Preliminary
Metro Engine Failure at Rifle
Fairchild SA227AC, Rifle, Colo., April 16, 2015–The NTSB cited a second-stage turbine rotor in an engine failure and subsequent fire as the Metro climbed away from Rifle (RIL), Colo. Despite substantial damage, the aircraft eventually landed safely at Grand Junction with no injuries to the sole-occupant pilot. Registered to CBG of Wilsonville, Ore., and operated under Part 135 by Key Lime Air of Englewood, Colo., the turboprop twin departed RIL at 10:45 p.m. local time on an IFR flight plan for Denver. The aircraft was still well below the peaks of nearby mountains when the pilot heard a “bang” followed by a complete loss of power and engine fire indications from the right engine. The pilot declared an emergency and diverted to Grand Junction Regional Airport for an instrument approach and an otherwise uneventful landing at 11:11 p.m.
Post-incident examination revealed the right engine’s second-stage turbine rotor had separated. One portion exited the left side of the engine, penetrating the right side of the fuselage. Rifle weather at the time of the incident was a moonless sky with light wind and an overcast layer at 2,000 feet. The visibility was 10 miles in light rain, with a surface temperature hovering just above freezing.
Helicopter Crewmember Dies During Rescue Operation
Airbus EC145, Austin, Texas, April 27, 2015–A 46-year-old crewmember on a Star Flight EC145 died when she fell from the helicopter still buckled into her harness. The accident occurred during a wilderness rescue mission at the Barton Creek Green Belt area southwest of Austin. A stranded hiker was eventually rescued and no one else on board the helicopter received injuries during the remainder of the mission.
Cheyenne Accident Claims Four
Piper PA-31T1 Cheyenne, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., April 12–The aircraft, operating under Part 91 in day VMC, crashed into a wooded area, barely missing a busy highway while on approach to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. All four people aboard perished in the accident. The twin turboprop was registered to Aircraft Guaranty of Onalaska, Texas. Reports indicate the Cheyenne had departed Orlando Executive Airport and declared an emergency on the way in to Fort Lauderdale, with the pilot reporting smoke in the cockpit. An eyewitness said the wings of the Cheyenne were rocking just before it dived into the ground a quarter mile short of Runway 13. A post-crash fire on airport property destroyed the aircraft.
South African AStar Accident Claims One
Airbus AS350B3, Mazabuka Ekushiya, Zambia, April 9, 2015–Initial reports from the region offered confusing details about how many people were aboard the helicopter when it crashed during what was at first believed to be an aerial mapping mission. Information gathered later by local sources claimed the helicopter, operated by GASA-Geotech Aviation with only the pilot on board, crashed at 1:10 p.m. while on a ferry flight. A post-crash fire destroyed the aircraft.
Helicopter Strikes Powerlines in China
Bell 206, Sichuan Ziyang Lezhi, China, April 13, 2015–The helicopter, belonging to a forest pest control company, flew into power lines and crashed under as-yet-unknown circumstances. The pilot, the only person aboard, died in the accident and the helicopter was destroyed.
Five Escape King Air Landing Accident
Beechcraft King Air 200, Maracaibo-La Chinita Airport, Venezuela, April 25, 2015–The Venezuelan-registered aircraft, operated by Sata, sustained substantial damage during a landing accident at 5:10 p.m. During the accident, the tail separated from the fuselage, and the left wing and engine were destroyed by a post-crash fire. All five people on board escaped; the extent of any injuries was not reported.
Firefighting Huey Crashes in South Africa
Bell UH-1H, Bainskloof, South Africa, April 10, 2015–The Huey was making an emergency landing to extinguish a rapidly spreading bush fire in reportedly high wind at the time of the accident. The helicopter crashed into the side of a mountain and was destroyed by a post-crash fire. The crash claimed the lives of the two crewmembers aboard.
Caravan Returns to Airport After Power Failure
Cessna 208B, Kahului Airport, Kahului, Maui, Hawaii, April 22, 2015–None of the four people aboard the Caravan was injured when the pilot conducted an emergency return to Kahului Airport after a loss of engine power at approximately 9:35 a.m. local time. The aircraft, operated by Mokulele Airlines, was departing on a scheduled passenger trip at the time of the incident. The aircraft did not suffer any damage in the landing.
AStar Damaged in Ground Collision with Aircraft
Airbus AS350B2, Van Nuys Airport, Calif., April 16, 2015–The helicopter, owned and operated by Purwin Company, sustained an unreported amount of damage when it was struck by a taxiing Aero Commander 685. No injuries were reported aboard either aircraft as a result of the collision.
Final
King Air Destroyed During EMS Positioning Flight
Beechcraft King Air 200, seven miles southwest of Atqasuk, Alaska, May 16, 2011–The aircraft hit terrain because the pilot failed to maintain sufficient airspeed during an instrument approach in icing conditions, according to the NTSB. The result was an aerodynamic stall and subsequent loss of control. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s fatigue; the operator’s decision to initiate the flight without conducting a formal risk assessment that included time of day, weather and crew rest; and the lack of formal guidelines for the medical community to determine the appropriate mode of transportation for patients. The pilot and two medical personnel aboard the aircraft received minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed.
The pilot had worked a 10-hour shift the day of the accident and had been off duty for about two hours when the chief pilot called him around midnight to transport a patient. The pilot accepted the flight, and about two hours later he was conducting an instrument approach to Atqasuk airport to pick up the patient. The pilot reported receiving his clearance for a GPS Runway 6 approach about 35 miles from the airport. He remained above 2,200 feet–just above the cloud tops–in the descent, most likely to remain clear of the ice. Before the initial approach fix he did descend to 2,000 feet, putting the aircraft in the clouds.
He turned on all of the anti-ice and de-ice systems, and these appeared to be shedding ice almost completely, the pilot reported. He extended the flaps and lowered the landing gear to descend and added power. The airspeed continued to decrease, however, as the airplane descended. The pilot raised the flaps and landing gear and applied full climb power. The airplane shuddered as it climbed and the airspeed continued dropping. When the stall warning activated, the pilot lowered the nose to increase the airspeed, but the aircraft continued descending until it struck the level, snow-covered terrain. The pilot did not indicate any mechanical issues with the airplane.
The aircraft satellite tracking and engine and flight control monitoring were used in the investigation. The minimum safe operating speed for the airplane in continuous icing conditions is listed as 140 kias. The King Air’s IAS fell below 140 knots four minutes before impact. During the last minute of flight, the IAS varied from a high of 124.5 knots to a low of 64.6 knots and the vertical speed varied from +1,965 fpm to -2,464 fpm. The last data recorded showed the airplane at 68 kias, descending at 1,651 fpm with the nose pitched up 20 degrees.
The chief pilot reported pilots were on call 14 consecutive 24-hour periods before receiving two weeks off. He said the accident pilot had worked the previous day, but stated he was rested enough to accept the mission. The chief pilot indicated he was aware that sleep cycles and circadian rhythms are disturbed by varied and prolonged activity.
The operator’s management said it does not prioritize patient transportation with regard to medical condition but bases transport decisions on medical staff requests and the availability of a pilot, aircraft and suitable weather. The NTSB said that given the long duty day and the early-morning departure time of the flight, it is likely the pilot experienced significant fatigue that substantially degraded his ability to monitor the airplane during a dark night instrument flight in icing conditions.
One of the NTSB’s safety recommendations (A-06-13) stemming from the crash addresses the importance of conducting a thorough risk assessment before accepting a flight. The safety recommendation asks the FAA to “require all emergency medical services (EMS) operators develop and implement flight risk evaluation programs that include training all employees involved in the operation and procedures that support the systematic evaluation of flight risks, and consultation with others trained in EMS flight operations if the risks reach a predefined level.” Had such a thorough risk assessment been performed, the decision to launch a fatigued pilot into icing conditions late at night might have been different or additional precautions might have been taken to alleviate the risk.
The NTSB is also concerned that the pressure to conduct EMS operations safely and quickly in various environmental conditions elevates the risk of accidents when compared with other methods of patient transport. However, guidelines vary greatly for determining the mode of and need for transportation. Thus, the NTSB recommends in A-09-103 that the Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services (Ficems) “develop national guidelines for the selection of appropriate emergency transportation modes for urgent care.” The most recent correspondence from Ficems indicated that the guidelines are close to being finalized and distributed to members. Such guidance will help hospitals and physicians assess the appropriate mode of transport for patients.
This material is based on the NTSB’s report (preliminary, factual or final) of each accident or, in the case of recent accidents, on information obtained from the FAA or local authorities. It is not intended to judge or evaluate the ability of any person, living or dead, and is presented here for informational purposes.