THE AIR Accident Investigation Unit has begun an investigation into a “heavy landing” by an Air Corps Eurocopter in Co Tipperary after it came into contact with power lines while on an air ambulance mission.
Two Air Corps crew and one Health Service Executive paramedic escaped without injury. But the Eurocopter 135 was substantially damaged in the incident.
The aircraft, which had been assigned to the pilot emergency aeromedical service, has been taken out of service.
The new air ambulance had been in operation for a fortnight and had flown 10 missions to date.
It had left Custume Barracks in Athlone, Co Westmeath, at 1.50pm and was en route to Templemore, Co Tipperary, to airlift a seriously ill patient to hospital when it came in contact with overhead cables at 2.10pm.
The helicopter made a “heavy but controlled” landing in a field at Currabaha Cross, close to the R498 road, about six kilometres northwest of Borrisoleigh in north Tipperary. Emergency crews responded within 20 minutes.
The helicopter’s skid bars were embedded in the field, while the aircraft’s tail section was damaged.
The patient who was the subject of the call-out was taken to hospital by road.
The Department of Transport said the accident investigation unit had been asked by the Air Corps to investigate the incident and its team was en route to the site last night. In addition, the location would be inspected and surveyed and the damaged aircraft would then be moved to a secure site, said a department spokeswoman.
ESB crews were last night working to repair damaged power lines and an Air Corps recovery unit had travelled to the incident. Senior HSE ambulance staff also visited the scene.
“Contingency plans are being put in place to resume the emergency aeromedical service as soon as possible,” said the Department of Defence.
The pilot service is run by the Air Corps for the HSE under an interdepartmental memorandum of understanding. It is understood the Department of Health received submissions warning of the risks of a short lead-in time and this factor may be examined by the investigators.
Helicopter emergency medical services are regarded as being as risky as offshore search and rescue, due to the nature of taskings. In North America, the greatest number of helicopter accidents involve emergency medical services aircraft.
The Irish service had responded to, on average, one call-out daily since it became operational on June 4th.