Sunday, March 15, 2015

SLU HOSPITAL HELICOPTER CRASH PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION RELEASED BY NTSB




MARCH 12, 2015

NTSB Identification: CEN15FA164 

14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation 

Accident occurred Friday, March 06, 2015 in St Louis, MO 

Aircraft: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS EC 130 B4, registration: N356AM 

Injuries: 1 Fatal. 

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On March 6, 2015, at 2310 central standard time, an Airbus Helicopters (Eurocopter) EC-130-B4, N356AM, operated by Air Methods (doing business as ARCH), struck the edge of a hospital building and impacted its parking lot during a visual approach to the St Louis University Hospital elevated rooftop helipad (MO55), St Louis, Missouri. 

During the approach, the helicopter experienced a loss of directional control and entered an uncontrolled descent. The helicopter was destroyed by impact forces and a post-crash fire. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91 as an air medical positioning flight that was operating on a company flight plan. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. 

The flight was returning to MO55 after it had been refueled at the operator’s base in St. Louis, Missouri.

The flight’s first approach and landing at MO55 was to drop off a medic, nurse, and a patient. During the approach, the pilot reported to the flight nurse and medic that winds were gusting to 25 knots. 

The flight nurse stated that helicopter was yawing quite a bit and there was a noticeable roll side to side during landing. The helicopter landed without incident during the first approach and landing. The flight then departed to obtain fuel at the operator’s base and then departed to return to MO55, to pick up the medic and flight nurse.

The accident occurred during the return’s approach for landing at MO55.
Examination of the wreckage confirmed flight control continuity of the tail rotor drive system and there were indications consistent with engine power on the turbine wheel output shaft.