How safe are helicopters?

The figures

CAA Annual Safety Review 2025 (CAP 3297, first published August 2026): approx 50 UK onshore helicopter operators hold an AOC, operating around 100 aircraft; offshore ~100 helicopters across five operators. Source

CAP 3297: onshore VTOL reported accidents/serious incidents - 2020: 2/2; 2021: 0/5; 2022: 1/4; 2023: 2/4; 2024: 1/1; 2025: 1/2. Source

CAP 3297: offshore VTOL accidents/serious incidents - 2020 0/0; 2021 0/7; 2022 1/2; 2023 1/2; 2024 1/0; 2025 0/0. Source

CAP 3297: in 2025 there were no fatalities within the VTOL sector; onshore had 1 accident (rotor blade detached after sudden vibration) and 2 serious incidents. Source

CAP 3297: 2025 GA overall 158 accidents and serious incidents, 10 fatal accidents killing 13 people (above 10-year average of 11). Source

What an AOC means: leaflet says applicants must satisfy the CAA they are competent to secure safe operation; CAA reviews operations manual and audits management, crew training, maintenance, loading, flight and fuel planning, with continuing surveillance after grant. Source

Risk of a non-AOC flight (leaflet): less oversight, less tightly regulated crew hours and maintenance, and an illegal flight may invalidate insurance including passengers' own life insurance. Source

What to ask an operator: name and number of the AOC holder, then verify on the CAA list; if a broker, ask the name of the operating company. Check list at the CAA 'Holders of air operator certificates' page. Source

EASA / AAIB helicopter statistics by year: not retrieved (EASA Annual Safety Review helicopter chapter and AAIB reports not fetched).