Follows Probable Cause Report From A Fatal Accident Involving A Police Helicopter

While the NTSB's probable cause report from an accident in 2009 cited a New Mexico State Police pilot's decision making as the primary cause for an accident which fatally injured two and seriously hurt one, the board also had some harsh words for the culture of the police department which it says stressed mission execution over safety. As a result, the board on Thursday issued a series of recommendations to several organizations in an effort to prevent a repeat of the accident.

The board's recommendations to the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Association of State Aviation Officials include encouraging  members to conduct an independent review and evaluation of their policies and procedures and make changes as needed to align those policies and procedures with safety standards, procedures, and guidelines, such as those outlined in Airborne Law Enforcement Association guidance. Further, the board recommends that the association's members be encouraged to develop and implement risk assessment and management procedures specific to their operations, install 406-megahertz emergency locator transmitters on all of their aircraft, and install flight-tracking equipment on all public aircraft that would allow for near-continuous
flight tracking during missions.

Recommendations sent to the Airborne Law Enforcement Association include a revision of standards to define pilot rest and ensure that pilots receive protected rest periods that are sufficient to minimize the likelihood of pilot fatigue during aviation operations, as well as accreditation standards to require that all pilots receive training in methods for safely exiting inadvertently encountered instrument meteorological conditions for all aircraft categories in which they operate. The board said the ALEA should also encourage its members to install 406-megahertz emergency locator transmitters on all of their aircraft, and  install flight-tracking equipment on all public aircraft that would allow for near-continuous flight tracking during missions.

NM Governor Martinez

The board also made three recommendations to the governor of the state of New Mexico. It said the New Mexico Department of Public Safety should be required to bring its aviation section policies and operations into conformance with industry standards, such as those established by the Airborne Law Enforcement Association, and to develop and implement a comprehensive fatigue management program for the New Mexico State Police (NMSP) aviation section pilots that, at a minimum, requires NMSP to provide its pilots with protected rest periods and defines pilot rest (in a manner consistent with 14 Code of Federal Regulations 91.1057) and ensures adequate pilot staffing levels and aircraft hours of availability consistent with the pilot rest requirements. The board further said that New Mexico State Police (NMSP) search and rescue (SAR) policies should be revised or reinforced to ensure direct communication between NMSP aviation units and SAR ground teams and field personnel during a SAR mission.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov