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Pilot of air ambulance helicopter hovers above helipad then turns only to hit the ambulance, which is still on the helipad, with the tail rotor.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 379988 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199709 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : mht |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 2940 flight time type : 35 |
| ASRS Report | 379988 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | other personnel |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : ground critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was parked at the hospital helipad with the aircraft shut down. The ambulance drove up to the pad and parked on the left rear of the helicopter. The patient was loaded, I started the helicopter and picked it up to a hover. By this time I thought the ambulance was off the pad. I made a right pedal turn about 30 degrees and the tail rotor struck the ambulance on the top middle edge of the left side. I then set the helicopter back down on the pad and shut down.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF AIR AMBULANCE HELI HOVERS ABOVE HELIPAD THEN TURNS ONLY TO HIT THE AMBULANCE, WHICH IS STILL ON THE HELIPAD, WITH THE TAIL ROTOR.
Narrative: I WAS PARKED AT THE HOSPITAL HELIPAD WITH THE ACFT SHUT DOWN. THE AMBULANCE DROVE UP TO THE PAD AND PARKED ON THE L REAR OF THE HELI. THE PATIENT WAS LOADED, I STARTED THE HELI AND PICKED IT UP TO A HOVER. BY THIS TIME I THOUGHT THE AMBULANCE WAS OFF THE PAD. I MADE A R PEDAL TURN ABOUT 30 DEGS AND THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE AMBULANCE ON THE TOP MIDDLE EDGE OF THE L SIDE. I THEN SET THE HELI BACK DOWN ON THE PAD AND SHUT DOWN.
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.