An emergency medical services helicopter crashed into a field near Brownsville, Tennessee killing all aboard, which included the pilot and two nurses. They were on a return trip after delivering a patient. There were severe thunderstorms in the area, and at least one other helicopter had declined to make a trip into the same area due to weather.
Authorities said the helicopter had flown a patient from Parsons, Tennessee to Jackson-Madison County General Hospital, and was returning to Haywood County EMS Heliport in Brownsville.
The pilot had been in communication with his base, reporting no mechanical problems, but was concerned with the weather. They were approaching the base in Brownsville at the time of the accident.
A pilot who was waiting for the helicopter at the base was on the phone with one of the on-board nurses. She stated they were “30 seconds out” and hung up. Then, just after hanging up, there was an “immediate” loud clap of thunder and lightning that made the pilot at the base jump. He subsequently looked out, but saw no helicopter, and tried to call the nurse back without success.
The flight was operated by Medical Center Air Ambulance Service, doing business as Hospital Wing. Hospital Wing has a fleet of five helicopters, and the crashed Eurocopter AS-350-B3 was one of the newest. It was the first accident involving the company since it began operating in 1986.
The EMS helicopter industry has been beset by a record number of fatal crashes in recent years. From 2008 to February 2010 there were 11 crashes that included 41 fatalities. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that improving the safety of the EMS helicopter industry is among their “most wanted improvements.”
Fatal accidents are likely caused in part by pressure on crews to respond even in difficult flight conditions. The NTSB has urged the government to impose stricter controls on emergency helicopters, to include requiring the use of autopilots and night-vision systems.
(Source(s): FoxNews & NTSB)
If your loved one is killed by negligence in an aviation accident, you might be eligible to file an aviation wrongful death lawsuit. To learn more, contact an aviation accident lawyer.
