Narrative:

We were dispatched to an accident scene near a town named ZZZ, to pick up a patient who was trapped underneath an overturned tractor. Once on the scene an EMS person was injured and knocked unconscious. The medical personnel at the scene requested that I fly both people to the hospital. We do not carry a second litter normally. I asked the medical personnel if they felt that it would be life or death situation, and they said yes. I elected to fly the second patient strapped to a backboard and with the use of cargo straps, I fastened the backboard to the aircraft both front and rear. This is a non approved litter device. We returned to the hospital without further event. Lessons learned: have medical crew consider installing the second litter on the aircraft at all times. Although I do not regret having to be put in a situation such as this, it is another exercise in getting involved in the medical situation at the scene and how it can effect a pilot's judgement. We can never let the medical necessity override our good judgement and prevent us from being unsafe.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELICOPTER WITH ONLY ONE APPROVED LITTER REQUESTED TO CARRY TWO CRITICALLY INJURED PATIENTS TO HOSPITAL.

Narrative: WE WERE DISPATCHED TO AN ACCIDENT SCENE NEAR A TOWN NAMED ZZZ, TO PICK UP A PATIENT WHO WAS TRAPPED UNDERNEATH AN OVERTURNED TRACTOR. ONCE ON THE SCENE AN EMS PERSON WAS INJURED AND KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS. THE MEDICAL PERSONNEL AT THE SCENE REQUESTED THAT I FLY BOTH PEOPLE TO THE HOSPITAL. WE DO NOT CARRY A SECOND LITTER NORMALLY. I ASKED THE MEDICAL PERSONNEL IF THEY FELT THAT IT WOULD BE LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION, AND THEY SAID YES. I ELECTED TO FLY THE SECOND PATIENT STRAPPED TO A BACKBOARD AND WITH THE USE OF CARGO STRAPS, I FASTENED THE BACKBOARD TO THE ACFT BOTH FRONT AND REAR. THIS IS A NON APPROVED LITTER DEVICE. WE RETURNED TO THE HOSPITAL WITHOUT FURTHER EVENT. LESSONS LEARNED: HAVE MEDICAL CREW CONSIDER INSTALLING THE SECOND LITTER ON THE ACFT AT ALL TIMES. ALTHOUGH I DO NOT REGRET HAVING TO BE PUT IN A SITUATION SUCH AS THIS, IT IS ANOTHER EXERCISE IN GETTING INVOLVED IN THE MEDICAL SITUATION AT THE SCENE AND HOW IT CAN EFFECT A PLT'S JUDGEMENT. WE CAN NEVER LET THE MEDICAL NECESSITY OVERRIDE OUR GOOD JUDGEMENT AND PREVENT US FROM BEING UNSAFE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.