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Pilots pressure themselves to fly in the face of danger
By Alan Levin, USA TODAY
Air ambulance pilot Craig Bingham had his doubts about taking the mission on the night of Jan. 10, 2003. A fog bank was enveloping Salt Lake City, and another pilot across town had already tried and turned back.
But an accident victim lay gravely injured by the side of the highway, and the dispatcher at IHC Life Flight demanded a "yes or no" answer. A wavering Bingham agreed to fly.
The accident that cost Bingham and paramedic Mario Guerrero their lives provides a window into the pressures that push veteran pilots to fly even when conditions are deteriorating.
Based on Bingham's own words, tape-recorded on the night of the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board ruled that the crash was caused in part by self-imposed "pressure to complete the mission." Even Bingham himself bemoaned his decision to take off in his final radio calls.
When the Life Flight dispatcher contacted Bingham at 10:18 p.m., fog had already rolled in over Salt Lake City. It appeared to be clearer to the west, where he was supposed to fly to pick up the injured man, but it was hard to know for sure. There were no weather reporting stations at the accident scene, he told the dispatcher. "Just yes or no," said the dispatcher, identified only as Connie.
"Well, it's one of those things. I can give it a shot," Bingham said.
Dan Laguna, a pilot for an Air Methods ambulance across town, tried to warn Bingham. Laguna had taken off and headed for the accident scene but turned back. When Laguna heard that Life Flight was sending its helicopter, he telephoned Bingham and urged him not to fly. Bingham replied that he was "going to try to go over" the weather.
Within minutes of lifting off at 10:31, Bingham called off the flight. But stuck in the fog and frustrated, Bingham radioed Connie at 10:44.
"Air Med (Air Methods) got sent out for this same damn thing, and then they called us to go out," he told her. "Air Med turned around for low visibility so they go shopping for another helicopter ..."
"I understand. Unfortunately that happens all day long," Connie said. "A lot of the dispatch center(s) do it ..."
"I mean, they need help," he said. "I mean, when they need help it's not, you know, like they call to just (say) hi ..."
At 10:50, Bingham declared an emergency. Within seconds, he disappeared from radar. The wreckage of his helicopter was found a short time later in a field.
Read More
By Alan Levin, USA TODAY
Air ambulance pilot Craig Bingham had his doubts about taking the mission on the night of Jan. 10, 2003. A fog bank was enveloping Salt Lake City, and another pilot across town had already tried and turned back.
But an accident victim lay gravely injured by the side of the highway, and the dispatcher at IHC Life Flight demanded a "yes or no" answer. A wavering Bingham agreed to fly.
The accident that cost Bingham and paramedic Mario Guerrero their lives provides a window into the pressures that push veteran pilots to fly even when conditions are deteriorating.
Based on Bingham's own words, tape-recorded on the night of the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board ruled that the crash was caused in part by self-imposed "pressure to complete the mission." Even Bingham himself bemoaned his decision to take off in his final radio calls.
When the Life Flight dispatcher contacted Bingham at 10:18 p.m., fog had already rolled in over Salt Lake City. It appeared to be clearer to the west, where he was supposed to fly to pick up the injured man, but it was hard to know for sure. There were no weather reporting stations at the accident scene, he told the dispatcher. "Just yes or no," said the dispatcher, identified only as Connie.
"Well, it's one of those things. I can give it a shot," Bingham said.
Dan Laguna, a pilot for an Air Methods ambulance across town, tried to warn Bingham. Laguna had taken off and headed for the accident scene but turned back. When Laguna heard that Life Flight was sending its helicopter, he telephoned Bingham and urged him not to fly. Bingham replied that he was "going to try to go over" the weather.
Within minutes of lifting off at 10:31, Bingham called off the flight. But stuck in the fog and frustrated, Bingham radioed Connie at 10:44.
"Air Med (Air Methods) got sent out for this same damn thing, and then they called us to go out," he told her. "Air Med turned around for low visibility so they go shopping for another helicopter ..."
"I understand. Unfortunately that happens all day long," Connie said. "A lot of the dispatch center(s) do it ..."
"I mean, they need help," he said. "I mean, when they need help it's not, you know, like they call to just (say) hi ..."
At 10:50, Bingham declared an emergency. Within seconds, he disappeared from radar. The wreckage of his helicopter was found a short time later in a field.
Read More
