Why does the public accept the EMS helicopter industry’s horrible safety record? Because the industry has sold the idea that it’s critical to deliver trauma victims to a hospital within the first “golden hour” after an injury. While the industry acknowledges that the EMS helicopter accident rate is high, it argues that many more lives are saved
Mike Danko
EMS Helicopter – Airplane Mid-Air at Shenandoah Valley Airport
By Mike Danko on
The EMS helicopter was returning to Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport in Virginia, having dropped off a patient in nearby Charlottesville. Reports differ on whether the Cessna was departing the airport or returning to the airport for landing. The Cessna and the helicopter collided. Though the helicopter landed safely, both occupants in the Cessna were killed.…
NTSB Boots American Airlines Off Jackson Hole Investigation
By Mike Danko on
I often write about the NTSB’s "party system." That’s the NTSB’s practice of asking airlines and manufacturers for help in determining an accident’s cause. If you ask me, it’s a bit like asking the fox for help in figuring out what happened to the chickens. The party system allows industry participants to bias NTSB probable cause findings in their…
The EMS Helicopter Industry’s Business Model Leads to Unnecessary Crashes
By Mike Danko on
Posted in EMS Industry, Helicopters
Emergency Medical Services helicopters don’t get paid for being on call. They earn money only when transporting patients. But, when they do transport a patient, they are paid well — up to $20,000 per trip.
The business model has worked out well for the industry. In fact, the number of EMS helicopters in service has quadrupled since…
Steve Wilson: “The Cirrus Airplane Has Serious Problems”
By Mike Danko on
Posted in Cirrus Aircraft, General Aviation
Steve Wilson argues that there are safety issues with Cirrus airplanes. First, Wilson feels that the Cirrus is more prone than your typical Beechcraft to crashes in which the pilot loses control of the aircraft while maneuvering. Second, Wilson feels that the Cirrus is more susceptible to crashes involving inadvertent encounters with icing conditions.
Of course, the NTSB chalks up both of these types of accidents to pilot error, not to a fault in theContinue Reading Steve Wilson: “The Cirrus Airplane Has Serious Problems”
Robinson R44 Design Defect Leads to Post-Crash Fires
By Mike Danko on
Posted in Accident Investigations, Helicopters
Robinson Helicopter Company has long touted the crashworthiness of its helicopters. An excerpt from Robinson Safety Notice SN-10, which dates back to 1982:
The R22 and R44 have demonstrated excellent crashworthiness as long as the pilot flies the aircraft all the way to the ground . . .The ship may roll over and be severely
…
Concorde Guilty Verdict Bad for Aviation Safety
By Mike Danko on
In 1996, a ValuJet MD-80 went down in the Florida Everglades, killing all 110 on board. The cause of the crash was ultimately traced to oxygen generators, which had been removed from service and improperly secured and loaded into the plane’s cargo hold.
The FBI became involved early on. Various players were charged with, among other…
Pilatus Crash at Butte: New NTSB Reports Show Pilot Under Stress
By Mike Danko on
Posted in Accident Investigations, General Aviation
The NTSB hasn’t yet released its probable cause finding concerning the Pilatus crash at Butte, Montana that killed the pilot and his 13 passengers. But it has just made public its “docket.” The docket sheds some light on what may have been happening in the cockpit in the minutes leading to the crash.
The flight was bound for Bozeman. Suddenly, the pilot diverted to Butte, which was only marginally closer. Though the pilot never explained the reason for the diversion, the docket suggests that theContinue Reading Pilatus Crash at Butte: New NTSB Reports Show Pilot Under Stress
Suit Filed Against Karen Trolan For Truckee Tahoe Plane Crash
By Mike Danko on
Posted in General Aviation, Lawsuits of Note
We’ve filed suit against Los Gatos real estate broker Karen Trolan (pictured), her husband Steve Trolan, and their company, Trolan Enterprises, as a result of the September 2009 plane crash that left the Trolans’ passenger, 14 year-old Marilyn Mitchell, seriously injured.
The Trolans were headed from Truckee Tahoe airport to San Jose. They needed very…
Limited Liability Companies May Protect Aircraft Owners
By Mike Danko on
Posted in Defenses, General Aviation
It’s not uncommon for three or four pilots to share ownership of an aircraft. For years, owning an aircraft as “partners” was the norm. That form of ownership, however, carries with it some liability considerations.
- “Partners” can generally be held individually liable for one another’s debts, including debts arising from one another’s negligence. In other
…