SASless
10th Oct 2006, 15:21
Pilot is a former US Army Blackhawk pilot, had 15 hours in type and 4 hours EMS experience operationally. Night, confined area, max weight.....I would suggest someone loaded, cocked, and pointed the pistol at this guys head. All he did was pull the "trigger".:(
The Morning News
Local News for Northwest Arkansas
Pilot blamed in fatal crash
By Don Dailey
The Morning News
The National Transportation Safety Board is blaming the pilot in a medical helicopter crash that killed a patient in western Benton County in February 2005.
The Air Evac Lifeteam air ambulance based in Claremore, Okla., crashed in a pasture just after taking off from the front yard of a rural home on Arkansas 43 near Cherokee City. There were three crew members and one patient on board.
The patient, Robert Arneson, 71, of Harlingen, Texas, was injured in a one-vehicle accident and was alive when he was loaded into the Bell 206 Long Ranger helicopter, according to official reports.
A report by the NTSB released Tuesday said the probable cause of the crash was "The pilot's improper decision to maneuver in an environment conducive to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, and his failure to properly execute an autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the prevailing crosswind."
Dennis Enders of Broken Arrow, Okla., was the pilot. Paramedic Clayton Bratt and nurse Dee Ann Miller were also aboard. All three were taken to Northwest Arkansas hospitals.
Julie Heavrin, spokeswoman for Air Evac, said the company is satisfied with the NTSB report.
She would not comment on the employment status of Enders, saying the company doesn't comment on personnel matters.
The pilot reported he was concerned about clearing power lines and when the craft reached an altitude slightly below the power lines it began turning to the right without the pilot's input. The pilot attempted to fly out of the turn, but the helicopter began to spin to the right and descend, the report said.
The report also noted the flight to pick up the patient was expected to take 20-30 minutes from the Claremore base, but actually took 48 minutes because the pilot had difficulty finding the site of the car crash.
The Morning News
Local News for Northwest Arkansas
Pilot blamed in fatal crash
By Don Dailey
The Morning News
The National Transportation Safety Board is blaming the pilot in a medical helicopter crash that killed a patient in western Benton County in February 2005.
The Air Evac Lifeteam air ambulance based in Claremore, Okla., crashed in a pasture just after taking off from the front yard of a rural home on Arkansas 43 near Cherokee City. There were three crew members and one patient on board.
The patient, Robert Arneson, 71, of Harlingen, Texas, was injured in a one-vehicle accident and was alive when he was loaded into the Bell 206 Long Ranger helicopter, according to official reports.
A report by the NTSB released Tuesday said the probable cause of the crash was "The pilot's improper decision to maneuver in an environment conducive to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, and his failure to properly execute an autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the prevailing crosswind."
Dennis Enders of Broken Arrow, Okla., was the pilot. Paramedic Clayton Bratt and nurse Dee Ann Miller were also aboard. All three were taken to Northwest Arkansas hospitals.
Julie Heavrin, spokeswoman for Air Evac, said the company is satisfied with the NTSB report.
She would not comment on the employment status of Enders, saying the company doesn't comment on personnel matters.
The pilot reported he was concerned about clearing power lines and when the craft reached an altitude slightly below the power lines it began turning to the right without the pilot's input. The pilot attempted to fly out of the turn, but the helicopter began to spin to the right and descend, the report said.
The report also noted the flight to pick up the patient was expected to take 20-30 minutes from the Claremore base, but actually took 48 minutes because the pilot had difficulty finding the site of the car crash.