Aviation Coalition Aims To Rein in Slackline Hazards

After a fatal crash involving a helicopter that struck a slackline across a canyon near Superior, Arizona, on January 2, VAI, AOPA, and the National Agricultural Aviation Association are leading a coalition of aviation associations asking the FAA to revise processes for identifying and notifying pilots about the hazards of slacklines.

Slacklining is a sport where participants walk across a webbed line. In this case, it was strung across the canyon at 600 feet agl. The setup included the main slackline to which a backup line was attached; the participant is usually attached to the backup line in case of a fall off the main line. Multiple windsocks and LED lights were attached to a separate signal line that marked the location of the slackline.

There was a notam about the slackline that contained valuable safety information, and it was posted, as required, in a timely manner. However, according to a detailed analysis by Mitchell Hynes, chief helicopter instructor at Hampton Roads Helicopters and president of the Virginia Helicopter Association, there was a high likelihood that the accident pilot never saw the notam.

According to Hynes, “This notam, for example, only has E81, Superior Municipal Airport, as a facility designator. That means unless the pilot specifically searched for notams for E81 or did some kind of route-notam search, he would’ve completely missed it. If you search the FAA system for notams from his nearby departure airport, a private airport, you yield no results.

“To get this notam to show up in the FAA system, you’d have to input the airport along his route, E81, into the search directly, or you’d have to use the ‘route’ plan function. Now, what would you type into the route planning option in order to accurately describe this route?”

In a letter to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, the coalition is asking that the FAA review existing slackline notice practices; ways to improve the notam situation, including graphical depictions on maps (especially on digital devices and avionics); and additional outreach and compliance efforts when such hazards are created in navigable airspace.

As the letter explained, “FAA data identifies accidents described with the phrase ‘struck object during low altitude ops’ as among the deadliest recurring types of accidents threatening helicopter operations. Specifically, low-altitude object strikes accounted for 15% of Part 91 helicopter fatal accidents and were the highest occurrence category for Part 133 and Part 137 helicopter fatal accidents, at 40% and 73%, respectively. In light of that continuing risk, we believe this accident highlights several safety issues that merit further FAA attention.”

“The data is clear: low-altitude object strikes remain one of the most persistent and deadly threats in helicopter operations,” said VAI president and CEO François Lassale. “This request reflects a practical, safety-focused effort to work with the FAA and industry partners to examine lessons from the Superior, Arizona accident and similar tragedies to identify measures that reduce risk before another accident occurs. Safety improvements often begin by recognizing a hazard clearly and acting before it is repeated. That is the spirit of this effort.”