On January 29, 2019, a Bell 407 helicopter operating as an air ambulance flight by Batesville, Arkansas-based Survival Flight crashed near Zaleski, Ohio, killing the pilot, the flight nurse and the flight paramedic.
NTSB Cites Poor Safety Culture in Air Ambulance Accident
Key Takeaways:
- An air ambulance helicopter crashed, killing three crew members, primarily due to the pilot's inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and subsequent failure to maintain altitude.
- The NTSB cited Survival Flight's inadequate safety management, which normalized noncompliance with risk-analysis procedures, and the FAA's insufficient oversight of the operator's risk management program as contributing factors.
- The accident highlighted the need for improved weather technology, mandatory flight recorders, and stronger safety management systems (SMS) for Part 135 operators to address systemic safety deficiencies in the helicopter air ambulance industry.
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