HEMS Accident in Maryland. 4 Killed
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HEMS Accident in Maryland. 4 Killed
Sad news about another HEMS accident.
4 dead in medical helicopter crash - CNN.com
Seems it was a night flight and that weather conditions were not very good although drawing conclusions from that little information avalaible is premature.
Rest in peace
4 dead in medical helicopter crash - CNN.com
Seems it was a night flight and that weather conditions were not very good although drawing conclusions from that little information avalaible is premature.
Rest in peace
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Maryland Trooper 2 crashes
Another sad day for EMS -
I spent a week with them a few years back - extremely professional outfit with top equipment.
Condolences to family & colleagues.
A medevac helicopter taking accident victims to a trauma centre crashed early on Sunday in the United States, killing four of the five people aboard, authorities said. The accident killed two police officers on board, one of them the pilot. Also killed were a medic and one of the accident victims, said Mark Brady, a fire department spokesperson. A second accident victim survived the crash, which happened near Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Officials lost radio contact with the craft, known as Trooper 2, around 12:30 as it headed to the base, according to a Maryland State Police statement. The crew had radioed in that it needed to land due to weather conditions. After an intensive search, officials found the downed helicopter on a park trail.
Condolences to family & colleagues.
RIP
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Already posted earlier today with info on recent local safety standown:
http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/306...s-crash-4.html
Crew now named:
Medical Helicopter Crashes In Md. Park, Killing 4 - News Story - WRC | Washington
Did the ELT activate? Another press report talks of triangulating on the crews cell phones to find the wreckage.
http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/306...s-crash-4.html
Crew now named:
Medical Helicopter Crashes In Md. Park, Killing 4 - News Story - WRC | Washington
UPDATED: 9:47 am EDT September 28, 2008
FORESTVILLE, Md. -- A medical helicopter carrying victims of a traffic accident crashed in a suburban Washington park early Sunday after reporting bad weather, killing four of the five people aboard, authorities said.
Stephen H. Bunker, the helicopter pilot; Micky Lippy, the co-pilot and a flight paramedic; Tonya Mallard, an emergency responder; and Ashley Youngler, one of the traffic accident victims, died in the crash, authorities said.
Jordon Wells, who injured in the traffic accident, survived, and was rushed to a hospital by ambulance. Wells, 18, was critically injured.
It was foggy and rainy in the area about the time of the crash, said National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Decarfel.
Maryland State Police fly the medical helicopters in the state, and it was their first deadly crash since 1986 when a helicopter went down in fog in West Baltimore.
Just before midnight Saturday, the helicopter reported bad weather on the way to a Prince George's county hospital and the crew said it needed to land at Andrews Air Force Base, where it was to meet ambulances to take the accident victims the rest of the way to the hospital, authorities said.
The helicopter then disappeared from radar and officials lost radio contact. Public safety officials found the wreckage about two hours later on a trail in a wooded area of Walker Mill Regional Park.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were investigating.
Bunker, 59, of Waldorf, Md., joined the Maryland State Police in 1972 and later rejoined as a civilian pilot after retiring as a corporal.
Mallard, 38, also of Waldorf, is survived by her husband and two children.
Maryland State Police Aviation Command flies 12 twin-engine helicopters out of eight bases across the state. The last fatal crash in 1986 killed two troopers who had just transported a shooting victim. The command had two other fatal helicopter crashes in the 1970s.
A recent state legislative audit faulted the police agency for failing to document maintenance needs and costs and failing to comply with federal and manufacturer repair orders. Nine of the choppers are more than 18 years old.
But state police have defended the command, and the audit noted that the operation is highly regarded throughout the nation and has an "impeccable" safety record.
Only one pilot - is this usual? At night do MSP operate SP IFR or night VFR?FORESTVILLE, Md. -- A medical helicopter carrying victims of a traffic accident crashed in a suburban Washington park early Sunday after reporting bad weather, killing four of the five people aboard, authorities said.
Stephen H. Bunker, the helicopter pilot; Micky Lippy, the co-pilot and a flight paramedic; Tonya Mallard, an emergency responder; and Ashley Youngler, one of the traffic accident victims, died in the crash, authorities said.
Jordon Wells, who injured in the traffic accident, survived, and was rushed to a hospital by ambulance. Wells, 18, was critically injured.
It was foggy and rainy in the area about the time of the crash, said National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Decarfel.
Maryland State Police fly the medical helicopters in the state, and it was their first deadly crash since 1986 when a helicopter went down in fog in West Baltimore.
Just before midnight Saturday, the helicopter reported bad weather on the way to a Prince George's county hospital and the crew said it needed to land at Andrews Air Force Base, where it was to meet ambulances to take the accident victims the rest of the way to the hospital, authorities said.
The helicopter then disappeared from radar and officials lost radio contact. Public safety officials found the wreckage about two hours later on a trail in a wooded area of Walker Mill Regional Park.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were investigating.
Bunker, 59, of Waldorf, Md., joined the Maryland State Police in 1972 and later rejoined as a civilian pilot after retiring as a corporal.
Mallard, 38, also of Waldorf, is survived by her husband and two children.
Maryland State Police Aviation Command flies 12 twin-engine helicopters out of eight bases across the state. The last fatal crash in 1986 killed two troopers who had just transported a shooting victim. The command had two other fatal helicopter crashes in the 1970s.
A recent state legislative audit faulted the police agency for failing to document maintenance needs and costs and failing to comply with federal and manufacturer repair orders. Nine of the choppers are more than 18 years old.
But state police have defended the command, and the audit noted that the operation is highly regarded throughout the nation and has an "impeccable" safety record.
Did the ELT activate? Another press report talks of triangulating on the crews cell phones to find the wreckage.
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MSP accident
they operate SPIFR. Rumor is that they got vectored for the app. and missed, requested a second try. radar track shows accident site about 3 miles from departure end of runway.
Very sad.
Very sad.
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Just Google Earthed the area.
AFW is at: 38°48′13″N, 76°52′17″W
The Walker Mill Regional Park is a pretty small wooded area surrounded by built-up area. Does it really take 2 hours to find an aircraft in the circuit of a major USAF base?
AFW is at: 38°48′13″N, 76°52′17″W
The Walker Mill Regional Park is a pretty small wooded area surrounded by built-up area. Does it really take 2 hours to find an aircraft in the circuit of a major USAF base?
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RIP, this is very sad. Not wanting to seem insensitive here but....
Whether it is or is not the cause of this accident(probably isn't). I believe "public use" aren't required to adhere to federal or manufacturer repair orders, but this is yet another argument for the Feds to actually step in and regulate these aircraft. Although this point is kinda pointless as I've been told in the past that federal regulation of "public use" aircraft would be unconstitutional. And as the constitution outranks logic here, the point is moot.
A recent state legislative audit faulted the police agency for failing to document maintenance needs and costs and failing to comply with federal and manufacturer repair orders.
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RIP, this is very sad. Not wanting to seem insensitive here but....
Quote:
A recent state legislative audit faulted the police agency for failing to document maintenance needs and costs and failing to comply with federal and manufacturer repair orders.
Whether it is or is not the cause of this accident(probably isn't). I believe "public use" aren't required to adhere to federal or manufacturer repair orders, but this is yet another argument for the Feds to actually step in and regulate these aircraft. Although this point is kinda pointless as I've been told in the past that federal regulation of "public use" aircraft would be unconstitutional. And as the constitution outranks logic here, the point is moot.
Quote:
A recent state legislative audit faulted the police agency for failing to document maintenance needs and costs and failing to comply with federal and manufacturer repair orders.
Whether it is or is not the cause of this accident(probably isn't). I believe "public use" aren't required to adhere to federal or manufacturer repair orders, but this is yet another argument for the Feds to actually step in and regulate these aircraft. Although this point is kinda pointless as I've been told in the past that federal regulation of "public use" aircraft would be unconstitutional. And as the constitution outranks logic here, the point is moot.
I understand you were not trying to be insensitive, but I believe you failed in that regard.
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I stand corrected then. I assumed that they were public use as they were LE and made the statement after reading zalt's post. I guess I should have researched it a little more instead of diving in feet first.
Again, sorry if it came across as insensitive.
Again, sorry if it came across as insensitive.
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I stand corrected then. I assumed that they were public use as they were LE and made the statement after reading zalt's post. I guess I should have researched it a little more instead of diving in feet first.
Again, sorry if it came across as insensitive.
Again, sorry if it came across as insensitive.
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I don't know of any rules that prohibit the MS police from transporting injured folks in their helicopters and retaining 'public use'. California Highway Patrol does it, and they're public use.
They may have some features of other parts of the FARs, but they would most probably be public use.
They may have some features of other parts of the FARs, but they would most probably be public use.
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I don't know of any rules that prohibit the MS police from transporting injured folks in their helicopters and retaining 'public use'. California Highway Patrol does it, and they're public use.
They may have some features of other parts of the FARs, but they would most probably be public use.
They may have some features of other parts of the FARs, but they would most probably be public use.
Thanks for sharing and I liked your book(s).
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I see Trooper 2 "based at Andrews Air Force Base" is "the busiest Medevac helicopter in America".
Maryland State Police Aviation Command
This page give a good idea of the relative status of pilots in the MSP too.
Maryland State Police Aviation Command
This page give a good idea of the relative status of pilots in the MSP too.
