NAAA & State/Regional Ag Aviation Associations Join National Aviation Coalition to Prevent Future Slackline Accidents

NAAA joined 19 national aviation organizations and 18 state/regional agricultural aviation associations in a letter to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford earlier this week to highlight several safety issues raised by the recent helicopter slackline accident near Superior, Arizona.

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 percent of Part 91 helicopter fatal accidents and were the highest occurrence category for Part 133 and Part 137 helicopter fatal accidents, at 40 percent and 73 percent, respectively. The letter went on to state that considering these continued risks, this accident highlights several safety issues that merit further FAA attention.

The letter states three points.

1. First, the Arizona accident raises questions about the visibility and marking of temporary obstructions that may penetrate navigable airspace. In this case, the slackline extended to approximately 600 feet above ground, placing it in airspace accessible by low-altitude aircraft. Existing FAA rules already require notice for the proposed construction or alteration of certain obstructions, including temporary ones, particularly those exceeding 200 feet above ground level and certain objects located near airports and heliports. FAA guidance further states that any temporary or permanent structure that exceeds a Part 77 obstruction standard or an overall height of 200 feet above ground level should be marked and/or lighted.
2. Second, the accident raises questions about the adequacy of current notification practices for temporary obstructions, including whether FAA requirements and guidance should more clearly address when slacklines and similar temporary obstructions penetrating navigable airspace are subject to pilot notification requirements (i.e., obstruction NOTAMs) and how those NOTAMs should be issued. The existence of a NOTAM in this case demonstrates that, even when a NOTAM is present, it may not be readily seen or understood by a pilot. This underscores the need to examine how these NOTAMs are disseminated and whether they can be issued in a way that supports consistent graphical depiction across systems and improves pilot safety.
3. Finally, the accident highlights the importance of outreach, awareness, and compliance among non-aviation communities whose activities may create hazards in navigable airspace. In the case of slacklines and similar temporary obstructions, safety depends not only on pilot awareness, but also on broad understanding of applicable requirements, clear expectations regarding markings and notification, and meaningful compliance with those expectations by all involved parties.

The letter asks the FAA to review these issues expeditiously and, in consultation with stakeholders, consider appropriate policy, operational, or technical changes to improve temporary obstruction notice and marking, improved dissemination of obstruction information, and more consistent graphical depiction across digital aviation tools to avoid another fatal accident like the one in Superior, Arizona that occurred earlier this year. Read the full letter here.