You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.
| Date: | Tuesday 11 June 2013 |
| Time: | 18:30 |
| Type: |  Eurocopter AS 350B2 AStar |
| Owner/operator: | EagleMed LLC |
| Registration: | N935EM |
| MSN: | 7427 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2012 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 522 hours |
| Engine model: | Turbomeca ARRIEL 1D1 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 4 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Choctaw Indian Hospital Heliport, Talihina, OK -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Ambulance |
| Departure airport: | Talihina, OK (OK35) |
| Tulsa, OK (4OK3) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The emergency medical service helicopter had been parked for more than an hour on a paved road next to a hospital. Immediately before takeoff during the predeparture safety briefing, the pilot discussed with the medical crew the 20-ft-tall metal lamp post to the helicopter's immediate left front. However, the pilot did not mention the 40-ft-tall metal lamp post that was 175 ft ahead of the helicopter and on the left side of the roadway. During takeoff, while traveling forward and following the center of the 25-ft-wide paved road, the helicopter's rotating main rotor blades impacted the 40-ft-tall lamp post about 24 ft above its base. The pilot was unable to maintain control of the helicopter, and the helicopter impacted the ground and came to rest on its right side about 230 ft from the takeoff point. The pilot reported that during the takeoff and before impact, he never saw the 40-ft-tall lamp post.
Probable Cause: The helicopter pilot's failure to see and avoid the 40-ft-tall lamp post during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight evaluation of the obstructions in the takeoff path.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=935EM
Location
Media:
Picture of helicopter crash in Choctaw Nation: This is right beside the Choctaw Nation Hosp. Pray for the them!! twitter.com/OnlyMiOpinion/…
— Vickiz Voice(@OnlyMiOpinion) June 12, 2013
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Jun-2013 01:55 | gerard57 | Added |
| 12-Jun-2013 05:55 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Departure airport, Embed code, ] |
| 12-Jun-2013 16:20 | Geno | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Location, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, ] |
| 29-Mar-2015 09:29 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 09-Sep-2015 20:15 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, ] |
| 27-Sep-2015 07:57 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 24-Sep-2016 07:47 | Aerossurance | Updated [Aircraft type, Location, ] |
| 30-Nov-2016 20:49 | Aerossurance | Updated [Aircraft type, ] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 29-Nov-2017 08:47 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation