Air Ambulance chopper makes forced landing

bubbaearle · #1 (**permalink**) 01-18-2009, 04:32 AM

An air ambulance helicopter operated by Baptist Memorial Hospital in Little Rock was forced to make an emergency landing at the Widener exit near I-40 in St. Francis Co.

At approximately 18:30 the helicopter was returning from a patient transfer flight to Memphis when the aircraft encountered a flock of geese. Flight crew notified MedFlight dispatch on the AWIN radio carried aboard the craft to declare the emergency and inform them of a forced landing.

The aircraft sustained multiple bird strikes and the windscreen was broken. The pilot was hit in the face by one bird and sustained injuries. The pilot maintained control of the craft and landed in a parking lot of an adult bookstore located between I-40 and US Highway 70.

Upon landing the pilot was transported via ambulance to Forrest City Hospital.

Remnants of a bird carcass could be seen embedded in the nose of the aircraft below the right windscreen. More damage could be seen on the top of the craft on the fairing just forward of the main rotor mast.

swstow · #2 (**permalink**) 01-18-2009, 04:49 AM

to bad their wasnt water around he could have done a water landing

really glad to hear all ok

Dak48 · #3 (**permalink**) 01-18-2009, 07:00 AM

I know you were joking, but a helicopter, top heavy as it is, would have been the worst vehicle for water landing, let alone getting yourself out. Those puppies flip right over because of being top heavy and settle quite quickly. I was a swimmer in the Navy and had to go through a water simulator once every two years. Getting ones self out of a chopper dumped in the drink is very disorienting, and bubbles really lend to the confusion.

Seriously, glad no lives were lost or that there were serious injurious. This could have had a far worse outcome. Good job to the pilot.