ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 240052
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| 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) |
| Union Center, SD | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
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:
 |
|
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:
#Ambulance / #AirAmbulance Collision (Air Methods Bell 407GX): At night a driver manoeuvred closer not realising the rotor blades were turning. Exactly 6 months earlier a drunk driver had hit the same #helicopter!https://t.co/S1gCPrWPwv #accident #flightsafety #aviationsafety pic.twitter.com/RtklVzaYUj
— Aerossurance (@Aerossurance) August 14, 2020
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] |
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:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation