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The NTSB found the pilot and an air traffic controller contributed to the 2024 Houston tour helicopter crash that killed all four people aboard. The Robinson R44 struck a radio tower, highlighting the safety risks of obstacle clearance and coordination during helicopter sightseeing operations.
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The NTSB determined that pilot incapacitation caused the fatal crash of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter in California on Dec. 16, 2024. The 53-year-old pilot was the only person aboard the helicopter at the time of the accident.
The NTSB found the pilot and an air traffic controller contributed to the 2024 Houston tour helicopter crash that killed all four people aboard. The Robinson R44 struck a radio tower, highlighting the safety risks of obstacle clearance and coordination during helicopter sightseeing operations.
The State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of three Lockheed Martin MH-60R Seahawk maritime helicopters and support equipment to Denmark. Valued at $425 million, the package would strengthen Copenhagen’s anti-submarine warfare, homeland defense and critical-infrastructure security capabilities.
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Poland deployed fighter jets after a Russian Mi-8 military helicopter crossed approximately 300 meters into Polish airspace near Braniewo from Kaliningrad, remaining for 42 seconds. The incident prompted criticism from President Karol Nawrocki, who accused Russia of persistent efforts to conquer a neighboring state.
The Australian Army has ended nearly two decades of Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter operations, concluding a service life marked by persistent reliability challenges. The retirement, marked by a Darwin farewell, clears the way for the Boeing AH-64E Apache to become Australia’s principal attack helicopter.
A Royal Navy Merlin HC4 helicopter ditched fatally after its crew misdiagnosed an emergency and shut down two functioning engines while attempting to land on HMS Queen Elizabeth at night. The crew had intended to practice night deck landings, according to the report.
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A Fly Precision Eurocopter AS332L1 crashed Sept. 20 while conducting water drops on Yosemite National Park’s 3,000-acre Dome Fire, killing both crewmembers. The incident highlights the operational risks facing rotary-wing crews supporting wildfire suppression in complex terrain and demanding conditions.
Lockheed Martin says its Armed Black Hawk kits can convert UH-60M and S-70i helicopters into armed attack platforms in less than three hours, offering operators a rapid path to add offensive capability to existing rotary-wing fleets without replacing the underlying aircraft.
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