Over 900 Americans Have Died in Helicopter Crashes Since 1999

The death of former NBA superstar Kobe Bryant has put a public spotlight on air transportation safety.  Vital Statistics obtained from the public online WONDER database show that 940 Americans were killed in helicopter crashes between 1999 and 2017, with the death toll ranging from a high mark of 79 deaths in 2003 to a low mark of 26 deaths in 2015, the year before Bryant retired from professional basketball.  SOURCE:  National Vital Statistics System, ICD-10 code V95.0, http://wonder.cdc.gov