Original Message

You really should check your facts before making such statements.  Back in the day, the Bell 47 had one of the worst accident histories in the industry (and was operated mostly by former Korean and Viet Nam era helicopter pilots).  The majority of accidents were actually caused by mechanical failures (primarily engine related).  The only helicopter that came close to matching the Robinson was the Enstrom in that they were purchased by a new generation of private owners (low time pilots).  The Enstrom was plagued by accidents in its early history (70's and 80's) and eventually lost the market share to Robinson.  I am surprised that the accident rate in Robinson helicopters isn't substantially higher, considering the number of them operating worldwide.