Another American Ems Ship Down

[treetopflyer]

 

1 dead, 2 injured in medical helicopter crash

 

Michael Chow

The Arizona Republic

Dec. 15, 2004 12:39 AM

 

One person died and two others were injured late Tuesday when a medical helicopter crashed in the parking lot of an Apache Junction strip mall, authorities said.

 

The AirEvac helicopter was landing to pick up a patient about 10:30 p.m. when "something happened," said Apache Junction police Sgt. Richard Virgil.

 

The helicopter crashed into the ground in the parking lot on the southeast corner of Meridian Road and Apache Trail. A pilot, flight paramedic and flight nurse were on board, Virgil said. One person was dead on scene and the other two were taken to a hospital.

 

Virgil said the crash caused a fuel spill but no fire.

 

The AirEvac crew was arriving to pick up a patient with a head wound, Virgil said. Medical helicopters have used the parking lot before and authorities deemed it the safest place in the area to land Tuesday night.

 

Authorities cordoned off the crash site late Tuesday and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

 

Another helicopter arrived to transport the patient with the head injury.

[Squirrel]

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** Report created 12/15/2004 Record 1 **

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IDENTIFICATION

Regis#: 971AE Make/Model: AS50 Description: AS-350/550 ECUREUIL, ASTAR, SU

Date: 12/14/2004 Time: 0437

 

Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N

Damage: Substantial

 

LOCATION

City: APACHE JUNCTION State: AZ Country: US

 

DESCRIPTION

HELO, A EUROCOPTER ASTAR 350, CRASHED IN A SAFEWY PARKING LOT IN APACHE

JUNCTION, AZ. 3 POB, 1 IS REPORTED FATAL AND 2 ARE IN SERIOUS CONDITION;

AND SUBSTANTIAL ACFT DAMAGE. APACHE JUNCTION, AZ

 

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 1

# Crew: 1 Fat: 1 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

# Pass: 2 Fat: 0 Ser: 2 Min: 0 Unk:

# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

 

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED

 

 

 

OTHER DATA

Activity: Unknown Phase: Unknown Operation: General Aviation

 

Departed: UNKN Dep Date: Dep. Time:

Destination: SDL HOSPITAL Flt Plan: NONE Wx Briefing: N

Last Radio Cont: UNKN

Last Clearance: UNKN

 

FAA FSDO: SCOTTSDALE, AZ (WP07) Entry date: 12/15/2004

[407 Driver]

How many accidents per year and how many deaths will it take until the FAA steps in and does something about their high EMS accident rates?