SALT LAKE CITY, UT, USA
N1759D
BELL 206L-1
THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN DURING A TURN AFTER DEPARTING FROM A HOSPITAL HELIPAD WHILE ON AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL FLT TO PICK UP A MEDICAL TEAM TO CARE FOR A CRITICALLY ILL CHILD. THE PLT WAS NOTIFIED AT 0510 BY HIS DISPATCHER. AFTER CHECKING WX, THE PLT CALLED BACK & SAID IF THEY WANT TO TRY IT THERE WOULD BE NO GUARANTEE. THE DISPATCHER RELAYED THAT THEY (MEDICAL CENTER) INDICATED A GREAT NEED TO GO. PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE PLT WAS HEARD TO SAY 'I FEEL REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT THIS FLIGHT.' THE WITNESS STATED THE PLT HAD BEEN ROTATING (ROTORS) OUTSIDE A LONG TIME & WOULD LIFT OFF THE PAD & THEN SET IT BACK DOWN. FROM 0700 ON 5/7 TO 0545 ON 5/11, THE PLT WAS EITHER ON DUTY WITHTHE NAT'L GUARD, HOSPITAL, FLYING, OR GOING TO SCHOOL FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 74 HRS DURING A PERIOD OF ABOUT 95 HRS. HIS AVERAGE REST DURING THIS PERIOD WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 5 HRS. THE ALTIMETER SETTING GIVEN TO THE PLT BY APPROACH CONTROL WAS 29.69. THE PLT'S ALT WAS FOUND SET AT 29.80, WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE ACFT TO BE 100 FT LOWER THAN INDICATED.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
