ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 240052
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Date: | Sunday 3 March 2019 |
Time: | 00:13 LT |
Type: | Bell 407 |
Owner/operator: | Air Methods Corp (AMC), dba Black Hills Life Flight |
Registration: | N450AM |
MSN: | 54435 |
Year of manufacture: | 2013 |
Total airframe hrs: | 2105 hours |
Engine model: | Rolls Royce 250-C47B |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
Category: | Accident |
Location: | Union Center, SD -
United States of America
|
Phase: | Standing |
Nature: | Ambulance |
Departure airport: | Spearfish-Black Hills Airport, SD (SPF/KSPF) |
Destination airport: | Union Center, SD |
Investigating agency: | NTSB |
Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:The helicopter pilot, flight nurse, and flight paramedic had arrived at a landing zone to pick up a patient at night. After landing, the pilot rolled the engine throttle to idle and briefed the flight crew that they were clear to depart the helicopter. About 20 seconds later, the ground ambulance drove toward the helicopter, and the main rotor blades impacted the top of the ambulance. The flight paramedic was thrown to the ground and sustained minor injuries. The main rotor blades, tailboom, and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The ground ambulance driver stated that he saw the crew open the doors and get out of the helicopter, so he moved the ambulance ahead to get closer to the helicopter. The driver stated that he did not realize "that the helicopter blades were still rotating." The operator confirmed that the ambulance driver had received training, which indicated that ground personnel are not to approach the helicopter until the blades had stopped rotation. In addition, the general operations manual stated that ground personnel will not come beneath the rotor disk until directed to do so by the pilot.
Probable Cause: The ambulance driver’s failure to see the helicopter’s rotating main rotor blades in dark night conditions, which resulted in the ambulance’s inadvertent collision with the helicopter. Contributing to the accident was the ambulance driver's failure to follow procedures when approaching the helicopter.
Accident investigation:
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| |
Investigating agency: | NTSB |
Report number: | CEN19LA092 |
Status: | Investigation completed |
Duration: | |
Download report: | Final report |
|
Sources:
NTSB
http://aerossurance.com/helicopters/vehicle-b407-hems-collision/
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
3 August 2018 |
N450AM |
Air Methods dba Black Hills Life Flight |
0 |
Regional Health Rapid City Hospital Helipad (SD40), SD |
|
min |
Location
Media:
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
15-Aug-2020 16:01 |
ASN Update Bot |
Added |
31-Oct-2021 17:44 |
Aerossurance |
Updated [Time, Operator, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
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