The NTSB hasn’t yet issued its report on the fatal Skylife air ambulance crash in December 2015. But a Fresno judge has ruled that regardless of the cause, the family of one of the paramedics on board will not be allowed to sue either the operator of the helicopter (Rogers Helicopter) or the helicopter’s
EMS Industry Leader Commits to Retrofitting Helicopter Fleet with Crashworthy Fuel Systems
Earlier this summer, the NTSB asked the FAA to require helicopter manufactures to equip all new aircraft with crashworthy fuel systems. If history is any guide, we can expect the FAA to ignore that recommendation, despite that the FAA has known of the dangers posed by existing fuel system for decades.
But now Air
HEMS Operator Drops Pretense That It’s All About Speed
The air ambulance industry has a poor safety record. Most of the industry crashes involve EMS helicopters rather than airplanes. The EMS helicopter fatal accident rate is 6000 times that of commercial airliners. As it turns out, flying an EMS helicopter is one of the most dangerous jobs in
America.
The industry tries to justify
EMS Night Vision Goggles: FAA Incompetence Exposed
Stephen Stock, an investigative reporter for NBC, talks about the hazards posed by night vision goggles improperly installed in much of the nation’s EMS helicopter fleet. I was happy to offer Stock my thoughts. The FAA refused to comment on camera.
Imagine how difficult it must be for Rand Foster to go to work
Office of Special Counsel Warns of Gross Mismanagement at the FAA
In 2008, a safety inspector determined that nearly half of the nation’s EMS helicopter fleet–about 300 aircraft–have improperly installed night vision systems. As installed, the systems are a hazard to the air ambulance crews and the patients they carry. The inspector felt the aircraft should be grounded until they were fixed. The FAA initially
Legal System Treats Passengers Differently From Crew
When an EMS helicopter goes down, our legal system treats the family members of the
passengers lost in the accident quite a bit differently from the families of the crew. For example, while the family members of the passenger may perhaps get their day in court, the claims of the crew members’ families are usually precluded
Helicopter Crash Lawyers Bribe Judge, Settle Case, Get Sued
EMS helicopter crash cases aren’t easy. A lawyer representing a victim’s family ought to have experience in helicopter crash cases. If he doesn’t, he should bring into the case a lawyer who does. What he should not do, obviously, is make up for lack of experience by bribing the judge.
It’s shocking to think that a lawyer
“Golden Hour” and Other Myths from the EMS Helicopter Industry
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
EMS Helicopter – Airplane Mid-Air at Shenandoah Valley Airport
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.
The EMS Helicopter Industry’s Business Model Leads to Unnecessary Crashes
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