Careflight Dallas

Helicopter crashes atop hospital 02:14 AM CDT on Thursday, September 4, 2003 By MICHAEL GRABELL / The Dallas Morning News A CareFlite ambulance helicopter crashed on the roof of Methodist Dallas Medical Center in north Oak Cliff on Wednesday night, injuring the pilot. The helicopter, carrying three people, was taking off about 8 p.m. to respond to an emergency in Crowley when the pilot realized he was having engine problems. Fearing that the helicopter might fall from the 10-story building, he aborted the takeoff. "All the warning lights came on," said Lt. Jesse Garcia of the Dallas Fire-Rescue department. The pilot "knew he was having problems. He knew he was going to go down. So as a last effort, he yanked it back and crashed on the landing pad." The helicopter landed on its side, and the pilot suffered neck and back injuries. He was being treated in the emergency room, a hospital spokeswoman said. A paramedic and a nurse on board were not injured. The crew members' names were not released. Fire officials said debris from the helicopter rotors was scattered across the roof and the hospital grounds southwest of downtown Dallas in the 1400 block of North Beckley Avenue. No one on the ground was hurt, though some minor damage was reported. Officials reported that workers were cleaning up hydraulic fluid that had leaked from the helicopter. The National Weather Service reported clear skies and winds of 5 to 7 mph at the time of the accident. Vanessa Graham of Dallas said she had just stepped outside the hospital's emergency room when she saw the helicopter descend. "I was just standing there having a cigarette, and I saw this big, long thing like a propeller pop off the helicopter," she said. "I thought it was trying to land, but it sounded too loud." Investigators were examining the debris late Wednesday, and Federal Aviation Administration investigators were on their way to the scene. Hospital officials said that after the crash, CareFlite helicopters were diverted to other hospitals. They're considering reopening an old heliport while the FAA finishes its investigation. "We need to review safety measures to make sure we can adequately land on an old heliport," said Kim Hollon, executive vice president of Methodist Health System. Mr. Hollon said that no damage to the hospital had been found and that the heliport where the crash occurred may reopen Thursday. CareFlite will be responsible for removing the wreckage.

The Dallas-based pilot, who has more than 20 years of flying experience, has flown for CareFlite for several years, said Martha Holcomb, public relations coordinator for CareFlite. Scott Wegner, CareFlite's chief pilot, said, "He did a wonderful job on returning back to the roof." In November, a helicopter taking off from Harris Methodist Fort Worth hospital spun out of control in high winds and crashed back onto the rooftop landing pad. No injuries were reported. The air ambulance was leaving its base on the 10th floor of the hospital's parking garage when the pilot apparently lost control. The helicopter's rotor blades clipped off a light pole on the garage, spraying debris onto the street below. The helicopter's tail rotor was heavily damaged in what investigators called a "hard landing," officials said.