Medical helicopter loses one engine

[rchristi]

This recent article in The Minneapolis Star Tribune brings out one downside to using helicopters.


By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune



A helicopter flying a patient from 175 miles western Minnesota to the Twin Cities lost power in one of its two engines and made an emergency landing about 35 miles short of its destination, a hospital spokesman said this morning.

The Fargo-based MeritCare helicopter started in Fergus Falls and made the emergency landing at the airport in Buffalo, Minn., late Sunday afternoon, said MeritCare spokesman Darin Huber.

<SNIP>
Story HERE: http://www.startribune.com/local/26246419.html?location_refer=Homepage:latestNews:4

 

[Jon]

Concern notice, for those curious:

Date: 8/3/2008 1549 C

Program: MeritCare LifeFlight
Fargo, ND

Type: Bell 222UT
Tail #: N6992
Operator/Vendor: PHI, Inc.

Weather: Clear. Not a factor

Team: Pilot, Flight Nurse, Flight Paramedic. No injuries reported. Patient on board.

Description:
On Sunday August 3rd a MeritCare helicopter experienced a malfunction
of the #2 engine. A single engine precautionary landing was performed
at the Buffalo, MN airport. The aircraft landed without incident. The
LifeFlight medical team continued the patient transport by ground
ambulance. The cause of the malfunction was the high side fuel
governor on the #2 engine.

Source: Dan Ehlen, CMTE, Program Director

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The CONCERN network shares verified information to alert medical transport
programs when an accident / incident has occurred. Please share the above
information with your program staff. If you have further questions, please
contact the CONCERN Coordinator, David Kearns at 800 525 3712 or email:
coordinator@concern-network.org.

Copyright 2007 ASTNA

 

[mikeylikesit]

someone forgot to do a run up...someones in trouble

 

[Flight-LP]

Actually, I salute the pilot for his efforts in stabilizing the aircraft on one engine and for making a safe precautionary landing as soon as feasible. Had this been a smaller airframe with a single engine, the outcome could have been significantly different......................

 

[JJR512]

Reminds me of a joke I once heard about an aircraft losing engine power:

A commercial 747 is traveling across country and goes through a thunderstorm. Lightning hits an engine, and the pilot announces over the PA: "Ladies and gentlemen, lightning has damaged one of our engines, but do not worry because we still have three left. However, at our reduced speed, we will be arriving about an hour late." A short time later, lightning takes out another engine, and again, the pilot announces, "Ladies and gentlemen, again I apologize, but we have lost another engine and will now be about two hours late." Finally, lightning takes out a third engine, and the pilot makes another announcement, adding that they will now be three ours late to arrive. After this final announcement, one passenger says to another, "Boy, I sure hope we don't lose that fourth engine or we'll be up here forever!"