Sun, Jan 02, 2011
Two Dead, Helo Manages Controlled Landing, Cessna Not So
Fortunate
A tragic mid-air collision has claimed the live of two people
aboard a Cessna 172 that clipped the skids of a Eurocopter EC135.
The 1967 C-172 lost a significant portion of its left wing after
colliding with the lower part of the EC135 and impacted an area
approximately one half mile North of the Shenandoah Valley Regional
Airport in Weyers Cave, VA. The accident occurred at 1430 local
time and involved AirCare 5, a medical transport helicopter,
operated under contract by PHI. The Cessna was registered to a
local pilot but actual occupants were not yet named by
authorities.
AirCare 5
The EC135 was enroute back to the airport after a trip to
University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, and was
able to execute a controlled landing with three crewmembers aboard
all accounted for as safe and uninjured. Damage to the helo's skids
indicates that the impact was contained to the lower portion of the
helicopter's airframe while the more vulnerable rotor system
escaped unscathed.
A local media report quoted a local Helicopter instructor by the
name of Mark Huntley who was reportedly working in his hangar when
he heard the mid-air. Huntley said that, “I saw the
helicopter come in and… it wasn’t pretty,” and
thought the pilot did an “amazing job” of getting the
aircraft down. “It was a combination of how well all the
safety features they have on that aircraft worked and [the
pilot’s] ability to recover... It’s a testament to the
training those boys get.” The EC135 was crewed by pilot Paul
Weve, co-pilot and flight nurse Joseph Root, and flight nurse
Carolyn Booke.
Cessna 172 (File Photo)
AirCare is a division of PHI, Inc., and provides emergency
medical transport service to the Shenandoah Valley and eastern West
Virginia. AirCare notes that their primary mission 'is transporting
and providing in-flight intensive care for the critically ill or
injured patients who require the specialized services of a tertiary
medical center or Level 1 trauma center. For critically ill or
seriously injured patients, PHI Air Medical's speed, advanced
medical equipment and highly trained personnel can make a
lifesaving difference.' The aircraft are on-duty 24/7.
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