/1/pubmed PY - 1989/2/1/medline PY - 1989/2/1/entrez SP - 112 EP - 21 JF - Aviation, space, and environmental medicine JO - Aviat Space Environ Med VL - 60 IS - 2 N2 - All records of U.S. Army Class A and B mishaps of four types of helicopters occurring from Oct. 1, 1979, through Sept. 30, 1985, were reviewed for terrain impact kinematic parameters. During this 6-year period, there were 298 mishaps involving 303 aircraft. Approximately 88% of these crashes were considered survivable. Mean and 95th percentile vertical velocity changes at the most severe terrain impact were similar for all aircraft types except the UH-60, which experienced significantly higher impact velocities (p less than 0.001). Overall 95th percentile vertical and horizontal velocity changes at the most severe terrain impact were 11.2 m.s-1 and 25.5 m.s-1, respectively. Both these values are substantially different from values cited in current design standards. Roll, pitch, and yaw attitudes at impact were similar for all aircraft and agreed with the values in current design standards, except that the distribution of roll angles was considerably wider. The importance of using current kinematic parameters for crashworthiness design standards and crash injury prevention is stressed. Recommendations are made to improve crashworthiness design standards. SN - 0095-6562 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/2930421/Kinematics_of_U_S__Army_helicopter_crashes:_1979_85_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -