Texas bird strike opens hole in helicopter windshield
A Med-Link Air Medical Service crew was transferring a patient from Houston to Orange on September 22 when a large bird struck the pilot's side windscreen. Nothing entered the cabin, and the pilot landed the BO 105 at the destination site without further incident. The program is based in Beaumont, Texas.
Governor failure ends Arizona flight
A governor failure on October 4 necessitated an emergency landing a quarter of a mile from the sending hospital for Air Evac Services, based in Phoenix. The AStar B3 landed safely in a field, and no injuries or helicopter damage were reported.
Rotor blade damaged during Australian rescue
NRMA CareFlight in Westmead, NSW, Australia, was asked to rescue, treat, and transport a 27-year-old man on October 10. The man had injured his back from a fall in Claustral Canyon, a remote point in Blue Mountains National Park west of Sydney. During a 200-foot winch operation into a narrow canyon, the Bell 412 HP's tail rotor contacted what was thought to be light foliage. The mission was completed, and the aircraft returned to base. One tail rotor blade was replaced and the gearbox disassembled and inspected.
Texas helicopter lands hard on rooftop
An Agusta 109 flown by Careflite in Grand Prairie, Texas, landed hard on the rooftop of the parking garage of Harris Methodist Forth Worth Hospital, where the ship has a home base, on November 8. The landing was believed to have occurred as the helicopter was departing the base to relocate to another facility, and whether high winds were a factor is unknown. The aircraft had been put into service in August, and the extent of the damage other than the tail rotor was under investigation. A light pole and some concrete were damaged at the scene, but no one was injured.
Unexpected spinning startles Kentucky crew
Also on November 8, an Air Evac Lifeteam crew from Albany, Ky., went out in a BH 206L helicopter. During a short final approach at 30-35 feet, the aircraft started to spin to the right. The pilot reduced the throttle to flight idle and autorotated the landing. The ship landed hard, damaging the skids and tail boom. No one was reported hurt.
Vulture forces cautionary landing for Florida aircraft
A crew with the Life Star program of Martin County Fire Rescue in Stuart, Fla., was returning from delivering a trauma patient when a vulture came through the left front windshield. The pilot of the BK 117 made a cautionary landing in a ball field, but no other damage was found. The medic in the copilot's seat received minor shoulder injuries in the November 12 incident.
For more information on these incidents or Concern Network, contact coordinator Roseann Krantz at (800) 75-SHOCK orrjkrantz@aol.com.
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