Witnesses Heard Aircraft Flying Low

The National Transportation Safety Board recently ruled 'undetermined' reasons were behind the downing of an Airlift Northwest medical helicopter crash in 2005, that claimed the lives of the pilot and two flight nurses.

As ANN reported, Coast Guard rescue crews searched the waters off the coast near Seattle, WA and located debris from the Agusta A109/Mk II medevac helicopter, after it went down September 29, 2005 as it returned to base after dropping off a passenger at a nearby hospital.

No one saw the helicopter go down at approximately 9:30 pm, although one witness called 911 to report a helicopter fly over near the accident site. The witness said "shortly after that [the helicopter] sounded 'funny' and then they heard an explosion," said Edmonds, WA police Sgt. Jeff Jones.

According to the NTSB report, just prior to the loss of radar contact, the helicopter entered a left turn towards the west, away from the shoreline. No eyewitnesses to the accident were located, but a number witnesses heard the low flying helicopter, followed by the sound of impact.

The closest aviation weather reporting station was about five miles northwest of the accident site, and reported winds from the southwest at 6 knots, the report states, with visibilities restricted in light rain and mist, a ceiling ranging from 200 to 800 feet, with conditions rapidly deteriorating within 30 minutes of the accident.

The report further states that damage observed on the recovered wreckage was "consistent with the helicopter impacting the water in an uncontrolled descent" but, "the majority of the helicopter, including most of the flight control system and all flight instruments and avionics, was not recovered, precluding determination of the reasons for the loss of control."

Lost were pilot Steven Smith, 59, of Whidbey Island, WA and nurses Erin Reed, 48, and Lois Suzuki, 47, both of Seattle.

Less than a month after this crash, a second Airlift NW helicopter experienced problems. As ANN reported, none of the four people aboard that Agusta A109 (type shown at right) was seriously injured when the medical chopper lost power on takeoff and fell off the Providence-St. Peter Hospital's roof helipad.

The alarming situation prompted Airlift Northwest management to conduct a one day voluntary "stand down" on November 29, 2005 in order to review its safety procedures as part a larger comprehensive internal and external review to ensure the organization operates with the best practices in the aviation industry.

The audit -- conducted by R. Dixon Speas Associates -- found no safety issues, and no FAA violations.

FMI: Read The NTSB Probable Cause Report, www.airliftnw.org/