Patient Dead, Crew Hurt

A medical helicopter flying a heart patient to a South Indiana hospital crashed Wednesday morning, killing the passenger and injuring the three crew members on board. Medical helicopters from Illinois and Kentucky joined the Indiana Highway Patrol's helo in searching for the wreckage before an injured crew member was able to signal them with his flashlight.

The Bell 206B Jet Ranger (file photo of type, below right) was flying from St. Joseph Deaconess Hospital in Huntington (IN) to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville at 12:05 am EDT when the pilot reported an onboard emergency. "He started to make a turn, and as he was doing so, he started to tumble," said State Police Sgt. Todd Ringle.

There's no information yet on what caused the aircraft to lose control, he said.

Patient Jerry Leonard, 63, of Birdseye (IN), died in the crash. Ringle said the pilot was partially ejected from the aircraft when it hit the ground. The other two crew members on board were also hurt.

FAA Preliminary Accident Report

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 2758L        Make/Model: B206      Description: BELL 206B HELICOPTER
  Date: 04/20/2004     Time: 2351
  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: EVANSVILLE                  State: IN   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
AIR EVAC LIFE TEAM, N2758L, A BELL 206L-1 HELICOPTER ENGINE QUIT IN FLIGHT AND CRASHED, FOUR PERSONS WERE ON BOARD, ONE WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THREE SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED, 29 MILES NE OF EVANSVILLE, IN

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   3     Fat:   0     Ser:   3     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   1      Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:           Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: OVERCAST, VIS GOOD                                                         
                                                                                    
                                                        

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Air Ambulance      Phase: Cruise      Operation: Air Taxi (On Demand)

  Departed: HUNTINBURG, IN              Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination: EVANSVILLE HOSP, IN      Flt Plan: NONE         Wx Briefing: Y
  Last Radio Cont:  UNK
  Last Clearance: UNK

  FAA FSDO: INDIANAPOLIS, IN  (GL11)              Entry date: 04/21/2004

FMI: www.ntsb.gov